Clean Air Program Intern, International Council on Clean Transportation – California

Organization: International Council on Clean Transportation

Position Title: Clean Air Program Intern

Location: San Francisco, California

Dates and compensation: The intern is expected to work full-time for up to 16 weeks during the summer. The location of the internship is the ICCT’s San Francisco, CA office (located in the financial district above the Montgomery BART station). The internship will be paid commensurate with experience.

Description: The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve public health and mitigate climate change through research designed to bring cleaner fuels and engines into the global transportation fleet. Our Clean Air Program focuses on reducing the public health effects of vehicle emissions exposure and the impacts of short-lived climate pollutants. The ICCT is seeking applicants for its Summer 2015 internship position in the Clean Air Program. The ideal candidate will have a strong technical background and will be interested in exposure to the process of how science is translated into real-world policy to promote social good.

The global transportation fleet consists of cars, trucks, buses, ships, trains, and other mobile engines powered almost exclusively by fossil fuels like diesel and gasoline in internal combustion engines. The incomplete combustion of these fuels produces gases and aerosols that cause innumerable impacts – from ischemic heart disease via fine particulate matter to rapid melting of ice and snow via black carbon. A handful of countries have addressed these impacts through regulation of all manner of mobile engines, which is contributing to a rapid drop in the contribution of transportation to outdoor emissions in these places. But we expect rapid growth of emissions and impacts in countries that have yet to adopt such measures. If nearly all countries adopted the measures currently in place in North America and Europe, the number of early deaths caused by vehicle emissions exposure could fall 75 percent in 2030. Significant near-term climate co-benefits would result as well.

The Clean Air Program intern will be tasked with two areas of research focus: (1) cross-cutting research to evaluate and communicate the global health impacts of the transportation fleet; and (2) time-sensitive research needs in India, China, Brazil, Mexico, and targeted megacities.

Qualifications

• Strong research or technical background in atmospheric science, chemical engineering, biology, environmental engineering, mathematics, statistics, or related fields
• Excellent technical writing skills and proficiency in English. Verbal proficiency in a second language is preferred.
• Experience with atmospheric dispersion models, chemical transport models, or emissions modeling is preferred.
• Strong candidates will have a demonstrated passion for environmental issues or social causes and will have research experience on issues that relate to air quality, transportation, climate change, or energy.

How to Apply: Please send your resume, a cover letter summarizing your qualifications and experiences, a writing sample, and the name and contact information of three references (letters not necessary) to [email protected] with the subject line “Clean Air Program Internship 2015.” The ICCT is an equal opportunity employer.