External Affairs Intern

Job Description

Description

Position Details:

• This job posting will be open until filled and will hire one individual.
• This is a part-time (10 hours/week) position and is anticipated to start June 1, 2026 and end on August 14, 2026.
• Hourly rate range: $19.00-23.00/hour dependent on experience.
• The work location will work from our Minneapolis, MN office.

What We Can Achieve Together:

As our External Affairs Intern, you will support the work of the External Affairs team for the Tri-State Chapter of TNC (supporting Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota). You will be instrumental in collaborating on projects, assessing legislation, conducting outreach, and more to support The Nature Conservancy’s land, water, climate, and regenerative agriculture objectives.

In this role you will:

• Conduct research on ongoing and emerging issues that impact our policy and advocacy strategies
• Attend events as necessary relevant to our work
• Conduct informational interviews with internal staff or external partner
• Research, track, and summarize legislation
• Assist in scheduling, preparation, and staffing meetings with TNC staff, legislators, and/or external partners
• Support development of policy communications
• Practice networking

We’re Looking for You:

Are you looking for work you can believe in? At TNC we strive to embody a philosophy of Work that You Can Believe in where you can feel like you are making a difference every day. The ideal candidate should have communication and collaboration skills and a curious mindset.

We’re looking for someone who is a passionate, motivated problem-solver. Our team in MN/ND/SD is dedicated to developing credible, science-based, and compelling solutions that deliver transformative and sustainable solutions to our conservation and climate challenges … join us!

What You’ll Bring:

• Be a current undergraduate student.
• Located in the Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota region for the duration of the internship (June-August).
• Fluency in English.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience, coursework, or other training in policy related to conservation, environment, energy, agriculture, or climate.

This position requires a valid driver’s license and compliance with TNC’s Auto Safety Program. Employees may not drive Conservancy-owned/leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered “high risk drivers.” To learn more about the Auto Safety Program, visit the Auto Safety information page under the FAQ section. Employment in this position will be contingent upon completion of a Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective employee’s motor vehicle record.

Salary Information:

The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of $19.00 -23.00/hour. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA. Where a successful candidate’s actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate’s location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Please note countries outside the USA would have a different pay range in the local currency based on the local labor market, and not tied to USA pay or ranges. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment.

Applications will be received until this position is filled.