Climate Solutions Intern

HCWH/Practice Greenhealth is seeking a Climate Solutions Intern for a temporary, remote position from July 7, 2025, to August 28, 2025. The intern will support the Climate Solutions team in health care sustainability, focusing on decarbonization and climate resilience. This paid internship (10-25 hours/week at $20/hour) aims to align with the intern's academic objectives and provides hands-on experience in environmental sustainability within health care.
Description:

Reports To: U.S. Director of Climate Solutions

Supervises: None

Location: This is a remote position.

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

FTE Status: Temporary, 10-25 hours per week, totaling 200 hours

Duration: July 7, 2025 – TBD (flexibility on end date based on intern’s school schedule)

Hourly Rate: $20 an hour

Posting Date: May 8, 2025

Closing Date: May 23, 2025

Health Care Without Harm seeks an exemplary candidate for the position of Climate Solutions Intern. The Climate Solutions internship will extend from July 7, 2025 - August 28, 2025. The Climate Solutions team aims to align this role closely with the candidate’s position with specific objectives required for conferral of the intern’s degree, which are to be determined based upon the applicant’s degree requirements. The primary purpose of this role is to support the Intern in their learning and integration into the health care sustainability community with a primary focus on decarbonization and climate resilience. This temporary role is part of a high performing team that actively practices organizational values: We are Impactful, We Strive for Justice, We are Collaborative, We Embody Health, and We Act with Integrity.

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW:

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) seeks to transform health care worldwide so that it reduces its environmental footprint and becomes a community anchor for sustainability and leader in the global movement for environmental health and justice. We have a unique and dynamic workplace with more than 80 staff members in the U.S. and abroad. We believe health care, as the only sector with healing as its mission, has an opportunity – and obligation – to use its ethical, economic, and political influence to create an ecologically sustainable, equitable, and healthy world. Health Care Without Harm works to achieve its mission in collaboration with Practice Greenhealth, the leading sustainable health care organization, delivering environmental solutions to more than 1,700 hospitals and health systems in the United States and Canada.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Climate Solutions Intern is a temporary, paid position aimed to support a student in:
• learning about the intersection of health care and environmental sustainability;
• collaborating with the Climate Solutions and Analytics & Insights teams; and
• contributing to the collective network of environmental sustainability in health care.

The intern is also invited to participate in HCWH’s Climate Solutions such as webinars, cohorts, and events. This position is geared towards students needing internship or practicum hours for conferral of their academic degree.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
• The specific objectives as required by degree will serve as the foundation for the intern’s experience in the role.
• Work closely with the Climate Solutions team to assist in the support of decarbonization and climate resilience interventions for the health care sector. This internship will provide valuable hands-on experience in the development of GHG emission inventories and real-world interventions that support decarbonization and climate resilience.
• Develop content knowledge and skills for developing decarbonization and climate resilience program fundamentals and sustainable procurement.
Requirements:

Climate Solutions Team Engagement
• Contribute as a member of the Climate Solutions Team to a culture that emphasizes quality, strategic prioritization, flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Pursue knowledge, understanding, and skills related to proven practices and emerging industry topics related to decarbonization, climate resilience and sustainable procurement.
• Participate in collaborative projects such as HCWH net-zero emission action plans, sustainable procurement, decarbonization intervention resources and climate resilience resources.

Key Responsibilities:
• Contribute to strategizing and ideation around supporting health care decarbonization, climate resilience and sustainable procurement.
• Help organize and track project timelines, deadlines, and deliverables.
• Support the technical setup and management of virtual event platforms (Zoom, or other tools).
• Help support the development of resources, tools or slide decks for presentations.
• Assist in quantifying GHG emissions for HCWH (the organization).

QUALIFICATIONS
• Minimum Education: Rising junior or senior in Bachelor’s program or any Masters student pursuing a degree in Sustainability, Public Health, engineering, renewable energy, GHG accounting or related field. Other advanced degrees considered, such as advanced practice health professional student. Interest or coursework related to healthcare sustainability, environmental science, or eco-friendly practices is preferred.
• Minimum Experience: No prior work experience required, but any relevant experience (internships, school projects, etc.) is preferred.
• Preferred Education: Seeking a BA or BS in Engineering, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Facility Management, GHG accounting; or advanced degree in health care leadership.

JOB-SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:
• Team approach: Ability and experience working as part of a team.
• Topical knowledge and interest: Interest in developing knowledge in sustainability, especially in the context of health care, such as decarbonization, climate resilience, energy/water conservation, climate change connections to public health, supply chain resilience, and green building design and construction. Basic understanding of data analytics and statistics.
• Written content: Ability to effectively communicate via email, concise web and educational content development.
• Computer skills: Comfortable with technology, particularly virtual event platforms (Zoom, GoogleMeet, etc.), web content management systems (Drupal, WordPress, etc.), and project management tools (Asana). Ability to work with Google products such as Google Drive and Google Documents including Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Ability to easily pick up on use of internal communication tools like Slack.

What’s In It For You?
• Join an organization where your colleagues share a profound commitment to the mission, and a global network of partners work collaboratively to support it.
• Play a vital role in helping drive growth, influence impact, and further advance our efforts to create a more sustainable health care sector and planet.
• Flexible and supportive work environment.

To Apply or Inquire

Health Care Without Harm and Practice Greenhealth are committed to cultivating and sustaining culturally and ethnically diverse organizations and to the principles that promote inclusive practices. We believe systems can only be transformed when a diversity of voices, perspectives, and lived experiences are a part of the movement for change. We are dedicated to building a diverse staff with expertise and interest in addressing systemic racism within our organization and to serve the mission of the organizations in respectful ways. Health Care Without Harm/Practice Greenhealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To apply, upload the following required documents via this LINK.
• Resume
• Brief cover letter to specify your learning objectives and the number of internship or practicum hours required for your academic program
• Letter of recommendation from faculty or supervisor, speaking specifically to the candidate’s 1) passion for environmental sustainability; and 2) enthusiasm for learning and contributing to the field.

Questions can be addressed to jobs@hcwh.org. Only competitive candidates will be invited to participate further in the recruitment process. Closing date to apply is May 23, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.