Training the next generation of sustainability leaders
Sustainability interns gain real-world experience, support strides in campus sustainability, and build their professional networks. The heart of our internship is to give students opportunities to apply what they are learning in the classroom to the real world. Using the campus as a learning lab, our students lead change in the areas of transportation, energy, food, waste management, and more.
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Interns are mentored by a designated Office of Sustainability staff member. For some positions, interns also receive mentorship from campus partners. A strong mentorship connection opens students to the knowledge gained from decades of experience and affords interns the chance to develop professional and networking skills.
Work independently
With guidance from their mentor(s), students complete much of their internship work independently, whether in the E-House or elsewhere. Self-motivated students will thrive in this environment. On average, interns work 15-20 hours/week in the summer and around 10-15 hours/week during the academic year.
Develop connections
Interns participate in bi-weekly all staff meetings to create a forum for collaborating. By engaging with the full intern cohort, interns forge connections with peers with common interests, and establish a network to support their professional careers.
Position descriptions
The Scope 3 Intern will develop a deep understanding of reporting greenhouse gas emissions associated with IU’s value chain (Scope 3). The Scope 3 Intern will lead the data analysis required for IU to strategically approach the new frontier of Scope 3 reporting. The Scope 3 Intern will act as the primary Secretary for the IU Scope 3 Working Group, formed as a result of the Climate Action Plan (CAP).
The Scope 3 Intern will collaborate with campus partners, primarily in operations, to assess and close data gaps required for improved Scope 3 reporting. From these partnerships, the Scope 3 Intern will recommend which categories are most feasible for IU to report and develop best practices for future reporting.
The Sustainable Waste Management Intern assists with waste reduction and diversion efforts, including launching and coordinating programs, developing education and outreach campaigns, data analysis and tracking. This individual will focus on improving waste diversion infrastructure across IU campuses which may include inventorying and updating waste bins, signage, implementing composting in dining halls, and other waste-related initiatives.
The Sustainable Athletics Intern will be responsible for helping to develop internal sustainable athletics practices. This intern will work closely with Athletics operations staff, patrons of IU athletic events, and users of athletic facilities to create guidelines for and implement more sustainable athletics practices and research new ways to reduce the environmental impact of athletic events. This intern will gain hands on experience in project management, program development, collaboration, communication, and more.
The Sustainable Labs Intern will be responsible for helping develop internal sustainable lab programs for Indiana University laboratories. This intern will work closely with lab managers, faculty, operations staff, and EHS to create guidelines for more sustainable lab practices and research new ways to reduce the environmental impact of laboratories. This intern will gain hands on experience in project management, program development, collaboration, communication, and more.
The Sustainable Energy Intern assists with energy conservation and efficiency efforts on their respective campus, including launching and coordinating programs, developing education and outreach campaigns, data analysis and tracking, as guided by the Climate Action Plan. This intern will work closely with building occupants and operations staff to support responsible energy consumption and research new ways to reduce the environmental impact of IU’s built environment and activities. This intern will gain hands on experience in project management, program development, collaboration, communication, and more.
Sustainable Food Systems Interns, working with campus dining partners, will play a critical role in strengthening sustainable, healthy, and ethically-sound food system initiatives across IU. Interns conduct product research (via AASHE STARS and sustainable procurement frameworks), evaluate changes in purchasing data, and contribute to campus sustainability reporting. This extends to supporting IU’s procurement evaluation, sourcing strategy, and vendor relationship initiatives. Students will also highlight and increase awareness of food producer, waste, insecurity, nutrition, and local campus / community resources to the university community. This includes student engagement across retail, dining hall, catering, and other food service spaces. Interns will have opportunities to inform IU community members on sustainable dining practices and both inform decision making and implement changes towards sustainable food system best practices at Indiana University.
Sustainable Housing Interns, working with campus residential program partners, will play a critical role in strengthening sustainable, low waste, and accessible residential sustainability initiatives across IU. Interns are responsible for developing collaborative projects, coordinating planning efforts, and executing programming across a variety waste and energy reduction topics. Outreach programming will cover on-campus residential spaces, including Living-Learning Centers, and work closely with RHA leadership and Residence Life staff. This includes student engagement across existing communications platforms used in campus living spaces and events, as well as targeted efforts at key times during the year such as breaks and move-out. Students will also track and organize data related to engagement programs and create descriptions for campus reporting / data needs. Interns will have opportunities to inform IU community members on sustainable residential practices and both inform decision making and implement changes towards sustainable housing best practices at Indiana University.
Sustainable Transportation Interns, working with campus transportation demand management (TDM), parking, bus, and fleet partners, will play a critical role in strengthening sustainable, safe, and accessible transportation system initiatives across IU. Interns support ongoing and new campus data tracking (via AASHE STARS and IU Climate Action frameworks), evaluate changes in commuting / fleet data, and contribute to campus sustainability reporting. This may extend to engaging with Bike Friendly University requirements, inventorying campus infrastructure, vehicle usage, parking patterns, and other relevant areas. Students will also showcase and increase awareness of active transportation resources, bike & pedestrian safety, and commuter programs to the university community. This includes campus engagement across major events / breaks, parking, campus bus, intercampus travel, and/or web resources. Interns will have opportunities to inform IU community members on sustainable practices and both inform decision making and implement changes towards sustainable transportation system best practices at Indiana University.
Position details and eligibility
Interns work 10-20 hours/week and enjoy a flexible hybrid work environment including collaboration with fellow team members, staff, and partners around campus.
Interns are compensated for their time at a rate of $13/hr for undergraduate students and $15/hr for graduate students.
Applicants must have student status at Indiana University and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5.
Our internship positions do not have a temporal boundary. If a student performs well in their role and desires to stay, we retain our interns up to graduation. The potential to work multiple years with our office creates the opportunity to build a wide and deep professional sustainability experience, making our interns incredibly competitive in the sustainability job market.
Our goal is to train our student interns so they can stand shoulder to shoulder with us as sustainability professional colleagues. We encourage students to bring their personal areas of interest to their roles, we support professional development, and we strive to provide a working experience that will challenge our students, while also being fun and rewarding.
