Clean Transportation Intern

EDF internships provide high-quality experiences (including relevant projects and opportunities for networking) that form the foundation for any individual who is serious about pursuing an environmental career.

Location

U.S. Remote with option to be hybrid out of an EDF office in New York. Intern supervisor is based out of Georgia.

Term

Spring 2027

Hours

Part-time (20hrs/week)

Application Materials

Interested applicants should attach their cover letter and resume to the EDF application.

Program/Department Overview

The EDF Clean Transportation team works to speed up the transition to electric cars and trucks and drive the adoption of cleaner fuels for planes and ships. Though trucks and buses represent fewer than 5% of all vehicles, they account for 28% of climate pollution from road transportation and 57% of the soot from vehicles. We focus first on the people hit hardest by pollution — those living near highways, ports and industrial zones. EDF plays a critical role in advancing this transition by advocating for federal investments, helping organizations understand how to effectively operate zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and set clear transition plans, and securing investments to implement decarbonization strategies. By 2030, EDF’s goal is to get the policies and investments in place to keep the transition on track.

Overall Function

Working with the Clean Transportation team with supervision from the ZEV Trucks Project Manager, the intern will gain an understanding of the transportation industry. The intern will support the team’s ongoing decarbonization work and learn about medium- and heavy duty (MDHD) fleet electrification, freight, shipping, and aviation. As the intern becomes familiar with the industry, they will contribute to EDF’s work by researching opportunities for EDF to engage organizations including but not limited to fleets, port authorities, and airports in order to help establish emissions standards and to set or update net-zero targets. By the end of the internship, the intern will strengthen their technical skills and have a deeper understanding of environmental issues and strategies related to transportation.

Key Responsibilities

Tasks will include but are not limited to:

• Learn about sustainability, the transportation industry, freight and goods movement, and MDHD vehicle electrification.
• Attend internal and potentially external meetings with members of the EDF Clean Transportation team and stakeholders.
• Conduct landscape analysis related to transportation decarbonization, specifically net-zero target setting, implementation, and investments.
• Identify strategic opportunities to engage ports authorities, fleets, and airports on new projects.
• Participate in advancing EDF’s organizational effectiveness and culture goals, so people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included and empowered to address environmental and organizational challenges in ways that align with EDF values.

Qualifications

• Must meet the eligibility criteria for the CUNY Climate Scholars Program.
• Coursework or demonstrated interest in sustainability, climate change, and/or transportation recommended.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Must be well organized, motivated, and detail-oriented.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work in a team setting and have the ability to work independently when projects are due.
• Demonstrate self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across all cultures and backgrounds.
• Demonstrate initiative and problem solving skills.

Learn more about internships at EDF -http://www.edf.org/environmental-careers/internships

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