The Living Lab Intern

The Living Lab Intern at World Resources Institute will support research dissemination on behavior change strategies related to climate action, design events, and analyze data. This hybrid position requires 8 days per month in the Washington, DC office. Candidates must reside in DC, Maryland, or Virginia and have relevant educational background and skills. The internship lasts 3 months, offering $20-$24/hour based on education level.
About the Program:

WRI is widely recognized as a leader on energy and climate issues, and is now establishing The Living Lab: Behavioral Design for Equitable Climate Action (TLL) to raise the profile of behavior change as a critical climate solution and scale the adoption of policies that shift populations towards pro-climate behaviors.

Specifically, TLL 1) partners with local leaders and stakeholders in order to identify policies that can shift populations towards the most impactful pro-climate behaviors; 2) co-designs field-based projects that inform national policy and connect to global movements; and 3) leverages partnerships to catalyze our research and accelerate adoption of policies at the subnational, national and cross-national level. TLL is unique in that the unit will explore both climate and socio-economic benefits of proposed behavioral policy changes.

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in the office. You can be based in our office in Washington DC Office. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position. To be eligible for this position, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment.

What you will do:

You will be responsible for integrating equity into your work. In this role, you will support research dissemination on impactful behavior change strategies across food, transport and energy sectors. You will help design a Climate Week event connecting policymakers with evidence-based interventions, while contributing to ongoing data analysis and proposal writing in key technical areas.

You will be supported by WRI's interdisciplinary team of researchers, policy experts, and communications specialists who work at the intersection of environmental sustainability and behavioral science.

Internship Learning Outcomes:
• Support research dissemination efforts by drafting press articles highlighting behavior change strategies in food, transport and energy
• Plan and design a New York Climate Week event connecting policymakers, advocacy organizations and researchers to review evidence on population-level behavior change interventions
• Analyze data from an ongoing water reduction intervention currently in the field
• Research and write proposals exploring behavioral science applications in energy, electric vehicles, internal sustainability, and circular economy
• Contribute to external WRI publications including popular press articles

What you will need:
• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree program or already graduated with a Bachelor's degree
• Prior experience with environmental and/or behavior change research
• Writing skills
• Editing, research, and oral communication skills
• Experience with Excel or other types of software
• Previous experience in supporting research activities
• Commitment to and understanding of the environmental and socio-economic development movement and sustainability issues
• Team player, able to work cooperatively with others
• Fluency in English

Compensation

The pay for this internship opportunity is $20/hour for undergrads; $22/hour for graduates and $24/hour for PhD students.

Length of Contract:

This is a full-time, 3-month internship with a flexible start and end date.

Location:
• This is a hybrid internship that will be based out of our Washington D.C. office.
• You will be required to work in the Washington DC office at least 8 days per month.

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with a cover letter by May 30, 2025. Applicants must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. We may close for applications sooner if we receive a high volume of applications from qualified candidates.

About Us:

World Resources Institute works to improve people’s lives, protect and restore nature and stabilize the climate. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations.

Internships at WRI are learning experiences designed for current students, recent graduates, and other candidates who wish to gain knowledge about a specific area of our work. We strive to attract diverse, intellectually driven candidates who have a passion for sustainability and development. WRI provides many internship opportunities throughout the year in all our programs.

WRI is committed to advancing gender, racial, and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. 

Our mission and values:

WRI’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.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence, Respect.

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission, including equal opportunities in employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, caste, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status.

Our team in Human Resources carefully reviews all applications.