Research Associate — Washington, D.C.

Organization: Environmental Law Institute

Job Title: Research Associate

Location: Washington, D.C.

Hours and Compensation: Full time @ $29,000 per year

Application Deadline: Feb. 15, 2013

Position Dates: 2 year position

Organization Overview

The Environmental Law Institute (ELI), a non-profit organization located in Washington, D.C., is a leading center of environmental research, policy analysis, and training in the United States. Founded at the beginning of the modern environmental era four decades ago, ELI has played a pivotal role in the evolution of environmental law. Today, ELI is an internationally-recognized independent research and education organization whose interdisciplinary staff of lawyers and scientists works to develop creative solutions to critical problems in environmental law, policy, and management worldwide. Support for the Institute’s research comes from a mix of private foundations and state and federal government agencies.

Description

ELI periodically hires recent college graduates to serve as Research Associates. Research Associates work directly with the 15–20 lawyers and scientists in the Research and Policy Division on projects addressing environmental and natural resource protection and pollution prevention. A typical workload combines research and administration.

The Research and Policy Division publishes research studies and conducts a variety of training courses and workshops. Specific subject areas include: air and water quality, climate change, renewable energy, hazardous waste and brownfields, international environmental policy, sustainable land use, biodiversity conservation, wetlands management, freshwater and ocean policy, public health, environmental enforcement, and mining law.

Responsibilities

In addition to researching and writing for some of these studies, Research Associates also help coordinate and plan various events at ELI, including seminars, conferences, training courses, and workshops. Other administrative work may include creating and updating ELI web pages (no previous experience required), communications, and managing interns.

Qualifications

(1) Superior research, writing, and interpersonal communication skills, and

(2) Strong desire to gain knowledge in the environmental field. A background in environmental issues is preferred but not required. Research Associates are asked to stay for a minimum of two years. This entry-level position is designed for recent college graduates. Previous Research Associates have gone on to law school, graduate school, and other positions in the environmental field.

How to Apply

Submit an application package via ELI’s online application system.

Note that your submission must contain three uploaded documents (Word or PDF format), as follows:

(1) Cover letter

(2) Resume (must include overall undergraduate GPA)

(3) Analytical writing sample (preferably not scientific or narrative) of 3-5 pages in length