U.S. Federal Climate Innovation Intern

Overview

Put your passion and skills to work for the planet. Climate change is the most urgent issue of our time, and we need people like you to help us build a vital Earth — for everyone.

We’re Environmental Defense Fund, a fast-paced nonprofit with a growing staff of more than 850 people in nearly 30 countries. We deliver game-changing solutions that cut climate pollution and strengthen people’s ability to thrive despite the effects climate change is already having. We work wherever we can have the most impact, from local communities to top companies to governments worldwide, and even in space.

Our culture, values and commitment to diversity make EDF an exciting and meaningful place to work. Every job here makes a difference. Won’t you join us?

Responsibilities

Program/Department Overview

In the U.S., EDF staff operate as experts, pragmatists, strategists, advocates and doers, as well as enablers of others. By focusing our efforts on accelerating the pace and durability of transformation during this decade, we are helping to build more just, equitable, healthy and resilient communities.

The U.S. Region, led by Joe Bonfiglio, is made up of six teams of talented EDFers working to create bold policies, climate smart regulations and political will in order to stabilize the climate, build thriving communities and sustain human health across the United States.

US Region Initiatives, led by Derek Walker, is home to many U.S.-focused projects including clean energy, domestic methane, state carbon markets, ZEVs, energy decarbonization, western water, smart agriculture and health. Staff nested here will pull together matrixed teams across EDF to execute our strategies on these organizational priorities. Within this division, the Federal Climate Innovation (FCI) Team is focused on designing and advancing federal policy for climate innovation that promotes rapid, safe, and equitable development and deployment of new climate technologies and solutions.

Overall Function

The FCI Team has developed a tool called the Federal Climate Innovation Funding Tracker, a data visualization tool that combines a unique dataset of federal climate investment and visualization strategies that allows users to intuitively understand and explore how much the U.S. federal government invests in different climate innovation solutions and sectors. We seek an intern to help us deepen and expand the impact of this tool, bringing greater clarity to where key gaps can be solved by smart public policy, including building out a dataset to better visualize climate innovation efforts by other federal agencies (e.g. the Department of Defense, NIST, NOAA) and/or the investments contained in the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The effort requires a careful and systematic consideration of congressional intent, federal implementation, program design, and the prioritization of key solutions. The project will culminate in a data visualization tool, translating the intern’s efforts into a dynamic and compelling deliverable, while providing the intern with a deeper understanding of the processes that underpin the United States federal innovation investments.

Key Responsibilities

Tasks will include but are not limited to:

• Work with the FCI Team and external consultants to research levels of federal spending dedicated to innovation in different sectors and solutions, utilizing federal budget documents, appropriations numbers, and direct interviews with government officials and other expert to understand the objectives of key programs.
• Create a Microsoft Excel dataset characterizing specific federal spending based on a variety of categorizations, and synthesize key insights for EDF advocacy.
• Provide additional analytical support to the team as needed in a fast-paced and exciting environment.
• Participate in advancing EDF Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in/recent graduate of an undergraduate degree program.
• Have a demonstrated interest in federal policy and technological innovation.
• Coursework demonstrating the ability to manage and analyze quantitative data (quantitative sciences, policy analysis).
• Highly proficient in Microsoft excel and ability to think creatively around collecting and categorizing data based on incomplete or inconsistently defined criteria.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Must be well-organized, motivated, and detail-oriented.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work in a team setting and have the ability to work independently when projects are due.
• Demonstrate self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds.
• Demonstrate initiative and problem solving skills.

Location

Hybrid out of Washington, DC, with the option to work U.S. Remote

Term

Spring 2023 (January-May)

Hours

Full-Time (35 hr/week) or part-time (minimum 10 hours/week) depending on candidate’s availability

Compensation

This internship would involve either compensation for work paid at a rate competitive with leading non-profits at $17/hr or academic credit. Students are encouraged to seek academic credit or funding through their college/university and EDF will ensure that any and all paperwork needed to secure academic credit is completed.

Application Materials

Interested applicants should attach their cover letter and resume to the EDF application, together with a writing sample.

Pay Ranges

We offer a strong total rewards package encompassing competitive salary, robust benefits, and professional development opportunities consistent with a modern global organization. We take into account factors such as candidate experience, skills, training, internal team equity and local norms.

The pay range for this role is shown below.

Please note that pay ranges are country specific. As a result, the stated currency is not meant be converted into any other currency.

Minimum Salary

USD $17.00/Hr.

Maximum Salary

USD $17.00/Hr.

EEO Information

Environmental Defense Fund is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.