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, Ocean Data Communications & Storytelling
Program/Department: Climate Resilient Fisheries & Oceans

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: The ocean is a lifeline for billions of people globally, providing essential nutrients, livelihoods, and economic opportunities. Yet climate change and overfishing are rapidly degrading marine ecosystems, threatening biodiversity, the safety of coastal communities, and global food security. EDF’s Climate Resilient Fisheries and Oceans team is working to safeguard the oceans and protect nature, while feeding the planet, creating more secure livelihoods, and bolstering more equitable societies for human well-being. One of the greatest threats to the oceans is overfishing, and our dedicated team of scientists, economists, and fishery management experts are collaborating with partners around the globe to make sustainable fishing the norm. Through our programs in the U.S., Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region, we draw on strong science and economic principles to advance sustainable fishing practices, forward-looking policies, and innovative tools that support the health of our oceans and the people who depend on them for food and their livelihoods.

Within Fisheries & Oceans, the intern will be working with the Oceans Technology Solutions (OTS) team. The OTS team catalyzes innovation and uptake of technologies that make ocean sustainability more equitable, data-driven, and resilient. By partnering with coastal communities, technology developers, and global institutions, OTS mobilizes collaborations, funding, and tools that strengthen science-based management of our oceans and marine resources—delivering social and ecological benefits worldwide. Through this work, OTS positions EDF as a global leader in using ocean technologies as a force for good while amplifying local leadership and enhancing coastal resilience in the face of climate change.

Overall Function: Interest in ocean data—and particularly the potential of fishing vessels as platforms for ocean observing—is rapidly accelerating across blue economy sectors, government institutions, and coastal communities. The Fishing Vessel Ocean Observing Network (FVON) leads this movement by turning everyday fishing vessels into tools for collecting essential ocean data. This helps close major data gaps while benefiting the communities most dependent on healthy oceans. From the Pacific Islands to Baja California Sur, Tanzania to Bangladesh, FVON shows how local fishers can support cutting-edge science and strengthen climate resilience.

EDF’s OTS team drives FVON’s strategy and coordination, bringing together scientists, fishers, and technology partners to scale its impact. Recently, OTS has focused on building a long-term observing network in the “North Atlantic Arc,” spanning Canada, Norway, and the UK. To secure sustainable funding and wider engagement, effective storytelling about FVON’s real-world benefits is key. This internship offers a chance to help shape that narrative.

The intern will help shape FVON’s narrative by transforming scientific outcomes and community impacts into engaging stories, visuals, and digital content. The intern will create materials that highlight how data collected on fishing vessels improve ocean models, support sustainable fisheries, and strengthen early warning systems. These materials will be disseminated though FVON channels to support the project in the “North Atlantic Arc”, and efforts to grow interest in FVON networks around the world. The intern will report to OTS’s Senior Specialist in Fisheries Innovation & Policy and collaborate closely with key FVON leadership and international partners, amplifying the visibility and value of this rapidly expanding initiative while gaining exposure to international science communication, ocean technology, and community-based adaptation in action.