Who we are

Center for Food Safety (CFS)'s mission is to empower people, support farmers, and protect the Earth from the harmful impacts of industrial agriculture. We defend and promote your right to safe food and a clean environment through groundbreaking legal, scientific, and grassroots action.  

For over 25 years, we have created a new food future, fostering a more powerful food movement against the harmful industrial agricultural system while promoting organic, ecological, and regenerative alternatives. We've won high-profile lawsuits to protect public health and endangered species from pesticides like Monsanto’s Roundup and dicamba. We prevented the introduction of genetically engineered wheat, rice, potatoes, and more to the market and secured meaningful labeling to ensure that we all know what's in our food. We succeeded in instilling animal welfare requirements into the organic standards and protected the oceans from industrial aquaculture. And much more: Our groundbreaking legal cases that protect pollinators, farmworkers, and farming communities, and the earth from the devastating impacts of industrial farming, are a landmark body of case law on food And much more: Our groundbreaking legal cases that protect pollinators, farmworkers, and farming communities, and the earth from the devastating impacts of industrial farming, are a landmark body of case law on food and agricultural issues, transforming our food system.

About the role

CFS seeks an experienced Legislative and Policy Coordinator to support its legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts. This is a new position that will primarily support legislative and administrative advocacy on CFS’s priority issues. The Coordinator will be an integral member of the policy team, focused primarily on advancing CFS’s priorities at the federal level while contributing to select state-level initiatives. This position involves legislative and regulatory analysis, strategic advocacy with Congress, federal and state agencies, coalition building and coordination, and media relations.  

The ideal candidate will have some experience in legislative tracking and analysis, government relations, coalition building, a background and/or demonstrated interest in issues of food safety and environmental health, and a desire to be a presence in the D.C. policy and advocacy community.  

What you'll do

Legislative & Policy Strategic Development & Coordination  

• Monitor and analyze federal and select state legislative and regulatory developments affecting food safety, biotechnology, pesticides, labeling, animal welfare, organic and regenerative farming, endangered species and wildlife protection, and other areas. 

• Coordinate with CFS’s litigation, policy and communication teams to develop and implement advocacy and public education strategies and ensure strategic alignment across CFS programs.  

• Conduct in-depth legal and policy research to inform advocacy strategies and policy positions. 

• Draft petitions, public comments on agency rulemakings, policy briefs, and legislative materials  

Coalition Building and External Engagement 

• Represent CFS in coalitions, working groups, and stakeholder meetings. 

• Coordinate and facilitate activities among coalition partners, including strategy sessions, communications, and joint advocacy initiatives.

• Serve as spokesperson on CFS priority issues at the federal level, as well as supporting related media and public outreach efforts

• Support engagement with congressional offices and federal and state agencies to advance policy priorities.

• Coordinate and plan advocacy events such as briefings, lobby days, and fly-ins on behalf of CFS

• Develop communications materials for website and social media on policy priorities

• Assist in planning policy briefings, issue webinars, and public engagement efforts.

Qualifications

The right candidate is a proactive, mission-driven advocate with cross-partisan “political fluency,” ​​social intelligence, and a deep commitment to the mission and values of Center for Food Safety and to advancing equitable, science-based food policy. Other qualifications include:

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree required

• 2-3 years of experience in federal or state legislative or regulatory advocacy, initiative campaigns, and/or policy advocacy, preferably on food, public health, and/or environmental issues

• Strong understanding of federal legislative, regulatory, and rulemaking processes

• Strong organizational, project management, and communication skills.

• Familiarity with traditional and social media.  

Compensation and Benefits

Hybrid - Washington, DC: $75,000 - $95,000 USD/ year (salary)

CFS offers a competitive compensation package, a flexible hybrid work environment, and a four-day workweek. In addition to salary, we offer a discretionary annual bonus and employer matching contributions to a retirement plan. Benefits include medical, vision, and dental insurance, disability insurance, a pre-tax medical savings plan, and generous vacation and leave policies. As a 501(c)(3) organization, CFS qualifies as an employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.