Climate Resilience Intern

Job Summary

The C2ES Climate Resilience Intern will work directly with the Climate Resilience Manager and program staff to assist with short-term and long-term research projects and stakeholder engagement related to community climate resilience.

Businesses and governments at all levels are preparing for the increasing physical impacts of climate change and are eager to uncover new solutions for community resilience. The C2ES Resilience Intern will have the opportunity to contribute to the C2ES Climate Resilient Communities Accelerator initiative and study aspects of resilience planning and disaster preparedness in close collaboration with C2ES's resilience experts. The Resilience Intern will predominantly support the South-Central Puget Sound Accelerator, which is entering its second year, focused on resilience strategy implementation with a cohort of public and private leaders.

Potential research topics include local and federal policy (extreme heat resilience policies, agency grantmaking, regulations, etc.), local solutions (nature-based solutions, communications strategies, land use tools and building codes, data resources, etc.), economic development, and public private partnerships as they relate to climate resilience. The specific area(s) of research will depend upon the intern's background and interests.

Major Responsibilities May Include

• Conduct independent research and analysis on one or more resilience policy topics (for example on extreme heat resilience policies, federal agency grantmaking, regulations; local solutions (nature-based solutions, communications strategies, land use tools and building codes, data resources, etc.); economic development; public private partnerships), with supervision provided by C2ES resilience experts.
• Contribute to staff research and analysis of resilience topics, for example by attending and reporting on events related to resilience or tracking and assessing the current landscape of local and private sector action.
• Support outreach and engagement efforts to develop, plan, and promote activities for the Climate Resilient Communities Accelerator, with a focus on Washington State.
• Support event planning and logistics.
• Develop and contribute to written material including possible blog posts, maps, and policy briefs published on the C2ES website.
• Support C2ES resilience team activities through an enthusiasm to learn and a willingness to engage in intellectual debate.
• Provide some support to other program areas' events and research when needed.

Qualifications

• Eagerness to gain new expertise in the climate resilience field
• Interest in taking an interdisciplinary approach to community climate resilience that values economic, social, and natural systems
• Ability to get along with a wide range of stakeholders
• Top notch writing skills
• Capacity to think critically and work independently
• Willingness to learn and pitch in at all levels
• Demonstrated interest in climate change and/or environmental issues
• Undergraduate studies in a relevant field, including but not limited to environmental studies, biological or earth sciences, environmental engineering, urban planning, political science, public policy, or economics.

Internship Type

• Internship can be local at our office: 1400 K NW #1100, Washington, DC, 20005. Or remote from the following States: CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, OH, MA, MD, MI, MN, NC, NY, PA, TX, UT, VA, and WA.
• Full-time internship up to 37.5 hours per week during Summer 2026.
• Transportation stipend for interns working from the C2ES Office.

To apply, please upload a cover letter, transcripts, resume, and writing sample to our website. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received.

• Cover letter should be no more than one page
• Writing sample should be no more than 5 pages (you may submit a section of a larger writing piece); preference for writing samples on topics related to climate change, extreme weather, resilience, adaptation, environmental policy, urban planning, etc.

We also are fully committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. We believe we will only be effective in developing and advocating for climate solutions if we have a diverse range of voices and perspectives represented within C2ES, in our work, and among our partners. C2ES is committed to creating and growing a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization and among the stakeholders we collaborate with and convene. By fostering this culture, we can enhance our work and amplify our impact. We encourage individuals of all races, ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, sexual identities, and abilities to apply for this position. For more on C2ES's DEIJ policy, visit: https://www.c2es.org/about/diversity-equity-inclusion-and-justice/