2027 Spring Prison & Jail Food Policy Internship

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) 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

CSPI 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.

About the Internship Opportunity

This intern will primarily support our advocacy efforts to improve food and nutrition in prisons and jails. The intern will sit within the Institutional Food Purchasing and Service team, working with cross-departmental staff to support our state/local policy and industry accountability campaign goals. This may include conducting research to inform advocacy materials, providing technical assistance to subgrantee partners, and attending coalition meetings.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist the team in developing well-written, science-based materials, such as a literature review, fact sheets, letters, and talking points;
• Support the Carceral Nutrition Community of Practice, which meets quarterly and is co-facilitated by CSPI and the Carceral Nutrition Project. This may include researching and conducting outreach to potential new members;
• Conduct desk research to inform CSPI’s advocacy strategy and materials. Potential projects include:

Identifying opportunities for CSPI to support broader efforts to reform the criminal legal system as an extension of our carceral nutrition work, for example by tracking relevant bills and conducting a landscape analysis of relevant organizations and opportunities to collaborate on existing efforts;

Analyzing the landscape of existing resources for accommodating culturally-preferred and faith-based diets in institutional food service settings, including in prisons and jails.

Qualifications

Currently enrolled in a relevant undergraduate or graduate degree program (master’s or doctoral), e.g., food systems, nutrition, public health, public policy.

• Familiarity with institutional and/or carceral food service a plus.
• Excellent research and writing skills with ability to read, analyze, interpret, and summarize information from credible sources, including peer-reviewed research.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage tasks appropriately to achieve project goals.
• Interest in health equity and social justice.
• Individuals who have been directly impacted by the carceral system are encouraged to apply.

What Else You Should Know

CSPI pays interns $18.40 per hour. Our 10-week spring intern program is part-time (10 hours per week). The ideal start date is late January/early February, but we will work with applicants if there’s a schedule conflict. The internship program is remote within the US, with the opportunity to work from our DC office if desired.

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 2027, Prison & Jail Food Policy Internship. You must submit a resume, cover letter, writing sample, and two professional references (upload a doc with the reference information). The deadline to apply is November 20, 2026, but applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

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.