Fall 2025 Green Finance Intern

Overview

Research Associate Intern 

NRDC New York Office- Remote position  

NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Bozeman, Montana; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C. 

NRDC is seeking a research associate to work with the Green Finance and Economic Development team associated with our New York office. We will also review applications for those in the DC area as an alternate office location.

Position Summary:

The Research Associate Intern will play an important role in helping to write a policy document and in organizing a convening of NRDC staff to provide feedback on the content and recommendations.  The Intern will work with the Senior Director of Economic Development and other staff members connected to the Green Finance and Economic Development Department towards the development and delivery of the policy document and the covening, respectively.   These work products will influence NRDC’s strategic positioning in the emerging field at the intersection of economic development, workforce development and environment/climate action.   

Responsibilities

• Conducting literature searches of research, policies and programs at the intersection of community economic development, workforce development and environment/climate action; 

• Participating in interviews with policy experts working at this intersection with responsibility for documentation, analysis and description of emergent themes  

• Drafting collaterals for meetings including summaries, PowerPoint Decks and communications with meeting attendees, before and after these events. 

• Co-producing a policy document that examines the policies, programs and practices that can leverage economic opportunities for residents and businesses located in low-wealth communities. 

Qualifications

Required 

• Commitment to NRDC’s mission and values. 

• Social science coursework in urban studies, international development, sociology, anthropology, or adjacent disciplines. 

• Demonstrated competence in searching for research, including policies and policy evaluations. 

•  Expository writing skills  

• Fluency with PowerPoint and Microsoft Word and managing shared document platforms such as Google Documents and Google Slide. 
• Reliability, oral communication, and problem-solving skills are important. 

Preferred 

• Experience carrying out social research, particularly qualitative skills. 

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.

Our offices are open and we are operating in a hybrid model. We offer NRDCers flexibility, and we encourage them to come into the office and spend meaningful time there in collaboration with their colleagues. We call this purposeful presence.

To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs.

If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422.

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org