Center Science Public Interest: Director of Legislative Affairs

Center for Science in the Public Interest:
Director of Legislative Affairs Location

1250 I Street NW Ste 500 DC

$135,000 to $150,000 / Yearly

Center for Science in the Public Interest

Management

Non-Profit

Please utilize CSPI's Paylocity Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to apply for the position. You are required to submit a resume and cover letter highlighting relevant experience and interest. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis with priority given to applications submitted by March 20, 2026. CSPI is committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills and encourages people of diverse ages, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, disabilities, religions, races, ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, work, and life experiences to apply.

Research indicates members of marginalized groups tend to underestimate their qualifications and apply only if they don’t check all the boxes. If you are passionate about CSPI's mission and think you have what it takes to be successful in this role, even if you don’t check all the boxes, please apply. We’d appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), “Your Food and Health Watchdog,” is one of the nation’s leading public health advocacy organizations, with a 50-year record of fighting for public health and a food system that makes healthy, sustainable food accessible to all. We’ve led efforts to pass sweeping federal legislation that has shaped the food and nutrition environment in the United States.

These include the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act and menu labeling provisions of the Affordable Care Act, which require nutrition information for packaged and restaurant foods; the Food Safety Modernization Act, which gave authority to the FDA to recall contaminated foods; and the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, which requires clear labeling of foods containing leading allergens. CSPI also engages in regulatory advocacy and supports state and local policies to improve nutrition and food environments (e.g., sweetened beverage taxes, warning labels, added sugars and sodium reduction, and addressing harmful marketing practices), food safety (e.g., banning unsafe food chemicals, reducing chemical and pathogenic contaminants in food, reforming the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) loophole, and improving ingredient disclosures and food allergen protections), and leveraging the power of public programs to improve nutrition and public health (e.g., school foods, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the broader charitable food system, and food procurement in public institutions such such as carceral facilities).

CSPI is searching for a Director of Legislative Affairs to serve as the lead lobbyist for the organization. The Director of Legislative Affairs, in partnership with issue area leads, will develop and implement strategic policy objectives at the federal level and support efforts in key states as needed. This position leads and oversees legislative and federal advocacy and outreach activities to achieve CSPI’s campaign goals on a variety of issue areas.

The Director of Legislative Affairs reports to the Vice President of Programs, supervises two full-time staff and (periodically) interns, and collaborates closely with various issue area leads. This position must be based in CSPI’s DC office, where we offer a hybrid work environment. Employees in the DC office may choose to work from home or in the office. Though this role will need to come to the office for in‑person meetings occasionally.

• Provide strategic thinking, oversight, coordination, and management of CSPI’s congressional priorities related to nutrition, food safety, and health.
• Establish, manage, maintain, and oversee relationships with federal legislative officials and staff, government agencies (as needed, and in collaboration…