Paid Internships

Richard L. Ottinger Internship Program

EESI is committed to building a community of staff, board members, advisors, donors, interns, fellows and volunteers, and partners who hold diversity, equity, and inclusion as core values. This commitment strengthens the organization, improves our overall effectiveness, and helps ensure the policies we advance and programs we implement promote an equitable transition to a decarbonized, clean energy economy.

EESI’s interns contribute substantively to the advancement of critical environmental and energy policies while gaining insight into the workings of Congress and the federal legislative process, knowledge of significant environmental and energy issues, and an understanding of how a not-for-profit organization works. EESI internships offer invaluable career benefits and opportunities and may also be used for undergraduate credit. As part of the internship experience, we offer weekly professional development sessions with EESI staff and outside guests.

Spring, Summer and Fall internships are available.

Communications Internship (Closed - Check back in September for Spring '26 Update)
Development Internship (Closed)
Policy Internship (Closed - Check back in September for Spring '26 Update)

Internships require a commitment of between 26-30 hours per week during a 14-16 week semester (Spring and Fall) or a 10-12 week semester (Summer). A recommended course load for a 30-hour internship is 3-6 credit hours.

Richard (Dick) L. Ottinger was among the first environmentalists in Congress and a founding member of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. During his time in Congress, he served as chairman of the Energy Conservation and Power Subcommittee of the Energy & Commerce Committee and was instrumental in adopting key energy and environmental legislation. He also was a founding staff member of the Peace Corps and is Dean Emeritus at Pace University Law School. To honor his many years of service to our organization and his environmental leadership for this nation, EESI named our internship program after Mr. Ottinger in 2010.

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Testimonials

Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.)
	"Our efforts in Congress are aided by the great work of groups like the Environmental and Energy Study Institute and I'm thankful to have partners like you to help inform good energy policy."

Claudine Schneider, former Member of Congress (R-R.I.)
	"There could not be a more critical role for a non-partisan, public interest, non-profit than to advise and educate Congress on energy and environmental issues. It’s what EESI does well—and it’s essential that they continue to do so."

Dr. John Holdren, President Obama's Science Advisor
	"I think EESI has been an enormously positive influence on understanding in the Congress and in the public of the nature of the climate change challenge."

Anne Saliers, formerly with the Holland Board of Public Works
	"It was like a gift just falling in my lap that [EESI] was looking for municipal utilities and rural co-ops to help them develop on-bill loan programs."