Early Career Engagement Intern

Environmental Defense Fund; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Part time

Job summary

Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. is seeking a Spring/Summer intern to support EDF’s Interns & Fellows team in recruiting, onboarding, and program management for EDF’s 2027 Summer Internship Program.

You will work with HR and recruiters, gain exposure to Workday Recruiting, coordinate events, and help build talent pipelines while learning EDF's mission.

Qualifications

• Graduate students or recent graduates in HR, nonprofit management, student affairs, communications, or leadership fields.
• Interest in environmental nonprofit and internal operations preferred.
• Ability to handle confidential information and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Support Workday Recruiting for postings and data tracking.
• Help plan and execute Summer Internship Program events (Speaker Series, Mentorship, Socials).
• Assist in building talent pipelines and coordinating with recruiters and hiring teams.
• Prepare onboarding materials and communications for interns.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Data privacy

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Multitasking

Cultural competency

Initiative

Education

Graduate degree program in HR/Nonprofit/related fields

Tools

Workday Recruiting

Asana

Excel

Job description

EDF internships provide high-quality experiences (including relevant projects and opportunities for networking) that form the foundation for any individual who is serious about pursuing an environmental career.

Location

Hybrid out of an EDF office in New York, Washington DC, Boston, Boulder, Raleigh, San Francisco, or Austin, with option to be U.S. Remote. Intern supervisor is in Michigan and other team members are in Texas and Maryland.

Term

Part-time in Spring 2027 and Full-time in Summer 2027 (February-August).

Hours

Part-time (20 hr/week) in Spring, Full-time (35 hr/week) in Summer.

Application Materials

Interested applicants should attach their cover letter and resume to the EDF application.

Program/Department Overview

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) welcomes 100+ interns annually and works with internal and external stakeholders to ensure a top-notch learning experience. The Interns & Fellows team, which sits within EDF’s Human Resources (HR) department, supports the full life-cycle of interns and fellows at EDF. This includes recruitment, hiring, onboarding, programming, offboarding, alumni engagement, and more. EDF’s Summer Internship Programs aims to develop intern professionalism in the workplace, expose early career professionals to EDF’s cutting-edge research, build a network, and foster a sense of community through social gatherings. HR is focused on the heart of EDF’s mission and is dedicated to providing a positive experience and support to all of EDF’s staff in their important and effective work.

Overall Function

The intern will play a vital role in supporting recruitment efforts and program development for early career engagement at EDF. The intern will work closely with the team on the full recruiting lifecycle contribute to quality candidate experience, and perform data tracking and reporting The intern will also support program development of the 2027 Summer Internship Program, including program management, event coordination, and communication to foster a sense of community among interns. The intern will have the opportunity to learn about projects and programs led by the team and work on specific topics based on their skillset, interests, and career goals. The intern will report to the Sr. Specialist, Interns & Fellows Programming, work closely with the HR team, and collaborate with a variety of internal stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Learn to use Workday Recruiting system to support job postings, job requisition management, and maintain accurate candidate and recruiting data.
• Assist with planning, logistics, and execution of programs and events for the Summer Internship Program, including Speaker Series, Mentorship Program, Social Events, Intern Symposium, and National Intern Day.
• Help build and maintain talent pipelines for current and future hiring needs.
• Partner with recruiters and hiring teams to learn role requirements, business needs, and internship expectations.
• Provide programmatic and administrative support related to intern and alumni engagement, as needed.
• Contribute to recruitment and program-related special projects and process improvement projects, based on interest and skillset.
• Prepare onboarding and program materials including welcome packets, intern profiles, program presentations and calendars, Slack and email communications.
• Upkeep and track changes to project lists and other trackers using project management tools (Asana) and Excel.
• Participate in advancing EDF’s organizational effectiveness and culture goals, so people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included and empowered to address environmental and organizational challenges in ways that align with EDF values.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in or a recent graduate of a graduate degree program in human resources, nonprofit management, student affairs, communications, organizational development/leadership and/or related fields.
• Demonstrated interest in working in an environmental non-profit, recruiting, early-career development, and/or internal non-profit operations preferred.
• Ability to work in a confidential capacity and prioritize safety of personal data and sensitive information.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability and willingness to learn new tools and systems preferred.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Must be well organized, motivated, and detail-oriented.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work in a team setting and have the ability to work independently when projects are due.
• Demonstrate self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across all cultures and backgrounds.
• Demonstrate initiative and problem solving skills.

Compensation

This internship would involve compensation for work paid at a rate competitive with leading non-profits at $20/hour.