Science, Communication and Policy Graduate Student Internship - Summer 2023

About Us: 

The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches for all people through a powerful activist network. The Surfrider Foundation has achieved many important victories by persuading state, federal, and local decision makers to protect vital coastal and ocean resources. These accomplishments demonstrate the important role of recreational users in advancing coastal and ocean stewardship.

By joining the Surfrider Foundation, you will be welcomed into an open and inclusive network of incredibly supportive and collaborative people who work hard and play hard. You will have the opportunity to work with dedicated people who are also passionate coastal users with their feet in the sand and toes in the water. You help bring together diverse voices and perspectives to provide our community with the leadership and tools necessary to make a difference at their beach and in coastal communities across the United States. At Surfrider, we build leaders and we are problem solvers; our culture sets us apart and influences everything we do. Coastal recreation is fun and working at Surfrider is too. 

The Opportunity:

The Surfrider Foundation seeks to identify a graduate student for the Dillon Henry Memorial Internship for the summer of 2023. The intern will receive a $7,500 stipend payment to defray living expenses. This internship can be remote or based at Surfrider Foundation’s national headquarters in San Clemente, CA. Surfrider’s Graduate Student Internship Program allows for a student to gain hands-on experience with science communication, and includes reviewing environmental policies, synthesizing scientific literature, and providing support for Surfrider’s environmental campaigns and programs. The intern will be supervised under the direction of Surfrider’s Environmental Science and Policy Manager.

Position Responsibilities: 

• Conduct research and synthesize information on emerging issues in ocean and coastal science.
• Develop resources to enhance environmental literacy among the Surfrider network, including contribution to a Surfrider University mini-series on emerging topics in ocean science and policy.
• Produce content for Surfrider’s Coastal Blog, Beachapedia, and other communication platforms on coastal and ocean policy issues.
• Build online engagements for supporters and the public on ocean and coastal advocacy campaigns.
• Assist in the development of brochures and fact sheets on Surfrider’s initiatives.
• Review and analyze policy documents including local, state and federal legislation and environmental impact statements. 
• Assist Surfrider staff in generating research to develop policy memoranda and comment letters.

Desired Qualifications and Requirements: 

• Experience conducting thorough research assignments and literature reviews.
• Ability to effectively translate complex scientific literature and findings into common language.
• Knowledge of local, state, and national coastal and ocean policies.
• Proficient with Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
• Currently enrolled in a graduate program focused on environmental communication, public health, coastal science, marine policy or environmental management. 
• Completion of the internship must result in academic credit. 1

Start Time: June 2023
Duration: 10 week minimum
Stipend: $7,500
Location: Remote or in person at Surfrider’s headquarters in San Clemente, CA

Application Deadline: March 1, 2023

To Apply: Interested candidates should email a cover letter, resume and short writing sample to: Katie Day at kday@surfrider.org. Please include “Summer Internship Application” in the email subject line. 

JEDI COMMITMENT:

The Surfrider Foundation is committed to fostering a just, equitable, diverse and inclusive organization for all people who protect and enjoy the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches. Our success and impact depends on learning from our community, standing in solidarity with our allies and working towards a more just future, both for our organization and the environmental movement as a whole. The Surfrider Foundation is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace that is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce. Together we strive to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, Veteran status, or any other protected class. To learn more about our Justice, equity, diversity and inclusion commitments, please visit: https://www.surfrider.org/pages/diversity-equity-inclusion

1 To comply with the Department of Labor (DOL) and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Surfrider Foundation can only accept unpaid
internships if the intern receives academic credit and/or program hours for their internship participation. Only the academic institution and the
student’s academic department can determine whether an opportunity aligns closely enough with the curriculum to warrant academic credit.
The Surfrider Foundation has no authority to award academic credit. The unpaid internship is intended as an educational experience for the
intern.