Sustainability Intern - San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance • San Diego, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is an international nonprofit conservation organization that integrates wildlife health and care, science, and education to develop sustainable conservation solutions. The Sustainability Intern will work with internal teams and external consultants to operationalize and refine tools supporting environmental and resource management goals. The intern will help develop, refine, and maintain a centralized environmental resource dashboard using Microsoft Power BI or a similar platform to map and evaluate energy, water, and waste use across the organization’s campuses.

The intern will collect and enter periodic utility data according to standardized protocols, analyze resource use across campus zones, identify gaps in available data, and help establish baseline metrics. The role also includes researching and recommending operational changes, systems, or resources that support responsible resource stewardship. The internship culminates in a capstone presentation of data insights and a business case for strategies that can reduce operating costs while advancing sustainability goals.

This is a 10-week internship in San Diego, California, from June 14, 2027, through August 20, 2027, with a stipend of $4,160. Applicants must be currently pursuing or planning to pursue an undergraduate degree; applicants who will have completed a bachelor’s degree before the internship ends are not eligible. A cover letter is required.

Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must be currently pursuing or planning to pursue an undergraduate degree; applicants who will complete a bachelor’s degree before the end of the internship are not eligible.
• Strong familiarity with Microsoft Power BI, Excel, and data visualization tools.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to research, interpret utility data, and present actionable business insights.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to work effectively with others in a diverse environment and with diverse populations.
• Ability to learn and perform data and sample gathering techniques.
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• A cover letter is required with the application.

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience in conservation research, sustainability, or community engagement.
• Familiarity with conservation issues and strategies.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with internal teams and consultants to refine and maintain the Environmental Resource Reporting Dashboard.
• Track progress and extract insights from data to monitor, measure, and improve sustainability programs.
• Collect and enter periodic utility data using the standardized Environmental Resource Reporting Dashboard Protocol.
• Segment campus data by zones based on existing meters to review resource-use variances and identify high-priority cost-saving opportunities.
• Assess current data, historical reporting, and existing resources against the new reporting framework to identify missing information and establish baseline metrics.
• Research and recommend operational changes, systems, or resources that support responsible resource stewardship.
• Deliver a final capstone presentation outlining key data insights and making a business case for strategies that reduce operating costs and advance sustainability goals.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern