CSPI Fall 2024 Values-Aligned Food Procurement Internship

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) offers a paid internship program for students in undergraduate, graduate, law and medical schools, and we also consider postgraduates. These paid internships offer structured work experiences and an opportunity to:

• Gain substantial knowledge of the policy-making process and the role science plays.
• Participate in group meetings and strategy brainstorming sessions.
• Obtain general research and communication skills by working closely with science, policy, legislative and outreach experts.
• Meet with staff at all levels of the organization to discuss career roles and paths.
• Assess your own interests and skills.

About CSPI

CSPI is one of the nation’s leading public health advocacy organizations with a 50-year record of fighting for science in the public interest and working to improve the food environment for all. We’ve led efforts to win passage of many state and local policies to improve school foods, put calories on chain restaurant menus and menu boards, and remove sugary drinks from children’s menus. National policy successes include the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act; Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act; Food Safety Modernization Act; and Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act.

About the Internship Opportunity

The intern will assist with coordination and advocacy activities for the Federal Good Food Purchasing Coalition (FGFPC). The FGFPC is a collection of nonprofits, academic institutions, and advocacy groups working to leverage billions of dollars in annual food purchasing by the federal government to spur a healthy, just, and sustainable food system. The coalition’s 30+ member organizations hold the federal government accountable to core values—local economies, valued workforce, environmental sustainability, animal welfare, community health and nutrition, transparency and accountability, and racial equity—in its food purchasing and food service operations in military bases, national parks, federal prisons, and office buildings. CSPI is on the Steering Committee of the FGFPC, and we are seeking a fall intern to assist with coordinating the coalition to accelerate progress on our advocacy goals by the end of 2024.  
 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Support the current FGFPC coordinator by taking meeting minutes, synthesizing action items for Steering Committee meetings, and supporting the creation of FGFPC communications (e.g. weekly newsletter)
• Assist with event planning related to coalition goals (e.g. a webinar for federal food procurement officials)
• Attend meetings with coalition members and working groups to learn about the FGFPC’s priority areas and assist with coordination across priorities
• Support member outreach and compiling member materials as organizations join or change their information (e.g., point of contact, logo, listserv, calendar invites)
• Support with FGFPC communications (e.g., weekly newsletter, new member welcome orientation emails, coalition inbox)
• Assist with landscape analysis of message testing on values-based food purchasing and climate-friendly food; contribute to communications strategy for the future of this campaign
• Prepare drafts of coalition materials (e.g., one-pager, PowerPoints)
• Support remaining coalition grant deliverables as needed

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a food systems, public policy, public health, or nutrition undergraduate or graduate degree program
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Exceptional attention to detail and organization
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage tasks appropriately to achieve project goals
• Interest in health equity, sustainability, federal policy, and food system innovation
• Leadership, grassroots organizing, or community engagement experience is a plus

What Else You Should Know 

CSPI pays interns $17.50 per hour. Our 10-week fall intern program is part-time (10 hours per week). The ideal start date is early September, but we will work with applicants if there’s a schedule conflict. The internship program is remote within the US, with the opportunity to work from our DC office if desired.

CSPI requires all employees, including paid interns, to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines as soon as they are eligible, and the vaccine is available to them, as part of our efforts to maintain a safe workplace for employees and visitors. Proof of vaccination is required during the onboarding process.
 

CSPI on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 

CSPI is committed to including and valuing diverse voices and fostering a culture that ensures all staff feel a sense of belonging and are encouraged to be their best selves. In that spirit, each of us is committed to putting in constant work to live up to our organization’s core values: 

• We are inclusive. We seek to foster an environment where all staff feel a sense of belonging and are affirmed. We are not looking for everyone to think and look the same. We actively welcome and value staff with different experiences, backgrounds, attributes, abilities, and perspectives.
• We are open. We are honest and direct in how we communicate with each other in order to build trust and integrity within our organization.
• We are accountable. We acknowledge and assume responsibility for our actions.
• We are kind. We communicate and treat one another in a respectful, generous, considerate, and compassionate way.
• We are collaborative. We work together for the common good and shared success.

To Apply 

Please utilize CSPI's Paylocity Applicant Tracking System to apply for the Fall 2024, [Title] Internship. You must submit a resume, cover letter, and two references. The deadline to apply is July 31, 2024, but applications will be considered on a rolling basis prior to the deadline.
 

CSPI is committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills and encourages people of diverse ages, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, disabilities, religions, races, ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, work, and life experiences to apply.