World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks a Sustainable Infrastructure Research Intern.

Major Function

Ambitious infrastructure plans to connect countries and markets pose enormous threats to the world’s vulnerable communities and biodiversity and are on track to increase greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change. WWF is developing a new workplan to guide its future efforts in helping transform global infrastructure development onto a more sustainable path. The internship will support the process of developing this plan and a subsequent action program by carrying out research, developing databases, and preparing reference guides for WWF offices around the world working on advocacy, policy, community engagement, technical design, spatial and economic planning, monitoring, etc. in relation to driving standards, practices, and norms toward sustainability in infrastructure development. (“Infrastructure” in this process includes natural/green/ecological/nature-based infrastructure as well as human-engineered infrastructure (roads, railways, ports, dams, energy production and delivery systems, water management and delivery systems, etc.).

• Contribute to a review of staff capacity to carry out infrastructure-related work across the WWF global network by:
  • Developing a capacity data collection, management, and analysis protocol and system
  • Conducting virtual interviews and creating surveys on infrastructure capacity at WWF
  • Tabulating and analyzing data on WWF’s infrastructure capacity
• Carry out desktop research and write briefing papers on a range of related topics, for example:
  • Policy coherence between global transportation and environment policies
  • Baseline review of multilateral development banks (MDBs) and their approaches and capacity on sustainable infrastructure, particularly related to its impacts and dependencies on nature
  • Baseline review of sustainable port development and operations
• Conduct a comparative analysis on a set of projects supporting sustainable infrastructure, focusing on identifying key commonalities and distinctions
• Review a range of knowledge sharing platforms, resources, and tools related to sustainable infrastructure and provide recommendations on their utility for WWF staff and partner organizations

Key Competencies:

• Intellectual curiosity: Eagerness to explore and learn about sustainable infrastructure development and policy
• Research and analytical skills: Ability to distill key insights from large amounts of information and comfortable with analyzing quantitative and qualitative data to draw meaningful conclusions
• Interpersonal communication: Skilled in providing clear and effective written and verbal communications to different audiences

Qualifications: 

• Excellent research, writing, analytical, and communication skills
• Experience in creating and managing databases
• Experience in developing annotated bibliographies
• Interest in and educational exposure to international development, infrastructure-related topics, conservation, natural resource management, environment
• Attention to detail
• Organized and self-motivated
• Able to work both independently and in a team setting
• Ability to collaborate effectively in a hybrid work environment
• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values:  
  • COURAGE – We demonstrate courage through our actions, we work for change where it’s needed, and we inspire people and institutions to tackle the greatest threats to nature and the future of the planet, which is our home.  
  • INTEGRITY – We live the principles we call on others to meet. We act with integrity, accountability, and transparency, and we rely on facts and science to guide us and to ensure that we learn and evolve.  
  • RESPECT – We honor the voices and knowledge of people and communities that we serve, and we work to secure their rights to a sustainable future.  
  • COLLABORATION – We deliver impact at the scale of the challenges we face through the power of collective action and innovation.  

*Please note that WWF does not provide VISA sponsorship to interns 

US Remote – WWF employs interns in all states with the exception of: Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Wyoming.

Compensation:

Seeking current graduate students. $22.50 per hour.

To Apply:

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page,  Requisition #IN-25039
• Due to the high volume of applications, we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone

As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status. WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.