Coasts and Climate Graduate Student Internship - Summer 2026

Surfrider Foundation • San Clemente, CA

14d • Remote

About The Position

Coasts and Climate Graduate Student Internship Summer 2026 The Surfrider Foundation seeks to identify a graduate student for the Dillon Henry Memorial Internship for the summer of 2026. The intern will receive a $7,500 stipend payment to defray living expenses. This internship will be remote and include regular zoom meetings and conference calls. The position’s responsibilities include providing coastal management policy research support to Surfrider’s Coasts and Climate Initiative. The intern will be supervised under the direction of Surfrider’s Sr. Manager, Coasts and Climate Initiative.

Requirements

• A passion to address climate change and its impacts on U.S. coasts.
• Knowledge of local, state, and national coastal and ocean policy with an emphasis on the Coastal Zone Management Act.
• Experience conducting thorough research projects, literature reviews, and policy analysis.
• Ability to translate complex policy and law findings into common language.
• Ability to effectively communicate, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work independently.
• Proficient with Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Zoom.
• Currently enrolled in a graduate program focused on coastal policy or environmental management.
• The intern's completion of the internship must result in academic credit.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to Surfrider’s annual assessment of state coastal resilience policies
• Conduct policy, law and legislative research and analysis on state laws, rules, and regulations related to sea level rise planning, coastal hazards, development, sediment management, and coastal armoring.
• Produce written content for Surfrider’s Coastal Blog and other communication platforms on climate change and coastal policy issues.
• Assist Surfrider staff in the development of policy documents, comment letters, and verbal testimony.
• Assist in the development of state directed coastal policy memos.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees