Graduate Intern - Electric School Bus Initiative

About the Program:

The U.S. Electric School Bus Initiative is working to accelerate the transition of the nation's 480,000 school buses to electric power by 2030. This work sits at the intersection of transportation, energy systems, public policy, and community engagement.

WRI's strategy focuses on three interconnected "Levers" of change:

• Lever 1: Market activation and aggregated procurement

• Lever 2: Vehicle-grid integration, managed charging, and battery circularity

• Lever 3: Deployment success, mobilizing market incentives and financing

Graduate Interns will each be embedded within one of these Levers while collaborating across our team to help advance implementation and equitable electrification at scale.

Internship Summary

WRI is seeking three Graduate Interns to support strategic implementation and research activities within the Electric School Bus Initiative. Interns will contribute directly to program delivery, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge development while gaining exposure to real-world climate program execution.

Unlike traditional research internships, this role emphasizes applied problem-solving, cross-functional collaboration, and participation in Agile project delivery. Interns will work alongside program managers, researchers, and external partners to advance high-impact initiatives across the electric school bus ecosystem.

One or more of the Internship positions will also support cross-cutting fundraising and program development activities, including background research, coordination support, and preparation of materials for philanthropic partners.

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in the office. You can be based in our office in Washington DC. 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:

Strategic Research & Analysis

• Conduct applied research on transportation electrification, grid integration, policy, financing mechanisms, or deployment practices

• Organize and synthesize data and technical and policy information into concise insights for program teams and partners

• Track emerging trends, funding opportunities, and stakeholder developments

Program Implementation & Agile Project Delivery

• Support sprint planning, backlog development, and collaborative project tracking processes

• Assist with coordination of workstream activities and preparation of internal planning materials

• Contribute to development of pilot designs, stakeholder engagement strategies, or implementation tools

Stakeholder Engagement & Convenings

• Assist with planning and execution of workshops, working groups, and partner meetings

• Prepare briefing materials, summaries, and follow-up documentation

• Support cross-sector collaboration with school districts, utilities, nonprofits, industry partners, and government agencies

Communications & Knowledge Products

• Draft content for presentations, reports, and internal memos

• Help translate complex technical topics into accessible language for diverse audiences

• Contribute to visual or written materials that support program storytelling

Fundraising & Program Development Support

• Conduct background research on prospective funders and strategic partnerships

• Assist with preparation of concept notes, presentations, and proposal materials

• Provide administrative support such as scheduling meetings and tracking action items

Internship Learning Outcomes:

Graduate Interns will gain hands-on experience in:

• Implementing large-scale climate and transportation programs

• Agile project management within a nonprofit environment

• Cross-sector collaboration across policy, industry, and community stakeholders

• Translating research into actionable program strategies

• Climate philanthropy and program development processes

What you will need:

• Pursuing or completed a master's degree in transportation planning, public policy, environmental/sustainability topics, urban/city studies, clean energy, transportation or engineering, statistics, business, or a related field

• Fluency in English

• Analytical, research, and written communication skills

• Demonstrated familiarity with and interest in centering equity across environmental and climate initiatives.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, collaborative environment

• Previous experience in creating original projects, products, or research activities

• Familiarity or interest in electric vehicles and climate change

• Experience with statistical analysis or visualization software a plus

• Experience with transportation electrification, grid planning, climate policy, or clean energy markets

• Familiarity with project management tools (e.g., Asana) or Agile working environments

• Experience supporting research teams, implementation projects, or stakeholder engagement initiatives

• Interest in nonprofit strategy, fundraising, or program operations

• Experience working with public sector agencies, utilities, community organizations, or environmental justice initiatives, and applying equity principles in practice.

Compensation

The pay for this internship opportunity is $22/hour for master's students and $24/hour for PhD students.

Length of Contract:

• This is a full-time 6-month internship with a flexible start and end date based on the candidate's availability and needs of the project.

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 March 25, 2026. Applicants mustapply 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: Independence, Integrity, Impact, Partnership and Care.

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission, including equal opportunities inemployment. 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 People team carefully reviews all applications.

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