Top internships for positive impact

Looking to take your first steps towards a high-impact career? This page lists some of the most promising recurring internships, fellowships, and other early career opportunities that we’ve identified.

These are opportunities that run at least once a year (and sometimes more), and that we have judged to be likely good options for people who want to use their career to solve the world’s most important problems.

We selected these internships and fellowships by looking at two main criteria. These are their capacity for professional development as well as their potential for positive impact within high-priority cause areas we’ve covered. We think they’re likely to be great options for people searching for an internship or fellowship, and who want to have a positive impact with their career.

A large share of these opportunities take place in non-profit organizations, though some are in governmental or multinational organizations, and a few internships and fellowships are in for-profit companies.

Note that many promising internships and fellowships run on an ad-hoc basis and won’t be listed here. For a broader range, you can find a full list of open internships and fellowships on our job board. 

Global health and wellbeing 

These internships and fellowships focus on global health and wellbeing, a cause area that concerns physical health, economic development, and mental health. 

World Health Organization Internship Programme

Length: 6-24 weeks.

Background: Current undergraduate or postgraduate students in various fields.

WHO’s Internship Programme offers a wide range of opportunities for students and recent graduates to gain insight into the technical and administrative programmes of WHO and enrich their knowledge and experience in various areas, thereby contributing to the advancement of public health.

ODI Fellowship Scheme

Length: Two years.

Background: Postgraduate degree in economics, statistics, or similar.

The ODI Fellowship Scheme gives early-career economists and statisticians the chance to work as public sector civil servants on two-year contracts in low- and middle-income countries across the world. ODI Fellows are typically employed as local civil servants, reporting to local managers.

Sabin Vaccine Institute internships

Length: 10-12 weeks.

Background: Varies by internship.

Sabin’s internship program offers undergraduate and post-graduate students the chance to contribute to global health initiatives. Interns support projects in global immunization, research and development, as well as policy, operations, communications, and resource development.

High Impact Medicine Career Planning Program

Length: 5 weeks.

Background: Doctors and current medical students.

A 5-week program designed to help participants figure out what an impactful career path might look like, set specific goals, and explore actionable next steps. In addition, participants learn different methods to reflect on their careers and use decision-making processes, prioritization, and career planning tools.

World Bank internships and programs

Length: Varies by internship.

Background: Varies by internship.

The World Bank Group offers unique programs that provide learning, staffing, and capacity-building opportunities for junior and mid-career professionals to experience first-hand what working at the WBG is like.

Charity Entrepreneurship Incubation Program

Length: 2 months.

Background: No specific background required.

The Charity Entrepreneurship Incubation Program is a two-month, cost-covered training program that gives a small cohort of talented people from all over the world everything they need to launch a field-leading charity. Previous charities have focused on several areas within global health and wellbeing.

Overcome Clinical Psychology Internship

Length: Three months.

Background: Degrees or training in psychology, psychotherapy, or counselling.

Overcome recruits Clinical Psychology Interns to support their clients. Clinical Psychology Interns will first receive one month of intensive training on how to treat anxiety, depression, phobia and addiction, then they will support clients for two months. 

Emerging Public Leaders Public Service Fellowship

Length: Varies by programme.

Background: Graduates from Liberia, Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, or Sierra Leone.

The Public Service Fellowship supports in-country recruitment and placement of exceptional young leaders into meaningful public sector positions.

World Food Programme Young Talent Programmes

Length: Varies by opportunity.

Background: Varies by opportunity.

The World Food Programme runs a range of internships and fellowships for early-career individuals passionate about making a difference and keen to explore the humanitarian sector. This allows them to apply their academic knowledge in real-world settings, gain valuable skills and transition smoothly into their professional careers.

Animal welfare 

These internships and fellowships focus on the most important priorities within animal welfare. Because of this, they primarily work towards reducing and improving factory farming.

New Roots Institute Leadership Academy

Length: 6 weeks.

Background: High school or university students.

The Leadership Academy is an interactive six-week educational fellowship designed for high school and college students who are passionate about creating sustainable, ethical food systems. By participating, you’ll build the knowledge, skills, and relationships to challenge industrial animal agriculture and drive meaningful change both on your campus and within your community.

Mercy for Animals legal internships

Length: Minimum 8 weeks.

Background: Law students and graduates.

Legal interns work closely with the legal team on a variety of legal issues relating to global farmed animal protection, advocacy, nonprofit administration, and legal compliance. Interns gain exposure to many areas of law and will develop and explore legal advocacy strategies in support of farmed animal protection.

Humane League fellowships

Length: Varies by fellowship.

Background: No specific background required.

The Humane League’s fellowship program is a highly competitive career development program designed for activists who demonstrate a strong interest in working in animal protection or a desire to hone their skills while contributing to the movement.

Animal Legal Defence Fund internships and fellowships

Length: Varies by opportunity.

Background: Law graduates and current law students.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund offers a list of our current employment opportunities plus additional opportunities at various law firms and non-profit organizations across the country. These include several internships and fellowships.

Animal Welfare Institute farmed animal law and policy internship

Length: Varies.

Background: A degree, or studying for a degree, in law, public policy, or animal science.

Farmed animal interns have the opportunity to learn more about advocacy efforts to protect farmed animals. Projects cover a range of factory farming issues; interns support AWI in its efforts to eliminate harmful on-farm practices, improve conditions during long-distance transport, encourage humane handling at slaughter, and educate the public regarding the meaning of welfare-related claims on food products.

Charity Entrepreneurship Incubation Program

Length: Two months.

Background: No specific background required.

The Charity Entrepreneurship Incubation Program is a two-month, cost-covered training program that gives a small cohort of talented people from all over the world everything they need to launch a field-leading charity. Previous charities have focused on several areas within animal welfare.

Animal Outlook Internships

Length: Varies by internship.

Background: No specific background for the communications internship. Must be a current law student for the law internship. Only open to US applicants. 

A way to get hands-on experience as an effective animal advocate while also gaining a deeper understanding of farmed animal issues and the tools available to spread a message of compassion. They run both a legal internship and a communications internship. 

The Reducetarian Fellowship

Length: 11 months.

Background: Undergraduates and master’s students in Atlanta, New York, and Washington DC.

This program is for Atlanta, New York City and Washington DC-area undergraduate and master’s students who are eager to create a more sustainable, healthy, and compassionate world. The one-year experience is designed to equip and encourage students to pursue a career focused on combating animal agriculture.

ProVeg International internships

Length: Varies by internship.

Background: Varies by internship.

ProVeg International is a food awareness organization working to transform the global food system. ProVeg regularly runs internships across their global offices, focusing on different areas of the organization.

Climate change 

These internships and fellowships in climate change cover some of the most promising and important priorities for combating climate change.

UN Climate Change internships

Length: Varies by internship.

Background: Varies by internship.

The UN lists multiple climate change internship opportunities, primarily for advanced undergraduates and postgraduates across a range of disciplines.

Breakthrough Energy Fellows

Length: Varies by fellowship.

Background: Varies by fellowship.

The Fellows program is designed to tackle early-stage barriers to climate technology innovation, accelerating discovery and increasing the number of projects and companies working toward commercialization. By providing innovators with research funding and hands-on support, our program ensures projects have the resources and community they need to advance to the next stages of development.

UK Environment Agency internships

Length: 6-15 weeks.

Background: Varies by internship.

A variety of internships are available, ranging from 6-15 weeks, providing participants insight into the Environment Agency, opportunities to work on real-life projects, and to gain relevant skills and experience in a particular field.

CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change intern

Length: Unspecified.

Background: Current student or recent graduate. Eligible to work in the US.

CSIS runs a range of internships across their programs. The CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program develops events and projects designed to help decision makers craft smart energy policies that balance economic, environmental, and security priorities.

Rockefeller Foundation Summer Associate Program

Length: 10-12 weeks.

Background: Varies by internship.

The Rockefeller Foundation runs a host of Summer internship opportunities. Several internships focus on climate change or closely-related areas.

Last Energy Climate Fellowship

Length: 1 year.

Background: Early-career professionals from various disciplines.

Last Energy’s Climate Fellowship provides an opportunity to work with a global leader in the clean-tech sector. As a member of this year’s cohort, our fellows will benefit from cross-organizational exposure to various dimensions of a rapidly growing startup.

Broad improvements to society

These opportunities concern broad improvements to society—a range of efforts to improve the systems that shape our world.

Roots of Progress Blog-Building Fellowship

Length: 8 weeks.

Background: Writing experience and familiarity with progress studies.

The Blog-Building Intensive Fellowship is an opportunity for writers to sharpen their ideas by discussing them with each other, learn new writing skills and processes, grow by receiving feedback from professional editors and peers alike, and increase their impact by growing their audiences.

International Monetary Fund Internship Program

Length: 10-12 weeks.

Background: Current students of economics, public finance, financial markets, law, or related fields. Under 32 years of age. Eligible to work in the US.

Summer interns gain an insider’s view of the member-country-focused mandate and critical international work of the IMF. Participants build professional networks while applying research and analytical skills to help the IMF explore questions of real importance to member countries and to global economic stability.

