Summer 2027 Industrial Decarbonization Intern

Natural Resources Defense; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 283,000 - 354,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid internship stipend

Job summary

NRDC's Climate & Energy Department seeks an undergraduate intern for the Industrial Division, onsite in Washington, DC, 3 days per week, for 10 weeks. The intern will analyze industrial decarbonization policies and create policy analyses and visuals, including presentations for leadership.

This paid internship runs June–August 2027 with a stipend of $7,000, contingent on Summer Session 3 availability. The role emphasizes research, policy analysis, and communication, with a focus on embodied

Qualifications

• Must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program
• Rising sophomores, juniors, seniors, and recent graduates (May 2027) are eligible to apply
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Project management and/or problem solving skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Initiative, proactiveness, and creativity
• Commitment to NRDC’s mission, values, and DEI principles

Responsibilities

• Support ongoing projects and priorities for the Industrial Division
• Analyze policies and gaps in industrial decarbonization and embodied carbon policies
• Develop communication materials and graphs (including PowerPoint presentations) for the team
• Identify educational gaps on embodied carbon and decarbonization and assess curricula
• Deliver a written policy analysis and a presentation to leadership
• Provide recommendations for educational improvements to bridge knowledge gaps

Skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

Project management

Attention to detail

Initiative

Creativity

DEI commitment

Education

Undergraduate student

Job description

Overview

NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) works to safeguard the Earth, its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. NRDC combines the power of more than 3 million members and online activists with the expertise of some 800 policy advocates, lawyers, scientists, and communication experts to confront the climate crisis, protect nature, ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities.

Since our founding in 1970, NRDC has helped craft and deliver many of America’s foundational environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. Today, we continue to lead in advancing and defending strong environmental protections at the local, state, federal and international levels, as well as through the marketplace. Our team works across the United States and around the world, from offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., as well as in Beijing, and New Delhi (a subsidiary of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd.).

Supported by our members and online activists, NRDC is driving impactful solutions that confront the climate crisis, defend nature and safeguard public health acrossAsia, Africa, and the Americas. At NRDC, we believe lasting change happens when people bring their talent, passion, and expertise together for a common purpose: to build a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient world. Learn more at nrdc.org.

Our interns play an active role on the front lines of the environmental movement. Over the course of an internship, NRDC interns work with lawyers, scientists, or policy analysts in different program areas and amass experience that they could not have obtained anywhere else. Interns also have access to various events to enhance their NRDC experience.

NRDC interns may support or work on:

• Research, data collection, and analysis
• Writing and developing materials for state and federal campaigns
• Supporting with designing equitable policy solutions
• Copywriting and editing social media posts and supporting on marketing campaigns
• Brainstorming opportunities for process improvements, new vendors, partnerships, and engagement
• Project management of department and team-wide initiatives

You can find examples of work by our interns on our Careers Page.

Responsibilities

POSITION SUMMARY

NRDC's Climate & Energy Department is seeking an undergraduate intern to support ongoing projects and priorities for our Industrial Division. This intern will report into our Director, Heavy Industry. This opportunity is based out of our Washington, DC office and interns are expected to be onsite 3 days per week.

The Industrial Decarbonization intern will work with the industrial decarbonization team, analyzing policies and gaps in industrial decarbonization and embodied carbon policies. This research and analysis will help NRDC's heavy industry team determine policy pivots. This intern will also develop communication materials and graphs (including powerpoint presentations) for the team. Lastly, they will look into educational gaps on embodied carbon and industrial decarbonization (e.g., identify whether there are curricula that cover low‑carbon materials, and if yes where and how). Key deliverables will include a written policy analysis, a presentation to the team's leadership, and recommendations for educational improvements to bridge the knowledge gap on low‑carbon materials.

Qualifications

REQUIREMENTS

• Must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program
  • Rising sophomores, juniors, seniors, and recent graduates (May 2027) are eligible to apply
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Project management and/or problem solving skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Initiative, proactiveness, and creativity
• Commitment to NRDC’s mission, values, and DEI principles

DETAILS

• Duration: 10-weeks | Commitment: 35 hours/week
  • This intern must be able to commit to working Summer Session 3: Monday June 21, 2027 – Friday August 27, 2027
• Hybrid Work Model: Summer Interns are expected to be in office 3 days/week. We will not be able to offer relocation assistance for the summer.
• Stipend: This is a paid internship with a stipend equivalent of $7,000.00 paid bi-weekly over the course of the assignment.

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under‑represented in the environmental movement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

The incumbent will not qualify as an employee, fellow, volunteer, or independent contractor of NRDC, nor will the incumbent be guaranteed employment at the end of the internship term.

NRDC operates under a hybrid work model. Interns are required to come into the office 3 days a week.

As a science‑based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID‑19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC‑approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination. Those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions. NRDC treats all vaccination‑related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws.