2026 Summer Regulatory Accountability Intern
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.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest, your 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. 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. More recently, CSPI has also been involved in broader public health advocacy on issues such as scientific integrity, alcohol policy, agency transparency, and the regulation of selected medical products.
About the Internship Opportunity
The intern will work on federal health policy initiatives to ensure regulatory accountability and transparency. This work will potentially include monitoring federal health advisory committees. The intern will support CSPI’s Health projects and assist with ongoing research and advocacy activities.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide research and advocacy support for a project on federal health advisory committee accountability
- Assist the team in developing well-written, persuasive materials, such as reports, fact sheets, letters, talking points, social media posts, and website articles
- Conduct policy research, including tracking federal bills, agency activities, and reviewing regulatory comments
- Monitor, track and present scientific evidence/reports/journal articles
- Perform ongoing research and advocacy tasks, such as policy tracking and fact-checking
- Support other projects as assigned
Qualifications
- Currently enrolled in a degree program in public health, public policy, or a related field
- Demonstrated interest in evidence-based health policy advocacy, particularly related to FDA regulation of drugs and medical devices and federal health agency activities
- Ability to locate, evaluate, and collect information from diverse sources, with attention to data quality and limitations
- Excellent research and writing skills with ability to read, analyze, interpret, summarize, and translate public health research
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage tasks appropriately to achieve project goals and meet deadlines
What Else You Should Know
CSPI pays interns $17.95 per hour at the start of the internship. Intern pay will increase to $18.40 per hour effective 7/1/2026 (this may be adjusted to meet state/local minimum wage laws related to the work location). Our 10-week summer intern program is full-time (40 hours per week). We provide two paid holidays (Juneteenth and Independence Day), ½ day Fridays, and up to two days of paid sick leave. The ideal start date is late May/early June, but we will work with applicants if there’s a schedule conflict. The internship is remote (must be in the US), with the opportunity to work from our DC office if desired.
As a public health organization, CSPI makes efforts to maintain a safe workplace for employees and visitors. We require all employees to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines as soon as they are eligible, and the vaccine is available to them. 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 actively welcome and value staff with different experiences, backgrounds, attributes, abilities, and perspectives.
- We are open. We are honest, direct, and respectful in how we communicate with each other.
- We are kind. We communicate and treat one another in a generous, considerate, and compassionate way.
- We are collaborative. We work together for the common good, seek input from those impacted by our work, and celebrate our shared successes.
- We are accountable. We acknowledge and assume responsibility for our actions, learn from our mistakes with humility, and change course when circumstances warrant.
To Apply
Please utilize CSPI's Paylocity Applicant Tracking System to apply for the Summer 2026, Regulatory Accountability and Transparency Internship. You must submit a resume, cover letter, and contact information for two professional references (upload doc with reference information).
The application deadline is 5:00pm, ET, March 6, 2026.
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.