Intern – Health and Environment – voluntary position

Intern – Health and Environment – voluntary position

Based in London

Internship Purpose: ClientEarth is seeking an enthusiastic intern for our Health and Environment programme. The Health and Environment Programme currently focuses on two key areas of work at both a European and UK level: air quality and toxic chemicals. The programme combines contentious and non-contentious legal work as well as policy analysis and community engagement, through the Healthy Air Campaign. The intern could be involved in any one or more of the wide-ranging work streams, depending on programme need.

Our toxics work currently covers: the operation of REACH in relation to chemicals (eg endocrine disrupting substances used in consumer products); the development and implementation of control of pesticide use (particularly neonicotinoids); developing regulation for novel substances (eg nano materials); impact of current EU/US trade negotiations on European chemicals regulation. Enforcement of Aarhus access rights and requirements for institutional transparency underpin much of our work.

Our air quality work is focussing on development of an improved European Clean Air regulatory package. Some assistance may be required with this policy work and with ongoing consideration of the future legal and practical implications of last year’s Supreme Court's declaration of the UK’s breach of EU requirements and the related ECJ preliminary ruling request.

The Healthy Air Campaign works with partners at a UK and a London level to raise awareness of the health impacts of air pollution and persuade all levels of government to take stronger action so that the UK complies fully with air quality law. We are currently working to build support for our key policy recommendations as well as to support communities campaigning on this issue.

Key responsibilities

-       Background research and monitoring of ongoing US/EU TTIP negotiations.

-       Investigation and review of extensive documentation produced by key regulatory bodies responsible for implementation of pesticides legislation and REACH e.g. ECHA, EFSA, CARACAL, Member States Competent Authorities;

-       Legal research into mechanisms for public protection from exposure to pesticide use; the application of EU and national regulation to the use of substances (eg neonicotinoids) harmful to bees and other important pollinators;

-       Case law research and document management to support the legal proceedings currently being brought or considered by ClientEarth (and others) against ECHA and EFSA in relation to information disclosure;

-       Producing briefing notes for programme team;

-       Assisting with drafting correspondence, meeting notes, press releases;

-       Research upcoming policy issues on air quality;

Required skills and competencies

-       Strong legal research skills and patience with detail;

-       Intellectual curiosity and applied lateral thinking;

-       Excellent written and oral communication skills, including ability to write for various audiences – legal, media, and lay people;

-       Ability to appreciate and take into account the political, commercial and scientific context of law;

-       Self starter who takes pride in their work;

-       Ability to grasp quickly and accurately new and complex concepts and areas of law;

-       Confident phone manner. 

Person Specifications

-       Hold a law degree including a sound understanding of the UK and EU legal systems, preferably with some experience of environmental law and policy;

-       Academic or practical experience in environmental sciences, public health and/or environmental economics highly valued;

-       Positive attitude and a strong commitment to working for the environment. 

About the role: We ask that interns commit to a minimum of 3 days per week for at least three months. The maximum duration for internships is six months. In instances where interns are not working full time, they should ideally commit to set days each week.

ClientEarth cover interns’ work-related expenses (travel and lunch) via a contribution of £10 for each day spent in the office.

Recruitment is open now and you should send your application as soon as possible and no later than 15 March 2014.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact: Heather Kingsley (hkingsley@clientearth.org).

To apply: Please send us a CV along with the internship form which you can download from the ClientEarth website.

Please send your application by email to: internship.uk@clientearth.org. Please include “ClientEarth Health and Environment intern – London” in the email subject line, and identify the documents you are sending by including “[your name] internship form” and “[your name] CV” in the file name.