Application Guide
How to Apply for Fall 2026 Science Internship – Washington, DC Regional Office
at Earthjustice
🏢 About Earthjustice
Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization, known for using the power of the law to protect people and the planet. They have a track record of landmark victories in climate, clean energy, and environmental justice cases, making them a mission-driven powerhouse where your work directly contributes to safeguarding the environment.
About This Role
This internship places you at the intersection of science and policy, where you'll conduct research to support Earthjustice's advocacy before federal agencies and courts. You'll contribute to comment letters, fact sheets, and engagements with Congress, making your scientific expertise instrumental in shaping environmental regulations and legal strategies.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve reviewing recent scientific studies on a pollutant, summarizing key findings for a legal team drafting a comment letter to the EPA, and then preparing a fact sheet for a Congressional briefing. You could also attend a team meeting to discuss how scientific evidence supports a pending lawsuit, and spend time analyzing data to strengthen an advocacy argument.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Earthjustice Is Looking For
- A graduate student in environmental science, biology, chemistry, engineering, or a related field, with coursework or experience in environmental health topics like epidemiology or toxicology.
- Possesses outstanding research skills, including the ability to perform scientific literature reviews and basic quantitative data analysis.
- Has strong written and verbal communication skills to translate complex scientific findings into clear, persuasive content for non-scientific audiences.
- Is passionate about environmental advocacy and understands the role of science in legal and policy battles, with an expected graduation no earlier than December 2026.
📝 Tips for Applying to Earthjustice
Tailor your resume to highlight specific experience in environmental health research, such as literature reviews or data analysis, and mention any familiarity with federal agency processes (e.g., EPA, FWS).
In your cover letter, explicitly connect your scientific background to Earthjustice's mission, citing a specific case or issue they've worked on (e.g., clean air, PFAS contamination).
Demonstrate your writing skills by including a writing sample that analyzes a scientific issue with policy implications, such as a comment letter or fact sheet.
Show you understand the Washington, DC policy landscape by mentioning any experience with Congressional engagements or federal rulemaking.
If you have experience with quantitative data analysis (e.g., R, Python, Excel), list specific tools and projects to stand out.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Emphasize your research skills and ability to synthesize scientific literature for advocacy purposes.', "Highlight any experience with environmental health topics, such as epidemiology or risk assessment, and how they relate to Earthjustice's work.", "Express passion for using science to drive legal and policy change, and mention familiarity with Earthjustice's recent victories or campaigns.", "Demonstrate strong communication skills by showing how you've explained complex science to non-specialists in the past."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Review Earthjustice's current campaigns and recent case victories, especially those involving science (e.g., clean water, climate, toxics).
- → Understand the role of federal agencies like EPA, FWS, and NOAA in environmental regulation, and how Earthjustice interacts with them.
- → Familiarize yourself with key environmental health concepts like cumulative risk assessment or environmental justice, as they are central to Earthjustice's work.
- → Look into the Washington, DC Regional Office's specific focus areas and recent comment letters or legal actions.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't mention Earthjustice or show specific knowledge of their work.
- Overlooking the requirement for quantitative data analysis skills—if you don't have them, take a short online course before applying.
- Failing to proofread your application materials for errors, especially scientific terminology or legal references.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!