The Center for Science in the Public Interest 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

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, America’s food and health watchdog, 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. CSPI led efforts to win passage of many state and local policies to improve school food, remove sugary drinks from children’s menus, and require calorie labeling on chain restaurant menus.

About the Internship Opportunity

CSPI is conducting a study assessing the alcohol industry’s use of nutrition and ingredient labeling. This study will be critical to conveying the need for action by Congress and/or the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB) to adopt a mandatory labeling requirement for calories, ingredients and alcohol content, given likely low uptake of the voluntary label.

We are searching for an intern to help with data collection for the study including helping to code labels from the TTB’s online database, using a codebook that CSPI develops.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a public health graduate or undergraduate degree program
• Experience (or interest) in scientific research
• Great attention to detail.

What Else You Should Know

CSPI pays interns $15.20 per hour. Our 10-week spring intern program is part-time, and interns will work 10 hours per week. The ideal start date is the beginning of February 2022, but we will work with applicants if there’s a schedule conflict. The spring internship program is remote as CSPI is still a work-from-home office.

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 Spring 2022 Data Collection & Research Internship. You must submit a resume, cover letter indicating your interest, and references. The application deadline is December 17, 2021. The estimated start date in early February 2022.

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.