Sustainability Initiative Intern – Washington, D.C.

Organization: World Resources Institute

Position Title: Sustainability Initiative Intern

Location: Washington, D.C.

Hours & Compensation: Full-time. Unpaid.

Position Dates: Summer 2013.

Application Deadline: None posted.

Posted On: March 28, 2013.

Organization Overview:

The World Resources Institute’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Every project undertaken by WRI seeks to contribute to one or more of the following goals:

• People and ecosystems. Reverse rapid degradation of ecosystems and assure their capacity to provide humans with needed goods and services.
• Climate change. Protect the global climate system from further harm due to emissions of greenhouse gases and help humanity and the natural world adapt to unavoidable climate change.
• Markets and Enterprise. Harness markets and enterprise to expand economic opportunity and protect the environment.
• Access. Guarantee public access to information and decisions regarding natural resources and the environment.
• Institutional excellence. Support and enhance WRI’s ability to achieve results.

In all of its policy research and work with institutions, WRI tries to build bridges between ideas and action, meshing the insights of scientific research, economic and institutional analyses, and practical experience with the need for open and participatory decision-making. WRI’s work is carried out by a 250member interdisciplinary staff augmented by a network of advisors, collaborators, partners, and cooperating institutions in more than 50 countries.

Description:

The Sustainability Initiative seeks an energetic undergraduate student or recent graduate with excellent analytic and writing skills for an internship position during the summer of 2013. The internship will be unpaid but will offer valuable experience in working for a D.C. non-profit in the exciting and growing field of sustainability management. The objective of WRI’s Sustainability Initiative is to “learn by doing” and to apply research from across the Institute to reduce our own environmental footprint.

The individual will work collaboratively with and report to Sustainability Manager Laura Draucker and/or Research Assistant Amanda Stevens at WRI’s Washington, DC office.

Responsibilities:

The intern will work closely with the Sustainability Initiative team on administrative, research, and communication activities.

• Research on socially responsible investment opportunities
• Research green purchasing standards to help guide WRI’s future vendor decisions.
• Assist in the implementation of a project to engage partners and suppliers and collect primary GHG data. Research how we could use this data and any other means to help reduce the emissions associated with our purchased goods and services.
• Researching sustainable behavior and reduction potential in an office setting and beginning a formal write-up
• Support the communication of the initiative through website content development and the development of blogs or other stories related to their work, as applicable.
• Provide general administrative support as needed.

Qualifications:

• Undergraduate degree, preferably in environmental science or management, public policy, communication, or a related field.
• Understanding of sustainability management or other green business knowledge or experience
• Excellent research and communication skills
• Demonstrated mastery of oral and written English
• Excellent writing skills and an understanding of social media
• Ability to juggle multiple priorities
• Highly motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently as well as in a team setting
• Excellent computer skills in Microsoft Office and strong internet research skills

How to Apply:

Applications accepted online only at www.wri.org/careers. No phone calls please.

Contact Information:

World Resources Institute, http://www.wri.org

10 G Street NE, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20002

Job URL: http://www.idealist.org/view/internship/zD2bd97SMPFP/