The Unjournal independent evaluations

Length: One-off submissions.

Background: Experience in quantitative social science and statistics, including cost-benefit modeling and impact evaluation.

The Unjournal seeks academics, researchers, and students to submit structured evaluations of the most impactful research emerging in the social sciences. The work supports The Unjournal’s core mission — improving impactful research through journal-independent public evaluation. Writing evaluations helps participants build their portfolios with The Unjournal, making it more likely they will be commissioned for paid evaluation work in the future.

AI safety and governance 

These internships and fellowships are great starting points for people looking to transition into a career solving some of the most important issues arising from AI.

Talos fellowship

Length: Up to 6 months.

Background: Must be an EU citizen with an undergraduate degree. A preference for backgrounds in computer science, public policy, or European Law. 

The Talos Fellowship is a programme that empowers ambitious graduates to launch European policy careers focused on artificial intelligence.​ At the core of our programme is a focus on ensuring the safe and responsible deployment of artificial intelligence and related technologies.

PIBBS Fellowship

Length: 3 months.

Background: PhD students and postdoctoral researchers in relevant fields.

The PIBBSS summer research fellowship is designed for researchers from various fields—mostly studying complex and intelligent behavior in natural and social systems but also those studying mathematics, philosophy or engineering—who are motivated by the mission of making AI systems safe and beneficial.

Tarbell Fellowship

Length: 1 year.

Background: No specific background required.

The Tarbell Fellowship is a year-long programme for early-career journalists interested in improving the world. Fellows receive a stipend of up to $50,000, mentorship from experienced journalists, and training to write about the world’s most important problems.

RAND Technology and Security Policy fellowship

Length: 1-2 years.

Background: Open to applications in various career stages. Able to obtain US or UK security clearance. 

The RAND Technology and Security Policy (TASP) Fellowship develops new generations of policy analysts and implementers at the intersection of technology and security issues. Fellows perform in-depth, independent research relating to one or more of the TASP research areas.

BlueDot Impact AI courses

Length: 9-12 weeks.

Background: No specific background required.

BlueDot offers several cohort-based courses relating to AI safety and governance. Their courses combine self-paced study with guided discussions, deepening participants’ learning while fostering connections in the field.

Foresight Fellowship

Length: 1 year.

Background: Strong track record in AI, biotechnology, nanotechnology, or neurotechnology.

The Foresight Fellowship is a program designed to accelerate groundbreaking work in transformative technologies, including biotechnology, nanotechnology, neurotechnology, AI, and visionary approaches in Existential Hope. We envision a future where interdisciplinary science thrives, enabling our Fellows to make bold strides toward solving some of the world’s most critical challenges.

Biosecurity 

These are internships and fellowships in biosecurity—the field dedicated to mitigating deadly pandemics and epidemics.

US NSCEB internships

Length: Unspecified.

Background: Experience in science and technology policy, biology, politics, or national security. Must be a US citizen or national.

The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology regularly seeks full-time, in person, summer interns. The internships provide opportunities to gain firsthand knowledge of national security policy related to emerging biotechnology. Responsibilities may include research, drafting and editing internal written products, administrative tasks, and other duties as assigned.

ECDC European Fellowship Programme

Length: Unspecified.

Background: Postgraduate degree and relevant experience. Must be an EU or EEA citizen.

This programme aims at strengthening the prevention, preparedness, surveillance and control of infectious diseases and other cross-border health threats or issues of public health concern in the EU/EEA Member States and at EU level. There is a field epidemiology track and a public health microbiology track.

UN Youth for Biosecurity Fellowship

Length: 3 months.

Background: Advanced degree in the life sciences or a related discipline. Citizen of a BWC State Party listed as least developed country, low- or lower/upper middle-income country.

Organized by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs in Geneva, in partnership with key international actors that empower youth in science diplomacy and global biosecurity, the Youth for Biosecurity Fellowship provides a unique learning and networking experience in the framework of the Biological Weapons Convention.

Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Fellowship

Length: 10 months.

Background: Postgraduate degree or three years’ experience in national security, public health, medicine, or related fields.

ELBI is a highly competitive, part-time program that provides an opportunity for talented graduate students and professionals to deepen their expertise, expand their network, and build their leadership skills through a series of events coordinated by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

ECDC Traineeships

Length: 5-9 months.

Background: A recent undergraduate degree. Must be an EU or EEA citizen.

ECDC offers a traineeship program targeted at recent university graduates who are at the beginning of their professional careers. The purpose of the program is to provide trainees with an understanding of the Centre and its role within the activities of the European Union while also providing an opportunity to acquire practical knowledge and professional experience.