Raising National Climate Ambition Intern

World Resources Institute • Washington, DC

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

WRI’s Climate, Economics, and Finance (CEF) Program leads WRI’s work on transforming economic, financial, and governance systems globally and on achieving WRI’s climate goals. Its work is divided into three pillars: (1) raising ambition aligned with global goals, (2) implementing action on the ground, and (3) shifting the economic and financial “rules of the game,” or architecture. This intern will work specifically within our ‘Ambition’ pillar to advance core pillar objectives. This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in the Washington, DC office. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position. To be eligible for this position, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment. WRI’s CEF Program seeks a detail-oriented, technical, well-organized, and highly motivated intern with a research background that will report to a Research Associate II. The successful candidate will support research, technical analysis, and project management efforts within the CEF Program, with a focus on projects that aim to raise national climate ambition. This includes supporting the development and implementation of countries’ near-term and long-term climate plans under the Paris Agreement, as well as assessing the extent to which these plans are driving tangible mitigation outcomes. The intern will be supported by a team consisting of senior associates, research associates, project managers, and project coordinators who are working together to advance global climate change mitigation and development outcomes. Internships at WRI are learning experiences designed for current students, recent graduates, and other candidates who wish to gain knowledge about a specific area of our work. We strive to attract diverse, intellectually driven candidates who have a passion for sustainability and development. WRI provides many internship opportunities throughout the year in all our programs.

Requirements

• Completed Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Policy, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Economics, Engineering, the Natural Sciences, Public Policy, Data Analysis, or related field
• Demonstrated research experience, including conducting literature reviews, synthesizing findings, and translating complex information into clear insights (e.g., through academic research, internships, or professional experience)
• Strong technical and analytical skills, including experience working with data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, R, Python, or similar tools), as well as familiarity with methods such as regression analysis, policy analysis, and comparative process tracing
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, and well-structured reports, briefs, and other written materials for diverse audiences
• Familiarity with national and international climate change and energy policies
• Ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner
• Ability to handle multiple priorities in a deadline-driven professional environment
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with teams
• Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission
• Must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment

Nice To Haves

• Completed or nearly completed Master’s Degree preferred
• Knowledge of the UNFCCC negotiating process a plus

Responsibilities

• Conduct desk research and literature reviews to gather information about countries’ near-term (NDC) and long-term (LT-LEDS) climate and sectoral transition policies under the UNFCCC, as well as other relevant national climate policy documents
• Conduct technical analyses to extract and structure data from policy documents and apply quantitative and qualitative research methods (e.g., regression analysis, comparative case studies, process tracing) to assess the impact and efficacy of climate and sectoral transition policies
• Review academic studies and grey literature to extract ambitious ‘benchmarks’ against which to compare countries’ climate targets
• Assist with and/or co-author reports, briefs, and data products
• Assist with and/or co-author blog posts and other communication documents
• Support day-to-day project management tasks including notetaking, drafting summaries of meetings, and collecting information from partners on their activities
• Track project deliverables under the supervision of a project manager
• Assist in preparing outreach materials and analysis to inform country-level policy discussions and technical assistance efforts

Benefits

• Gain hands-on experience analyzing national climate policies, including NDCs and LT-LEDS, and understanding how they translate into real-world mitigation outcomes
• Develop and apply quantitative and qualitative research skills in a policy-relevant context, with research outputs to be used directly by governments to inform on-the-ground climate policy
• Increase familiarity with academic and grey literature on climate and sectoral transformation modelling
• Strengthen professional writing and communication skills through contributions to high-impact reports, briefs, and public-facing materials
• Gain experience working on collaborative, multi-stakeholder projects, including coordination with international partners and interdisciplinary teams
• Develop project management skills, including tracking deliverables, synthesizing inputs from partners, and supporting the end-to-end execution of research projects
• Gain exposure to country-level climate policy processes and international collaboration by supporting engagement with government and partner organizations
• The pay for this internship opportunity is $20/hour for undergrads; $22/hour for graduates and $24/hour for PhD students.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees