2026 Summer Research Internship: Air Conditioning & Exposure and Vulnerability to Extreme Heat

Position Summary 

Do you want to begin a career in academic or policy research? Are you interested in contributing to impactful, balanced research that is aimed at improving environmental, energy and natural resource decisions? A summer research internship with Resources for the Future (RFF) might be right for you. The RFF summer internship program provides an opportunity for students to prepare for careers that engage in academic and policy-relevant research. Interns are essential members of the Resources for the Future (RFF) Research and Policy Engagement team. They are responsible for providing technical support that, under the direction of RFF Fellows, allows for the production of compelling and impactful research that aligns with RFF’s mission of improving environmental, energy and natural resource decisions through impartial economic research and policy engagement. 

Our research internships are a 10-week program paid at $20-$26 an hour for up to 35 hours a week. Applications will be open until February 20. Interviews will be conducted beginning in March, with hiring decisions made by April 24. Internships will run from June 15, 2026 through August 21, 2026. Start or end dates can be changed with an approved exception. 

All internships will be conducted in RFF’s offices in Washington, DC. 

RFF’s mission is to improve environmental, energy, and natural resource decisions through impartial, evidence-based economic research and policy engagement. We are committed to being the most widely trusted source of research insights and policy solutions leading to a healthy environment and a thriving economy. We envision a future where climate change no longer threatens our well-being and where smart environmental decisions help to uplift communities around the world.  Our experts bring the brightest thinking to bear on our future, while having shaped many of the world’s most successful environmental decisions and policies over the past 70 years.  Our work broadly centers on the economics and design of smart strategies to reduce sectoral and economy-wide emissions of greenhouse gases, and policies that confront climate change risks and build resilience. We also increasingly emphasize issues related to equity, economic transition, and disaggregated climate and policy impacts, not solely aggregate outcomes. 

Project Summary:

Summer Research Intern (PAID): Air Conditioning & Exposure and Vulnerability to Extreme Heat 

We are seeking an intern to help develop a comprehensive database of extreme heat exposure and vulnerabilities, with a particular focus on air conditioning (AC) penetration and use, working with Margaret Walls (Senior Fellow and Director, Climate Risks and Resilience Program), Kristen McCormack (Fellow), and Penny Liao (Fellow). Significant data gaps currently exist regarding AC adoption, limiting our ability to identify vulnerable populations, assess the impacts of heat, evaluate adaptation opportunities, and support effective local planning and policymaking. The intern’s responsibilities may include collecting, processing, and analyzing large, administrative datasets and developing new methods, potentially drawing on machine learning and other big data techniques, to fill in data gaps. This work may contribute to a variety of data products and follow-up research on heat risk, vulnerability, and climate adaptation. This internship is contingent upon securing funds before the summer of 2025. 

Qualifications, Experience & Competencies  

• Education: Priority is given to candidates enrolled in a graduate program that is relevant to RFF’s research and mission. Graduate students with experience working with big data, applying machine learning techniques (including image-based methods), and working on energy and/or housing data and research projects are preferred. 
• Required: Coursework or experience in quantitative analysis. 
• Preferred: Experience working with geospatial data and big data. 
• Preferred: Coding experience in R or Stata.

All applications must be submitted electronically. Please begin the name of each file with your last name.   

• Resume summarizing your experiences and qualifications for the position   

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Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, some standing, walking, sitting, bending, and carrying of light items such as books and papers is required.

Working Conditions

The work may involve everyday light risks and discomforts, which may require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meetings, and training rooms, etc. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This position description may not describe all duties, responsibilities and skills associated with this position. It is intended to portray the major aspects of the job and is not meant to be all inclusive. Other duties or skills may be required.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

RFF (Resources for the Future) is committed to the letter and spirit of diversity, equity, and inclusion. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in hiring and employment, nor in the administration and other programs. RFF’s Vision for a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Future.

Visit our FAQ page to find out what it’s like to work at a world-class, policy-oriented research organization in the heart of Washington, DC.