Intern - Research

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center, is seeking a highly motivated and skilled individual for an internship focused on Desktop-based Environmental Flows Assessment for Sustainable Management. The internship will be based at IWMI Headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Scope of internship

Environmental flows (e-flows) represent the quantity, timing, and quality of freshwater flows necessary to sustain aquatic ecosystems and the human communities they support. E-flows assessments are needed to establish what flows are needed to maintain healthy river functions. The selected candidate for this internship will work on a river basin, taking stock of available hydrological and management-relevant data, clarifying feasible assessment pathways given data and capacity constraints, and translating results into decision-relevant products and next steps that stakeholders can use. The selected individual will be embedded within the research team and expected to contribute to a desktop-based e-flows assessment and collate and report on supporting evidence to strengthen the sustainable management of a river basin. The intern will have the opportunity to understand how global information systems (e.g., IWMI’s Global Environmental Flow Information System) and global repositories (e.g., IWMI’s Global Environmental Flows Database) can be used as contextual reference points and channels for knowledge sharing. The intern will gain exposure to IWMI’s international research network and the broader CGIAR system, with potential pathways to future collaboration and will also be able to gain insight into working with people from different countries and cultures.

During this internship, the intern will assist in the following areas:

• Compile and synthesize key materials relevant to desktop-based e-flows assessment and basin decision contexts, including environmental flows concepts and hydrology-led desktop approaches, context materials and decision needs, and examples of past e-flows assessments.
• Collate and organize available information into a structured dataset, capturing relevant basin-level attributes, time-series, summary statistics and source documentation.
• Support the design and administration of a short questionnaire/interview guide to selected institutional stakeholders (e.g., basin and national actors, technical partners).
• Undertake a desktop-based e-flows assessment for the basin using available hydrological data and established analytical methods.
• Draft a short report and presentation that consolidate existing knowledge, available information, and actions undertaken to manage a river basin; synthesize the results of the desktop-based e-flows assessment methods; summarize the key findings from the surveys; and outline recommended next steps for embedding environmental flow considerations into the sustainable management of a river basin.

• Final-year undergraduate or recent graduate in hydrology, water resources engineering, environmental engineering, or a related field.

• Background in hydrology and/or hydrological modeling, with coursework or applied experience relevant to river basin analysis and flow assessments.
• Experience in literature review, data compilation, and synthesis of scientific and technical materials.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to prepare clear technical summaries and decision-relevant outputs under supervision.

IWMI will provide a monthly stipend to the selected candidate during the internship period.

The duration of the internship is 06 months with the possibility of extension for another 6 months based on requirements of IWMI, and availability of funds as well as performance. This is a nationally recruited internship and only citizens of Sri Lanka are eligible to apply.

To apply, visit www.iwmi.org/jobs. Applications must be submitted by 24:00 (Colombo time) on May 07, 2026 (Thursday).

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is an international, research-for-development organization that works with governments, civil society and the private sector to solve water problems in developing countries and scale up solutions. Through partnership, IWMI combines research on the sustainable use of water and land resources, knowledge services and products with capacity strengthening, dialogue and policy analysis to support implementation of water management solutions for agriculture, ecosystems, climate change, and inclusive economic growth. Headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, IWMI is a CGIAR Research Center with offices in 17 countries and a global network of scientists operating in more than 55 countries. www.iwmi.org

IWMI believes that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational and multi-disciplinary working environment. We are consciously creating an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and our commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities.