Climate Program – State Legislative Outreach Intern

Public Citizen’s Climate Program is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented intern to help build a nationwide legislative outreach campaign focused on advancing consumer and climate-related property insurance policy. This remote internship is an excellent opportunity for a student interested in politics, public policy, advocacy, communications, or government relations. The internship will provide an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in honing research, writing, and policy skills while developing a large-scale legislative engagement strategy.

Background

We are caught in a vicious cycle where climate-driven extreme weather is destabilizing property insurance markets, affecting homeowners and renters in all 50 states, and posing a systemic threat to the nation’s economy on par with the 2008 financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic. Insurance companies are taking advantage of the moment by climate profiteering: withdrawing from entire regions and dramatically spiking rates, resulting in record breaking profits and historic executive pay. Insidiously, insurance companies take these proceeds and accelerate climate change by underwriting and investing in the fossil fuel industry, including coal plants and new methane export terminals that have been termed a “climate bomb.”

Recent polling shows that the American public is fed up and demanding action from their governments on this insurance crisis. This sentiment is surprisingly strong across ideological lines and holds true from coast to coast, the midwest, and southwest.

This remote or DC-based internship is designed to provide the intern with a deeper understanding of how policy advocacy can be used as a vehicle for change. The intern will work with to develop outreach strategies, research projects, and educational materials that together can build support for state-level solutions to the climate-driven insurance crisis.

Responsibilities

The intern will take the lead in designing and organizing a multi-state outreach campaign to state legislators and advocacy organizations. Responsibilities will include:

• Researching legislators in approximately 15–20 priority states, with a focus on key committee chairs, committee members, and legislative leadership.
• Identifying state-based advocacy organizations with potential interest in advancing climate and property insurance policy.
• Building and maintaining a comprehensive outreach tracker and contact database.
• Assisting with drafting outreach and educational materials, email templates, and issue briefing documents.
• Collaborating with advocacy staff to identify strategic opportunities for relationship-building with lawmakers and legislative staff.
• Collaborating with advocacy staff to prepare for and attend meetings with lawmakers, legislative staff, and state-based advocacy organizations.

Desired Qualifications

• Interest in state politics, public policy, environmental advocacy, or consumer protection.
• Strong research and organizational skills.
• Excellent written communication and attention to detail.
• Experience using spreadsheets or databases (Excel, Google Sheets, Airtable, or similar) is a plus.
• Ability to manage multiple projects independently.

What You’ll Gain

By the end of the internship, you’ll have:

• Built a comprehensive legislative outreach infrastructure spanning multiple states.
• Developed expertise in state legislative research and stakeholder mapping.
• Gained experience with advocacy campaign planning and government relations.
• Worked alongside experienced policy advocates on issues at the intersection of consumer protection, insurance, and climate policy.
• Produced a tangible project that will continue to support ongoing advocacy efforts after the internship concludes.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Please send a resume to rmorris@citizen.org. The subject line should include “Your first initial+last name-Insurance Policy Intern.” Public Citizen offers both unpaid internships (some schools will give academic credit) and a small number of paid internships based on financial need and funding availability. Please also note how you heard about the position and whether you will apply for academic credit or funding available through your school or Public Citizen.  The internship will be August 31^st to December 11^th, 2026.

This internship is ideal for students considering careers in public policy, legislative affairs, advocacy, political organizing, or nonprofit leadership. It offers significant ownership over a meaningful project while providing mentorship and exposure to real-world advocacy campaigns.