Environmental Defense Fund Internships: Opportunities for Shaping a Sustainable Future

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) offers a variety of internships designed to provide students with invaluable experience in the environmental field. These internships, often conducted in collaboration with other organizations and universities, offer hands-on experience with leading experts, contributing to EDF's mission of preserving the environment and finding sustainable solutions. EDF's internships span across various focus areas, offering opportunities for students from diverse academic backgrounds to contribute to environmental conservation and sustainable development. These internships are not just about gaining experience; they are about making a tangible difference in the world.

EDF Schneider Fellowship

Stanford University students have access to nine summer fellowship positions through the EDF Schneider Fellowship. Selected fellows receive a stipend of $11,500 for a 12-week summer fellowship. The EDF Schneider Summer Fellows are expected to begin service on either June 8, 2026 (finals schedules permitting) and conclude on August 28, 2026, or to begin service on June 15, 2026. Fellows who begin service on June 15, 2026 will have the week off during the week of August 31st when the EDF offices are closed, and will conclude their fellowships on September 11, 2026.

Science and Innovation Internships

The Science and Innovation (S&I) program at EDF is the nexus of science, ensuring that all EDF policy positions are based on the best available information. The S&I team works across EDF's mission areas, translating research in natural and social sciences into actionable ideas. Several internship opportunities fall under the S&I umbrella:

China Methane Science Team Internship

This internship focuses on understanding methane emissions in China. The intern will search, compile, and integrate information related to methane emission sources across East Asia from anthropogenic and natural activities, beginning with EDF’s MethaneSAT target regions and later expanding to additional areas. Deliverables will include a well-referenced collection of information on methane emissions derived from peer-reviewed literature, online resources, public media, economic reports, and both archived and recent government and policy documents. The position is hybrid, based out of an EDF office in Austin, TX, Boulder, CO, Boston, MA, New York, NY, Raleigh, NC, or San Francisco, CA, or Washington D.C.

Manure Management and Biogas Internship

This internship focuses on the economics of manure management. The intern will investigate available information on the cost of installing, maintaining, and operating a manure lagoon cover with biogas collection, as well as a cover on the digestate storage structure. The economic analysis will include the cost versus revenue from on-farm energy and sale of GHG credits for avoided methane emissions. Captured biogas can provide energy for on-farm use, and the digestate cover will reduce ammonia emissions and associated public health risks. The position is hybrid, based out of an EDF office in Austin, TX, Boulder, CO, Boston, MA, New York, NY, Raleigh, NC, San Francisco, CA, or Washington D.C.

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Climate Science Team Internship

This internship supports the Climate Science team, which plays a central role in advancing policy-relevant science and ensuring that climate-related initiatives and communications at EDF are based on the best available science. The team performs primary research on climate change and its societal impacts, as well as on potential climate solutions and adaptation strategies. The intern will play a central role in fulfilling the cross organizational demand for cutting edge climate science information. Climate-related initiatives at EDF such as policy and legal positions, climate innovation technologies, market-based solutions and communications rely on robust, credible, and timely scientific information. The intern will also help communicate science to internal and external audiences. For internal audiences, the intern will participate in developing factsheets, webinars, reports, and maintain existing climate factoid databases (e.g. climate and extreme weather) by incorporating the latest scientific studies. Deliverables for the above functions may include but are not limited to: factsheets and memos synthesizing the best available quantitative information on a given subject; assembling a climate science resource database; and blog posts communicating climate science related topics. The position is hybrid, based out of an EDF office in Austin, TX, Boulder, CO, Boston, MA, New York, NY, Raleigh, NC, San Francisco, CA, or Washington D.C.

Fisheries and Oceans Program Internship

This internship focuses on protecting the mesopelagic zone, a critical part of the ocean that plays a major role in carbon storage and supports a significant amount of fish biomass. The Intern will work closely with scientists on EDF’s Ocean Science Team to support efforts to protect the mesopelagic-or twilight-zone, a critical part of the ocean that supports up to 90% of fish biomass and plays a major role in carbon storage. The intern will help quantify the role of mesopelagic species in the diets of key predators such as tuna, sharks, seabirds and marine mammals, which are either targeted directly or captured incidentally (as bycatch) in fisheries worldwide. The intern will assess how emerging mesopelagic fisheries could affect food webs and create potential conflict with existing fisheries. The intern will report to the Research Scientist, Seabird-Fisheries Interactions, and be an active member of the Ocean Science Team, participating in regular meetings and contributing to cross-project collaboration. The intern will conduct literature reviews on predator-prey and trophic interactions in the mesopelagic zone and quantify the role of mesopelagic species in the diets of predators targeted by fisheries (e.g. tuna, squid), as well as species affected indirectly through bycatch (e.g. seabirds). The position is hybrid, based out of an EDF office in Austin, TX, Boulder, CO, Boston, MA, New York, NY, Raleigh, NC, San Francisco, CA, or Washington D.C.

