Application Deadline: 5:00 PM ET on Tuesday, January 27, 2026

(Important: please see the Requirements tab of this posting to ensure that you submit all necessary application materials.)

Job Title: Atkinson Intern, Blue Carbon GIS
Program/Department: Ocean Science

Job Description: EDF internships provide high-quality experiences (including relevant projects and opportunities for networking) which create a foundation for anyone who is serious about pursuing an environmental career. 

Program/Department Overview: With world attention focused on both the environment and the economy, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is where policymakers and business leaders turn for win-win solutions. This leadinggreen group, with programs from Boston to Beijing, has tripled in size over the past decade by focusing on strong science, uncommon partnerships and market-based approaches. You can be part of a vibrant workplace that welcomes diverse perspectives, talents and contributions, where innovation and a focus on results are a way of life.

The goal of EDF's Ocean Science Program is to deliver the science that will help build resilient oceans that provide more fish in the water, more food on plates, and more prosperous fishing communities all over the world, even amid climate change. In recent years, we have focused on the science behind robust transformations of fisheries management in the U.S., China, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Belize, Cuba and Europe, working in partnership with diverse stakeholders and coastal communities. Scientific priorities include developing new approaches to understand and address the role of the ocean as a climate ally as well as the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems, including not only resilient fisheries, but also complementary engagements that enhance marine and coastal ecosystem resilience and human wellbeing, especially for disadvantaged and vulnerable populations.

Overall Function: The mesopelagic, or “ocean twilight zone,” spans 200–1000 meters across all global oceans and contains the largest animal biomass on the planet. Many of these organisms migrate to the surface each day, playing a key role in the ocean’s biological carbon pump and global carbon sequestration. Growing interest in harvesting mesopelagic species for fishmeal, as well as emerging activities like deep-sea mining and marine carbon dioxide removal, could threaten the ecological functions of this zone.

In this project, the intern will work with scientists on EDF’s Ocean Science Team and partners at Ocean Conservancy to synthesize current knowledge about the mesopelagic zone, assess risks from human activities, and explore strategies for protection and management. The intern will build geospatial databases that integrate natural science data (e.g., biomass estimates, carbon export, biodiversity) with management-relevant layers (e.g., proposed marine protected areas, regional fisheries management boundaries). They will then collaborate with EDF and OC colleagues to create visualizations that highlight ecologically important areas, regions facing the greatest risks, and priority locations for protection. Depending on interest and expertise, the intern may also identify key data gaps, analyze where fishing vessels are most likely to target mesopelagic species, or develop story maps for outreach. The intern will report to the Marine Biogeochemical Scientist and serve as an integral member of the Ocean Science Team.