EPIC: Earthworks (Remote)

Job Title: Mining Justice Intern, Western US

Department/Team: Mining at Earthworks

Location: Fully Remote in the United States - preference for CA or NV

Duration: 35-40 hours per week for ten weeks over the summer

Reports to: Jared Naimark (Western Mining Senior Manager)

Areas of Interest: Corporate accountability, extractive industries, human rights, environmental justice, public lands, and conservation.

Summer 2023 Fellows:

Summer 2024 Fellows:

Summer 2025 Fellows:

Office Description

About Earthworks:

Earthworks is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting communities and the environment from the adverse impacts of mineral and energy development while promoting sustainable solutions. Earthworks stands for clean air, water, and land, healthy communities, and corporate accountability. We work for solutions that protect both the Earth’s resources and our communities. Earthworks has a primarily-remote staff of approximately 50 employees in over 20 states and DC, as well as internationally.

Earthworks stands in solidarity with communities fighting mining injustice and provides technical, advocacy, networking, research, and policy support to communities and grassroots groups leading their own campaigns. We advocate for companies and jurisdictions to respect the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) of Indigenous communities, including their right to say no to mining.

About the Mining Team:

Irresponsible mining threatens communities and ecosystems around the world. In the United States, the mining sector is the #1 toxic polluter and has contaminated 40% of watersheds in the West. Mining is still governed by the outdated 1872 mining law which prioritizes extraction over all other uses of federal public lands. Mining disproportionately impacts Indigenous communities, posing threats to land, air, water, and culture. Yet, mining is increasingly being approved without adequate tribal consultation, public participation, or environmental safeguards. In the Western US, Earthworks supports grassroots campaigns to influence the mine permitting process with the goals of:

Promoting environmental justice by reducing the cumulative harms of lithium extraction.
Defending Indigenous rights by campaigning to stop gold mining projects from moving forward without consent.
Protecting water and biodiversity from irreversible damage from large mining projects on federal public lands.

Description of the Work

Earthworks is looking for a Mining Justice Intern to support our place-based campaigns to protect communities and the environment from the impacts of mining in the US West. This internship will support our work in researching the impacts of proposed mining projects, supporting impacted community members and grassroots organizations to make public comments as part of the mine permitting process, and developing and implementing creative advocacy campaigns to stop or minimize harm from mining projects. This position will coordinate closely with Earthworks staff, allied organizations and coalitions.

List of Potential Projects:

Critical analysis of a draft environmental assessment or environmental impact statement for a proposed mining project.
Co-development of communications materials, public comment workshop materials, and action alerts.
Contribute to Earthworks and/or coalition comments on proposed mining projects.
Coordination and strategy development with coalitions and partner organizations for effective advocacy.
Potential field visit to proposed mining site and on-the-ground work with grassroots organizations.

Desired Skills

Ability to critically read and analyze environmental documents
Interest in US environmental policy, environmental justice, Indigenous rights, public lands management, and biodiversity conservation
Strong research skills
Excellent written and oral communication skills, particularly relating to concisely conveying technical information
Sharp attention to detail
Ability to work autonomously and seek out help when needed
Multicultural competence, a commitment to working with people from a variety of backgrounds, and an understanding of how systems of oppression affect current events
Comfort with remote working environments

Logistics:

EPIC fellows are required to work full-time (35-40 hours per week) for 10 weeks over the summer, and will receive a stipend of $8,000 - $9,500, depending on financial need. This stipend is intended to help cover living and transportation expenses during the fellowship, which the student is expected to arrange and coordinate.
Start and end dates are flexible (start date no later than July 6, 2026).