Policy and Government Affairs Intern

Job Description

Policy and Government Affairs Undergraduate Internship | World Wildlife Fund

The Tone:
This is an undergraduate internship at World Wildlife Fund, likely located in Washington, DC, focused on Policy and Government Affairs. WWF is a global conservation organization, grounded in science and driven by collaboration, that helps people and nature thrive by protecting wildlife, conserving habitats, and advancing sustainable solutions across over 100 countries. This role provides an opportunity to contribute directly to the organization’s mission by supporting critical research, analysis, and outreach efforts related to U.S. government policy and legislative processes. The intern’s work will help inform and advance WWF’s conservation goals across a wide range of environmental issues.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Part-time or Full-time
• Location: In-person, Washington, DC

• Team: Policy and Government Affairs team
• Mission: To support the Policy and Government Affairs team by conducting research, analysis, and outreach on conservation-related legislative and policy issues.

What You’ll Actually Do
• Research & Analysis: Conduct in-depth research, writing, and analysis on diverse topics, encompassing biodiversity conservation (like endangered species and habitat protection), natural resource management (fisheries, forestry, agriculture), environment and security, climate change, and plastics.
• Policy Assessment: Assess government agencies’ roles, policies, and positions on issues critical to WWF’s mission, including writing brief materials about U.S. government agencies, legislation, regulations, and potentially court cases.
• Legislative Tracking: Monitor and track pertinent legislative developments and policy initiatives, performing research to support the Policy and Government Affairs team’s objectives.
• Outreach & Representation: Prepare for and attend congressional hearings, markups, administration briefings, and NGO coalition meetings to represent WWF’s interests and gather key information.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Support outreach efforts to Capitol Hill and the Administration to advocate for WWF’s positions on legislation and rulemaking processes.

The Must-Haves
• Background: An actively enrolled Associate’s or Bachelor’s student able to receive academic credit, pursuing studies in conservation, sustainable development, public policy, political science, US government, or international relations. Must remain enrolled and not have received a degree by the internship start date of September 7, 2026.
• Experience: Demonstrated interest in learning about Capitol Hill, the U.S. State Department, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other non-governmental organizations.
• Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication, strong interpersonal skills, robust organizational skills with attention to detail, and the ability to work both collaboratively and independently.
• Bonus: Subject matter expertise in specific conservation areas or knowledge of US Government structure and procedures.