The organization:

The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) is an independent nonprofit working to protect public health and the environment from harmful chemicals. In an effort to advance its mission and generate additional revenue to support key programs and campaigns, CEH is considering the possibility of launching a consulting unit.

CEH relies on the support of interns to fulfill our mission to reduce the public's toxic chemical exposures. We give our interns a high level of responsibility and recognize that the rewards of working for a non-profit organization are the experience and challenge of being an active participant. Visit our website at www.ceh.org to learn more about our mission, activities, and accomplishments. The internship is unpaid, but you will receive a stipend to offset transportation expenses.

The project:

The CEH Board of Directors has approved launching a new unit of CEH that will act as a consulting unit for private sector companies.  This decision is timely because of changes currently underway in philanthropy, the private sector, and the nonprofit sector.  Today, many for-profit companies are increasingly considering their social impact as part of their bottom line.  Meanwhile, many philanthropists have begun to prioritize funding nonprofits applicants that have an earned revenue strategy as part of their organization.  Finally, many of the most well-run nonprofit organizations are developing sophisticated programs that further their mission, while concurrently diversifying their revenue streams.

The consulting unit, which will eventually be a spin-off, will have the following purposes:

1.     Work directly and collaboratively with senior decision-makers in the private sector to reduce the corporate use of toxic materials and transform the practices that currently result in toxic exposures to workers, communities and consumers.

2.     Create measurable and substantive changes that benefit both public health and the companies that implement these changes.

3.     Diversify the already-diverse CEH revenue streams by sharply increasing our “fee for service” revenue.

4.     Provide examples for the public to see that uncompromising mission-driven advocates like CEH can collaborate with private sector leaders in ways that create real positive change both for society and for the companies involved.

Role of an intern:

The intern will work directly with the CEH Executive Director, who is leading this project. We are seeking an MBA or similar student to work with the CEH Executive Director to conduct research and other duties related to the feasibility of and helping to create the consulting unit as a for-profit spin off of CEH, including but not limited to:

1.     Creating strategies for identifying and recruiting potential clients

2.     Organizing webinars

3.     Interviewing experts and potential clients

4.     Potentially helping to craft a business plan for the consulting unit

5.     Developing operations and systems for potential spin-off organization-policies, bank accounts, insurance, registering with the state, taxes, etc.

Qualifications Required:

The ideal candidate is:

·         Experienced in the private sector, ideally in the role of a consultant

·         Interested and experienced in corporate sustainability practices. environmental health, and social justice

·         Someone who genuinely enjoys -and takes pride in- researching, writing and project management.

·         Self-motivated.

·         A good communicator, (both verbally and on paper).

Hours and Commitment:

We are a small, diverse group with a big mission.  In the past, interns have sometimes been awarded academic credit for their work at CEH.  20 hours per week would be ideal, but for the right candidate we could work with 10 hours per week

To Apply:

Please apply as soon as possible.  To apply send a resume, cover letter, short writing sample (2 pages max), and the names and phone numbers of three references.  Submit to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or mail to the address below. We prefer email.  Please put “research internship” in the subject line of your email or on your envelope.

People of color, women, and LGBTI individuals strongly encouraged to apply.

Center for Environmental Health

2201 Broadway, Ste 302

Oakland, CA 94612