Healthy Communities Internship

This internship, based in Houston, TX, supports community-based organizations working on air quality monitoring. The Healthy Communities team in Houston, TX supports community-based organizations as they work on their Enhanced Community Air Monitoring grant awarded by the EPA. Houston Data to Action community groups have embarked on community-led monitoring of hazardous air pollutants, addressing blind spots in community exposures by collectively quantifying and mapping air toxics in residential neighborhoods and near permitted facilities in Harris County. The intern will develop maps, data visualizations, presentations, outreach materials, and summaries that can be shared with city, county, state, federal officials and the public summarizing results of the mobile monitoring campaigns and potential health impacts to local Harris County communities. The intern will contribute to developing maps, data visualizations and summaries that can be used in different contexts (print, social media, presentations, etc.) and appropriate for different audiences (public, local, state, federal officials and regulators). The position is remote in Houston, TX.

Carbon Pricing Internship

This internship supports EDF’s work around carbon pricing and carbon markets, particularly the voluntary carbon market. The Carbon Pricing team coordinates and aligns EDF's approach for engagement and advocacy in global carbon markets. The intern will provide analytical and operational support to ongoing projects, including the formation of EDF’s strategic goals and EDF’s participation in external initiatives related to carbon pricing. The position is hybrid, based out of an EDF office in Austin, TX, Boulder, CO, Boston, MA, New York, NY, Raleigh, NC, San Francisco, CA, or Washington D.C.

Economics Internship

This internship provides research, writing, and analytical support to ongoing projects led by the Manager, Economics and Policy, in collaboration with EDF’s Healthy Communities focus area. The intern will contribute research, writing, and analytical support to ongoing projects led by the Manager, Economics and Policy, in collaboration with EDF’s Healthy Communities focus area, primarily focusing on EDF’s efforts to measure, monetize, and mitigate the health, and climate harming impacts to communities from petrochemical pollution and other critical anthropogenic sources. As part of this effort, the intern will support the compilation of policy briefs, memos, and discussion papers that will disseminate findings from literature-based discursive research and support the Manager in completing ongoing analytical tasks, which include the use of EDF-designed tools to identify and visualize facility and regional level datasets aimed at capturing the socioeconomic determinants of health risks. The position is hybrid, based out of an EDF office in Austin, TX, Boulder, CO, Boston, MA, New York, NY, Raleigh, NC, San Francisco, CA, or Washington D.C. The intern supervisor is in Washington, D.C.

Agriculture, Water, and Food Program Internship

This internship focuses on communications related to climate-resilient water systems and climate-smart agriculture. The Climate Resilient Water Systems (CRWS) workstream is dedicated to developing water management and policy solutions that balance water supply and demand and increase the resilience of water systems. The intern will report to the Sr. Communications Director for the EDF Water Program and work closely with members of the CRWS and Climate-Smart Agriculture programs on a variety of communications products and strategies. The position is hybrid, based out of an EDF office in Austin, TX, Boulder, CO, Boston, MA, New York, NY, Raleigh, NC, San Francisco, CA, Washington D.C.

Climate Resilient Fisheries and Oceans Internship (Japan)

This internship focuses on advancing sustainable, climate-resilient fisheries in Japan. Under the supervision of the Director of Japan Fisheries and Oceans, the intern will help advance Japan’s position as a global leader in sustainable, climate-resilient fisheries by assisting in research, policy development, stakeholder engagement, and communications to modernize the fisheries management framework.

Legal & Regulatory Team Internship

The Legal & Regulatory team envisions a world in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected to the environmental challenges we face and are engaged in creating durable, equitable solutions. The Legal & Regulatory team contribute meaningfully to the team’s work securing clean air and climate protections. Interns gain experience relevant, challenging, and rewarding. The location is D.C. Remote with option to be hybrid out of the EDF office in Washington D.C.

General Internship Information

EDF offers internships in fall, spring, and summer cycles. The summer season hosts the greatest number of interns, ranging from 80-100, who work full time from June through August (a 10-12 week term). Internships involve total compensation for work paid at a rate competitive with leading non-profits.

A Transformative Experience

Internships at EDF provide transformative experiences, reinforcing commitment to environmental conservation, community development, and sustainable practices.

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