Fall 2026 State Legislation Externship – Rocky Mountain Regional Office
Earthjustice is the nation's leading environmental law organization. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health, preserve magnificent places and wildlife, advance clean energy, and combat climate change. We are here because the Earth needs a good lawyer.
Driven by a passion for justice, inclusion, partnership, and excellence, our core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected.
Earthjustice’s Rocky Mountain Regional Office is accepting applications for a part-time legislation extern to support our Colorado legislative and policy work in the fall of 2026. We are seeking current graduate students and undergraduate students who will be in their junior or senior year who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment, and who are eligible to receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship. The successful candidate must work a hybrid schedule from Earthjustice’s Denver, CO office.
Earthjustice’s Rocky Mountain Regional Office is accepting applications for a part-time legislation extern to support our Colorado legislative and policy work in the fall of 2026. We are seeking current graduate students and undergraduate students who will be in their junior or senior year who share a passion for justice and a healthy environment, and who are eligible to receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship. The successful candidate must work a hybrid schedule from Earthjustice’s Denver, CO office.
Rocky Mountain Regional Office’s work focuses on Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, and its cases primarily involve (1) protecting public lands and wildlife from fracking, mining, and other threats; (2) quickly shifting Colorado and nearby states from dirty to clean energy; and (3) protecting urban and rural communities that are disproportionately impacted by pollution and other environmental harms.
What You’ll Do
Under the supervision of the State Legislative Representative, the extern will conduct research and draft background memos to support the Rocky Mountain Office’s legislative, regulatory, and legal work on priority policies. The work will inform our positions on proposed legislation and policies covering air quality, facility permitting and compliance, advancing clean energy, supporting building and transportation electrification, and more.
What You’ll Bring
- Enrolled in a graduate program with an expected graduation date no earlier than December 2026 or in an undergraduate program with an expected graduation date between December 2026 and May 2028. Priority will be given to those with a background in environmental policy and advocacy, public policy, or environmental law.
- Must be eligible to receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement through this externship.
- Working knowledge of MS Office Suite and comfort navigating and learning new tools.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to present complex information to various audiences.
- Demonstrated commitment to Earthjustice’s values of Justice, Excellence, Inclusion, and Partnership.
- Must commit to 15-25 hours/week for 10-15 weeks.
Physical Requirements:
This role may require the ability to:
- Sit for extended periods with occasional standing and walking
- As needed, travel in Colorado (limited to Front Range, no overnight travel) with the State Legislative Representative to meetings with decision makers or coalition partners
- Type, file, and/or handle office equipment
- Lift and carry materials
- Read documents, conduct computer work and document review
Compensation:
Externs are unpaid and must receive academic credit or fulfill a graduation requirement for their work with Earthjustice.
To Apply:
Interested candidates should submit the following materials by 5:00pm PT on Friday, May 15, 2026 via Jobvite. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications will be reviewed beginning May 18 and offers extended no later than July 8.
- Resume.
- One-page cover letter that addresses: (1) why you want to work with Earthjustice’s Rocky Mountain Regional Office in this role, (2) your general weekly availability and confirmation you can work for 10-15 weeks, and (3) any deadlines or other requirements that are relevant to your ability to accept an offer.
- Additional Documents (select “Add Files” in Jobvite): (1) proof of enrollment in your academic program (e.g., verification from your registrar’s office, unofficial transcript), and (2) 1-2 page writing sample. The writing sample can be a policy memo, a research paper or proposal, or any other piece that can display your ability to write on environmental, equity and/or policy topics.
- Finalists will be asked to submit 2 references.
Information about our hiring process and tips for success can be found at https://earthjustice.org/about/jobs/hiring-process. Please reach out to [email protected] if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application. No phone calls, drop-ins, or hard copies. Earthjustice only considers applications submitted for current openings via Jobvite. Unsolicited resumes or resumes for posted positions that are not submitted via Jobvite will not be reviewed or retained.
As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position.
For positions located within the City and County of San Francisco: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. For positions located within the City of Los Angeles: We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.