Policy and Government Affairs Fall 2026 Intern

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WWF’s Policy and Government Affairs (PGA) department is seeking part-time to full-time interns for the Fall 2026 term to support policy research, analysis and outreach. Given the diversity of issues the PGA staff covers, research and analysis may involve working with legislation, regulations and potentially court cases, as well as assessing the roles, policies and positions of government agencies on issues relating to WWF’s mission. Outreach may include covering congressional hearings and markups and preparing for and attending congressional, administration or NGO coalition briefings. Subject matter spans many of the issues WWF works on, including biodiversity conservation, natural resource management (fisheries, forestry and agriculture), environment and security, climate change and energy. The team follows the WWF-HQ hybrid schedule, and interns are expected to come into the WWF HQ DC office two days a week.

Internship responsibilities include helping monitor government websites, newsletters and databases to identify relevant funding opportunities; conducting research and analysis on federal agency priorities, programmes, budget trends, policy developments and technical topics to inform proposal pipeline strategy; supporting proposal coordination tasks such as tracking deadlines and organising documents under the guidance of Proposal Managers; assisting with pipeline database management; supporting the development of the team’s AI policy through background research; carrying out research, writing and analysis on topics including food and water security, foreign assistance, marine and fisheries issues, species and wildlife trafficking, climate change and national security; monitoring and summarising congressional hearings, policy briefings and coalition meetings; and conducting stakeholder and policy research to support engagement with congressional offices, federal agencies and administration officials on legislation, appropriations and rulemaking.

Only enrolled students are eligible, as applicants must be able to receive academic credit from their institution, and must not have received a degree by the internship start date of September 2026. Students may work part-time or full-time depending on class schedule and availability. Desired skills and qualities include an interest in conservation and international development issues, ideally with a concentration in International Relations, Public Policy, American Government or Political Science, though those studying outside these areas are encouraged to apply; an interest in learning about Capitol Hill, the Administration (specifically USDA, NOAA and the US State Department) and non-governmental organisations; excellent written and verbal communication; the ability to work collaboratively and independently in a fast-paced environment; and strong interpersonal, organisational and attention-to-detail skills. The internship is unpaid, and applicants must be enrolled in school and able to obtain academic course credit. Applicants must be legally authorised to work in the US; this position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship, and WWF does not provide visa sponsorship to interns.