Policy and Capacity Building Intern, Restoration

About the Program:

World Resources Institute (WRI) is one of the implementing partners for the GEF-8 Ecosystem Restoration Integrated Program (ERIP), a global initiative working to strengthen enabling conditions for ecosystem restoration in 20 countries. As part of ERIP's work to strengthen policy and enabling conditions for restoration, WRI is developing and delivering a capacity-building program to strengthen policy coherence through inclusive multistakeholder and cross-sectoral processes. The capacity building program will include multistakeholder and cross-sectoral processes, the Restoration Diagnostic Tool, and regional and global learning dialogues for representatives of the 20 ERI countries to inform policy and restoration planning and support exchange of learning and best practices.

During the first half of 2026, WRI will focus on shaping the overall learning journey for country cohorts-including curriculum design, module sequencing, learning objectives, content curation, facilitation guides, and resource packages-as well as preparing the first rounds of virtual sessions and planning for in-person regional dialogues to be held later in the year. This internship will provide hands-on experience supporting the WRI team in the design and operational setup of the capacity building program, including helping develop training materials, organizing content, managing knowledge resources, and capturing learning for adaptation.

This is a hybrid position which requires 4 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:

• Support the project team at WRI to design and organize the ERIP capacity building program including curriculum, defining learning objectives, modules, sequencing, and session plans and support the deployment of the Restoration Diagnostic Tool.

• Conduct background research and content reviews on topics such as policy and governance for restoration, multistakeholder processes, cross-sectoral experiences, GESI-responsive approaches, effective mainstreaming and resources mobilization among others to help curate relevant examples, readings, and case studies for the curriculum.

• Contribute to the development of training materials, including slide decks, participant workbooks, facilitation guides, short briefs, and activity templates.

• Help the team organize and maintain a structured repository of learning content and resources (e.g., SharePoint, knowledge hub), ensuring version control, consistent formatting, and accessibility across languages, information management, and support for note-taking on all meetings and sessions.

• Coordinate with internal teams and external partners to gather inputs, review draft materials, and integrate feedback into the curriculum and session products.

• Assist with preparing the virtual learning sessions, including building run-of-show documents, participant packs, session agendas, speaker briefs, and technical checks.

• Support learning and quality assurance processes, including compiling feedback from pilot sessions, synthesizing lessons learned, and proposing adjustments to improve content and delivery.

Internship Learning Outcomes:

• Gain hands-on experience supporting the design and operationalization of an international capacity building program, from curriculum structure to session delivery.

• Strengthen skills in instructional design support, content curation, and development of training and facilitation materials.

• Build familiarity with policy and governance challenges for ecosystem restoration, including inclusive multistakeholder processes and enabling conditions diagnostics.

• Develop experience in knowledge management, quality assurance, and learning documentation to support adaptive program improvement.

• Gain experience supporting implementation of a large, global, multilateral climate program

• Connect with, learn from, and support technical experts and country leaders implementing innovative restoration techniques on the ground in a variety of ecosystems (e.g., forests, wetlands, mangroves).

What you will need:

• Currently pursuing or recently completed an undergraduate or graduate degree in environmental policy, international development, sustainability, governance, education, or a related field.

• Organizational and project management skills; ability to coordinate multiple inputs and deadlines.

• Written and verbal communication skills in English, with editing and proofreading abilities. Written and spoken proficiency in French, Portuguese, or Spanish may be advantageous.

• Demonstrated ability to synthesize and organize information (e.g., literature reviews, briefing notes, annotated outlines).

• Experience supporting trainings, workshops, learning programs, or curriculum development (academic, professional, or extracurricular).

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; comfort organizing shared drives and collaborating on documents.

• Ability to work independently and effectively in multicultural, international environments and across time zones.

• Knowledge of or interest in Gender Equality, Equity, and Social Inclusion (GESI) and inclusive facilitation practices.

• Familiarity with biodiversity and ecosystem restoration and/or multistakeholder platforms preferred.

• Experience using online learning platforms, survey tools, or event management tools (e.g., Zoom, Miro, Mentimeter, others).

• Basic design skills (e.g., Canva) for formatting learning materials and visual summaries.

Compensation

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

Length of Contract:

This is a part-time (20 hours/week), 6-month internship with a flexible start and end date; with an anticipated start date in April.

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 4 days per month.

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with a cover letter by March 5, 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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