WWF Overview

For 60 years, WWF has worked to help people and nature thrive. As one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, WWF works in nearly 100 countries, connecting cutting-edge conservation science with the collective power of our partners in the field –nearly one million supporters in the United States and five million globally, as well as partnerships with communities, companies, and governments.

At WWF, we are working to create an organization where the richness of all our unique views, experiences, and backgrounds combine to create the most sustainable and inclusive conservation outcomes possible, bringing the greatest benefit to the planet and every person who lives on it.

Across the many cultures and individuals that represent WWF, we are unified by one mission, one brand, and one common set of values: Courage, Respect, Integrity and Collaboration.

BRIDGE is WWF’s summer internship program. Launched in 2021, it is a paid internship opportunity aimed at a pool of talented undergraduate and graduate students who could bring fresh thinking and innovation to the environmental sector. In particular, WWF aims to employ interns who have not previously had a breadth of professional experience and have not previously considered conservation as a career pathway.

Position Summary

WWF seeks a BRIDGE Global Farm Loss Tool Graduate Intern.

Nearly 40% of all food that is produced globally is wasted, and reducing this waste is one of the most impactful strategies to reduce the food system’s impact on nature. WWF brings organizations together from the hospitality, retail, restaurant, food service, distribution, and manufacturing sectors, as well as schools and farms, to measure and reduce waste from field to table. WWF is leading efforts to measure on-farm loss and develop new solutions across the supply chain using to deliver more of the harvest to people using the Global Farm Loss Tool (GFLT). The GFLT unlocks loss solutions through data, allowing growers and buyers to recover surplus, reducing the environmental impacts of production (GHG mitigation, freshwater) and boosting revenues for both growers and buyers.

WWF’s Food Waste Team seeks an intern with proficiency in data aggregation, organization, and analysis. This position will be responsible for compiling, collecting, and data mining existing farm loss data from WWF’s Global Farm Loss Tool, and other internal and external sources to organize and prepare for report drafting by the WWF team. This intern will also develop key guidance for external partners in selecting crops of focus for food loss measurement and reduction efforts.

Internship Description:

The intern will be responsible for:

• Aggregating farm loss data from the administrative accounts in WWF Global Farm Loss Tool

• Data mining and aggregating farm loss data from the past three years from other external resources to WWF

• Organizing all data into an excel spreadsheet to assess general themes and trends

• Based on the research, development of general guidelines for companies in terms of interventions, what’s working and what’s not working with both measurement and loss reduction efforts, and guidance for companies on how best to select crops of focus

• Developing a framework for WWF final report on summation and assessment of prior efforts using the Global Farm Loss Tool, business cases that used the Tool for data collection, and where we are headed in the next 1 to 3 years.

• Support in developing a framework for how WWF will publicly and outwardly reflect data insights from the Tool to our global external stakeholders. This may look like a public facing dashboard, a regularly established webinar to present insights, or a hotspot map.

• Assistance in planning Farmer Buyer tours on 2-3 farms in California US Food Waste Pact Supplier Engagement Task Force.

Minimum Requirements:

• Pursuing a graduate program in sustainability, agricultural systems, natural resource management, or other related fields. Those studying outside these areas are still highly encouraged to apply. Must be an actively enrolled student and not received degree at time of internship start date (June 1, 2026).

• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values: Courage, Integrity, Respect, and Collaboration.

• Demonstrates courage by speaking up even when it is difficult, or unpopular.

• Builds trust with colleagues by acting with integrity, owning mistakes, and holding oneself accountable.

• Welcomes other points of view and ideas, recognizing and embracing different and contrary perspectives with kindness, curiosity, and encouragement.

• Makes conscious efforts to promote cooperative practices, behaviors, and ways of working across many groups and individuals.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Subject expertise in one or more of the following areas is preferred, but not required:

• Food and Agricultural Systems

• Data Analysis

Learning Outcomes

• Data Analysis & Insight Development on Global Farm Losses: Experience conducting quantitative analysis of one of the largest global datasets on farm‑level food loss, working alongside a leading NGO to uncover major farm loss drivers and produce insights that directly support WWF’s global strategy for reducing on‑farm food loss.

• Applied Research and Guidance for Global Supply Chains: Experience synthesizing the key learnings and insights from WWF’s global loss dataset into practical guidance for companies and governments to start taking action, including decision criteria and guidance around crop‑selection, intervention strategies, and assessing loss interventions.

• Technical Communication: Develop real-world experience developing complex quantitative findings into clear, compelling written narratives, case studies, and stakeholder‑ready materials tailored to diverse food system partners (corporate buyer, growers, food system NGOs).

• Project & Stakeholder Coordination: Gain critical experience in managing multi‑stakeholder initiatives—such as buyer tours—and partner engagement, building practical skills in communicating with diverse audiences (growers and corporate buyers).

• Professional Competencies in Food Systems & Conservation: Build applied knowledge of food loss, agricultural sustainability, and supply chain systems while gaining professional exposure through mentoring, collaboration, and presentation opportunities.

WWF interns will be offered a set of professional development opportunities, aimed at increasing their exposure to conservation and sustainability careers. This includes:

• Development discussions with their manager;

• Up to two online courses through Cornell University’s eCornell program;

• Speed mentoring with different WWF teams;

• Opportunity to present their work to intern peers and WWF staff;

• Session on resume and interviewing best practices.

Interns will also have access to an array of networking opportunities. This includes meetings with WWF’s staff and leadership team.

Location:

This position is flexible on location. The intern may complete the internship either in Washington DC or other states, with the exception of: Hawaii, Kentucky, Nevada, Oklahoma, Wyoming.

Compensation:

Paid - $23 per hour (full-time, 35 hours per week)

Internship Dates:

Internship will run from June 1 to August 7, 2026

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume & cover letter through our Careers page. In your cover letter, please describe:

• Your relevant skills and interest for this position

• Your connection to nature and the environment

• How you could contribute to the field of conservation.

If selected for the role, you will need to provide 1 letter of recommendation as part of the WWF application process.

This job will be posted and open for applications until Monday, March 16 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time.

Please note: Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.