Jobs and Student Opportunities at the Sabin Center
The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, offers a variety of job and internship opportunities for students (undergraduates and graduates), recent law graduates and environmental/climate-focused lawyers. If you're interested in the current vacancies, please check out the opportunities below.
Jobs
Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We are looking to fill this role for an October 2026 start.
Position Summary
The Sabin Center seeks to hire a Fellow (to be hired at the Legal Research Fellow I level) to take on a leadership role in our Renewable Energy Legal Defense Initiative (RELDI). Launched in 2019, RELDI works with local residents, community groups, and public interest organizations who support bringing wind and solar projects to their communities. RELDI provides thought leadership and independent research on legal barriers to the energy transition, with a particular focus on barriers posed by local opposition to the siting of utility-scale renewable energy facilities and related transmission and storage infrastructure. RELDI also leverages the Sabin Center’s expertise and research capacity to support public participation in administrative proceedings and litigation to defend the siting of proposed renewable energy projects, support renewable energy policies that are being attacked, and to oppose local laws and ordinances that ban or unduly inhibit the development of renewable energy.
Responsibilities
The incumbent will work with the Sabin Center’s Faculty Director, Executive Director, and Deputy Director to expand RELDI’s reach and impact. To this end, the incumbent will provide thought leadership, applied research, peer learning, and other outputs that will assist advocates and researchers seeking to strategically engage with the planning for and siting of utility- and community-scale renewable energy facilities and related infrastructure. In particular, the incumbent will:
- Help to develop and implement a plan for RELDI’s long-term growth and sustainability
- Conduct outreach and coordinate with other groups engaged in complementary activities at the national, state, and local levels;
- Conduct independent research and write about issues related to siting utility- and community-scale renewable energy projects, including in communities that may not have equal access to clean energy;
- Contribute to the conceptualization and implementation of online resources for researchers, advocates, and others working to advance renewable energy projects;
- Submit amicus briefs in key cases related to the siting of utility- and community-scale renewable energy facilities;
- Identify, track, and engage in relevant administrative proceedings, including by drafting comment letters, testimony, and other documents; and
- Develop presentations and trainings for a variety of audiences and help organize conferences, seminars, workshops, and other events.
This is a one-year position, with the possibility of renewal contingent on funding.
You can learn more about the Sabin Center here.
Minimum Qualifications
- J.D. or LL.M. from an ABA-accredited law school.
- 2-5 years of professional legal experience with a government agency (including through a clerkship), NGO, law firm, financial institution, or law school center.
- Strong academic qualifications and a demonstrated interest in environmental, natural resources or energy law and policy, will be expected.
Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran.
Hiring Salary Range
$85,000-$100,000
The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
Application Instructions
Applicants are requested to submit a CV, cover letter, and law school transcript to [email protected] as soon as possible. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We are looking to fill this role for an October 2026 start.
Opening: Legal Research Fellow I / Equitable Cities Climate Law Fellow at the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law
Application Deadline: Apply early; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We are looking to fill this role for a September 2026 start.
Position Summary
The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law seeks a Legal Research Fellow I to contribute to the Sabin Center’s work developing city-level law and policy at the intersection of climate and racial wealth equity.
The Legal Research Fellow I’s work will support the efforts of the Cities Climate Law Initiative (CCLI), a project of the Sabin Center that works with city legal departments, and sustainability offices, and the networks that link them together, to provide key resources to efficiently and effectively address legal questions confronting the urban climate transition.
This is a one-year position, with the possibility of renewal contingent on funding.
You can learn more about the Sabin Center here and about CCLI here.
Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Center’s Faculty Director and Executive Director, and in collaboration with CCLI partners, the Legal Research Fellow I will:
- Prepare briefs and research on jurisdictional authority relating to specified localities concerning climate policy adoption.
- Prepare briefs and research on the climate-relevant legislative and electoral processes for specified localities, including processes regarding budgeting and regulatory measures.
- Review pathways for participation by local governments and community groups in legal and regulatory processes at different scales of governance.
- Write legal and policy analyses regarding local communities’ ability to seek federal support for programming, funding, and implementation under enacted federal climate legislation and other mechanisms.
- Develop reports, presentations and webinars for a variety of audiences.
- Provide independent research and custom consultation to cities and local community-based organizations on climate policy initiatives.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
- J.D. or equivalent legal degree.
- Strong academic qualifications and a demonstrated interest in climate change, environmental, natural resources, or energy law and policy.
Preferred Qualifications:
- 1-3 years of professional legal experience with a government agency (including through a clerkship), NGO, law firm, financial institution, or law school center.
- Admission to the bar in at least one U.S. state.
- Experience with, or interest in, environmental, energy, land use, climate change, or municipal law.
- Experience with, or interest in, litigation procedure and practice.
Hiring Salary Range
$80,000 - $95,000 a year
The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
Application Instructions and Deadline
Applicants are requested to submit a cover letter and CV to [email protected] as soon as possible.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We are looking to fill this role for a September 2026 start.
Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
We are no longer accepting applications for the Climate Law Fellow position.
The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law seeks a Climate Law Fellow to be hired at the postdoctoral research scholar level to contribute to Center’s work on issues related to climate change law and regulation. This is a one-year appointment starting September 2025, with an option for a second year.
You can learn more about the Sabin Center here.
Responsibilities
Under the supervision of Michael Gerrard, Faculty Director, and Michael Burger, Executive Director, the incumbent will:
- conduct independent research and publish white papers, articles, and other materials on topics related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, including in the areas of energy, environmental, and land use law;
- contribute to the development and implementation of advocacy strategies around climate change mitigation and adaptation;
- contribute to programs and projects that engage in active law and policy contexts, including the Center’s engagement in regulatory proceedings concerning climate change mitigate and adaption;
- contribute to the conceptualization, management and implementation of the Center’s web resources, including various databases tracking developments in federal, state, and local climate change law;
- help organize conferences, seminars, and collaborative publications;
- assist with oversight of interns and volunteers, among other projects.
Minimum Qualifications
- J.D., J.D. equivalent, or LLM from an ABA approved Law School
- Strong academic qualifications and a demonstrated interest in climate justice and equity, and/or in environmental, natural resources or energy law and policy, will be expected.
Preferred Qualifications:
- 0-3 years of professional legal experience with a government agency (including through a clerkship), NGO, law firm, financial institution, or law school center.
Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran.
Hiring Salary Range
$77,500-$85,000
The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
Application Instructions and Deadline
We are no longer accepting applications for this position.
Student Internships & Other Opportunities
Title of Internship: Climate Communications Internship (Fall 2026)
Description: The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law is seeking one to two interns to assist with a variety of communications-related tasks. The intern will work under the supervision of the Sabin Center’s communications associate, Tiffany Challe, and Deputy Director, Romany Webb. Among other things, the intern will help with website management; will create a weekly social media plan; develop posts and other content for social media; track and record media mentions; assist with management of the Climate Law Blog; and will assist in maintaining and updating the press list.
Skills desired: Social media competence (Bluesky, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook); basic knowledge of Wordpress and DRUPAL platforms; familiarity with and keen interest in climate change concepts and terminology; experience with Mailchimp; experience with graphic design and/or video editing.
Type of student desired: Columbia University Undergraduate or graduate
This is a part-time unpaid internship and will last from September to December 2026. The selected candidate will work up to 20 hours a week.
How to apply: Applicants for the Fall Climate Communications Internship should submit a resume and cover letter to Tiffany Challe at: [email protected]. We will accept applications on a rolling basis.
Title of Internship: Greenhouse Gas Removal Intern (Fall 2026)
Description: The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law is seeking an intern to assist with its Carbon Management and Greenhouse Gas Removal Initiative. The internship will focus on greenhouse gas removal technologies, research into those technologies, and potential deployments. It will also involve research on impacts of the technologies and the state of the science around such impacts.
Skills desired: Academic research and clear writing.
Type of student desired: Columbia University graduate or undergraduate student.
This is a part-time unpaid internship and will last from September to December 2026. The selected candidate will work 10-15 hours per week.
How to apply: Applicants should submit a resume and cover letter Korey Silverman-Roati at [email protected]. We will accept applications on a rolling basis.
Visiting Scholars
In order to recognize and enhance work in the field of climate law the Sabin Center on occasion sponsors researchers and scholars who have applied for and been accepted to Columbia Law Schools Visiting Scholars Program. Applicants interested in Center sponsorship may email the Faculty Director or Executive Director to notify them of their interest in sponsorship.