Are you interested in making a difference for animals in your career? AWI is offering a limited number of paid summer, fall, and spring internships to students and recent graduates who demonstrate commitment to AWI’s mission. Internships can be remote or at our DC offices. Summer interns are typically full-time, while fall and spring interns usually work 10–15 hours a week.
The Animal Welfare Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating animal suffering caused by people. We seek to improve the welfare of animals everywhere: in agriculture, in commerce, in our homes and communities, in research, and in the wild. Click on the links below to learn more about internship opportunities at AWI.
Companion Animal Intern
Communications Intern
Farmed Animal Law and Policy Interns
Government Affairs (Legislative) Interns
Terrestiral Wildlife Law and Policy Interns
The People
AWI hosts students and recent graduates from university undergraduate and graduate programs and law schools across the globe. AWI’s interns are supervised by subject matter experts committed to helping students achieve their career goals. Eligible candidates should be enrolled at an accredited institution for higher learning or be a recent graduate (one year or less following graduation) and must be a US citizen or authorized to work in the United States. Candidates receiving credits from their institution—or who have outside funding sources for their internship—must ensure that they are permitted to receive compensation for their work or can apply to serve unpaid.
The Experience
AWI offers internships in many of its program areas. Internships cater to individuals with a variety of skills, interests, and educational backgrounds. Interns gain real-world experience in advancing policy on behalf of animals. Responsibilities vary depending on the program area, but often include researching and drafting factual, scientific, or legal analyses, writing administrative comments in response to government rulemaking proposals, contributing to litigation efforts, conducting research and analysis for technical reports, creating communications strategy, and promoting pertinent legislation alongside AWI staff. AWI hosts interns each fall, spring, and summer. Interns may work part- or full-time and may receive academic credit for their placement, depending on their schools’ requirements.
The Process
Follow the links above to ascertain each program’s deadline and application process. Based on the number of weeks and number of hours per week, the successful applicant will be offered a stipend for their internship that will be paid in biweekly increments. For instance, a full-time summer intern (averaging 35 hours per week) will receive a stipend of $7,000 for a 10-week internship (i.e., $700 a week), paid biweekly. This rate would be pro-rated for other summer schedules, as well as for fall or spring semester internships.
The Outcome
AWI’s interns leave their placements with strengthened advocacy skills, life-long connections, and a passion for improving animal welfare.
What Interns Say
“I have always been passionate about animal welfare. The internship with the Animal Welfare Institute gave me a great opportunity to learn about the work in the professional animal welfare world and deepen my understanding on animal welfare issues. Being a shark fin program intern, I got familiar with related policies and how AWI works with policymakers. Being able to participate in team meetings further exposed me to AWI’s work in fields other than ocean animals, such as farm animals and companion animals. I also had the opportunity to attend hearings on the Hill and participate in other events of interest. Colleagues created a welcoming and encouraging environment, and the pet-friendly office made it one of my favorite workspaces.”
Yufan (Stella) Yao, student, Master of Public Administration, focus on Social Impact, Innovation, and Investment at New York University
“AWI's Terrestrial Wildlife Law and Policy internship program was engaging, exciting, and reassuring. It provided me with real-world knowledge necessary for a successful career in wildlife law, and I now apply that knowledge to my current job with the State of Florida. AWI's internship helped me gain insight into the profession, taught me the essential qualities necessary to succeed in the field, allowed me to build professional connections, and gave me the flexibility to explore my own interests. Internships should be consequential by providing skills that last way beyond the semester, and AWI's internship did just that. This internship, under the guidance and mentorship of Johanna Hamburger, far exceeded my expectations. It would be a mistake for anyone interested in wildlife policy and law to not apply to this internship. I am forever grateful to AWI and Johanna for making this incredible opportunity possible and solidifying my passion and interest in wildlife law.”
Megan Di-Lernia, Manatee Rules Coordinator for The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission