Careers & Internships

Careers

In a member-driven service association, we know that without dedicated, talented and thoughtful people, we cannot be the organization we aspire to be.

We are committed to maintaining a culture of diversity, integrity and strong business principles.

IFPA is looking for talented, career-focused individuals to join our organization. If you are seeking a challenging and rewarding position that will allow you to pursue your career goals while becoming a valuable member of our team, consider a career with us.

IFPA is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity. It is our policy to recruit, hire, train, and promote individuals, as well as to administer personnel practices and actions, without regard to race, genetic information, marital status, color, age, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation or disability, as well as other classifications protected by applicable laws.

If you are interested in applying for any of these positions, please email a cover letter and resume (with salary requirements) to IFPA's Human Resources at HR@freshproduce.com.

Diversity Policy

IFPA is committed to cultivating and sustaining a diverse work environment. To be the best association, and to continue to provide our members with creative ideas and business solutions for operating effectively in a complex global economy, we must have the right mix of people. The people we hire can be found only by looking across the full spectrum of gender, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, culture and level of physical ability. For our employees to excel, everyone must feel that their experience is welcomed and valued and that input from all perspectives is encouraged.

Commitment to Work-Life Balance

At IFPA, we understand that finding the right balance between home and career is not an easy task.

Our many work-life programs respond to the needs of our employees and accordingly, they address physical and emotional health, working parent and family concerns and general needs for increased flexibility in order to navigate the different spheres of life. Some of our programs include:

Onsite Fitness Center
Employee Assistance Program
Onsite Kitchen
Flexible Work/Compressed Schedule Arrangements
Telework/Remote Office Opportunities

Internships

The Career Pathways Summer Internship Program offers experiential learning extension opportunities, beyond the traditional classroom, to create a pathway from collegiate to professional careers. Internships will take place during the summer semester, beginning May 21, 2025, and culminating on July 22, 2025.

Internships prioritize direct interaction with industry professionals and support the development of leadership skills and competencies to encourage students to persist in their studies and be prepared to enter the workforce.

Twelve paid, 10-week project-based internships (8 weeks are virtual) will explore subjects relevant to students' academic studies through hands-on experience with IFPA and the produce industry. There are three available internships in each of these four areas:

Food Safety Internship supporting the IFPA Food Safety Team. Interns will gain firsthand experience as to how federal food safety policy is developed, how foodborne illness outbreaks are handled, and how science and education promote an industry of risk-based preventive approaches.
See the full Food Safety Internship Description.
Global Internship supporting the IFPA Global Insights Team. Interns will gain firsthand experience in conducting research on industry and consumer trends, disseminating research findings to internal and external stakeholders, including industry members, allied industry partners, government and regulatory agencies, and more, to inform and publish research findings, development of technical and education information and programs, and guide industry practices.
See the full Global Insights Internship Description
Government Relations and Public Policy Internship supporting the IFPA Government Relations Team. Interns will gain hands-on experience on regulatory and legislative practices affecting the industry and consumers.
See the full Government Relations and Public Policy Internship Description
Sustainability and SciTech Internship supporting the IFPA Science and Technology Team. Interns will gain firsthand experience of industry sustainability issues, science and technology solutions, regulatory and legislative policies, public and private investment, and related issues impacting industry sustainability.
See Sustainability and SciTech Internship Description

Minimum Qualifications: Must be a current Sophomore or Junior (rising Junior or Senior undergraduate student at the time of the summer of 2025 internship) in a STEM based, Agriculture or other degree program as indicated in each of the job descriptions at an accredited college or university in good standing. Funding for this position is grant-based, with the goal of promoting participation in the agriculture and food systems workforce by groups who are noticeably underrepresented in the field, including but not limited to women and people of color.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Interns will receive a total stipend of $4,400 for the 10-week internship
- Payments of $1,100 will be made four times over the 10-week Internship
- If work or call attendance/participation is deemed unsatisfactory and termination is decided, payment amount will pro-rated up to the point of termination.
There are no leave benefits.
There is no health, dental, retirement or life insurance benefits.
Internships will be remote/virtual except for travel for IFPA’s Washington Conference and concluding Project Presentations.
- Travel costs, accommodations, and other outlined expenses for in-person meetings at IFPA office(s) will be reimbursed by IFPA.
Interns will receive an IFPA issued laptop for use for the duration of the internship.

APPLICATION PROCESS:
Application Deadline: Friday, February 21, 2025. The application will require you to submit:

A Cover Letter which includes:
- Statement of Interest for the specific internship you are applying for
- Qualifications possessed to be considered for internship
- Please address directly how your inclusion would advance the role of underrepresented groups in this field, if applicable.
A Resume

Applications missing a Cover Letter, Resume and answers to all fields will not be considered.

For questions about this opportunity or if you experience any difficulties with this application, please email Barbara Hochman at bhochman@freshproduce.com.