Zero-Emission Data & Research Intern

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About Us

CALSTART is a mission-driven industry organization focused on transportation decarbonization and clean air for all.

For over 30 years, it’s been CALSTART’s mission to develop, assess, and implement large-scale, zero-emission transportation solutions to mitigate climate change and support economic growth. CALSTART works with businesses, organizations, governments, and communities to create real-life impact toward clean air and equitable access to clean transportation for all. CALSTART provides scientific, technical and policy support for regulatory development and clean technology and infrastructure acceleration.

Intern Project

CALSTART is seeking a highly motivated, experienced, and results-oriented Intern to support our International Team. Drive to Zero accelerates the global growth of Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles (ZE-MHDVs), with the vision that ZE technology be commercially viable by 2027 and dominant by 2040 across first-success "beachhead" applications and first-mover regions — including Australia, New Zealand, China, India, the Netherlands, Poland, Norway, the United Kingdom, Spain, the United States, Mexico, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.

Since its 2018 launch, the program has built significant momentum through the Global MOU on Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles. The Global MOU sets a worldwide ambition and standard for countries and industry and now counts 43 national signatories and 300+ industry endorsers.

Off-road vehicles and machinery are estimated to contribute 8–10% of total transport sector CO₂ emissions worldwide, a strategic part of the program's work is the Off-road segment — focused on ports, mining, and construction equipment — coordinated through the Global Off-Road Working Group. The leadership and scalability of programs like California's CORE incentive model have shown how a point-of-sale funding approach can offset the cost of zero-emission equipment at scale — offering a proof point that the broader on-road MHDV effort can draw on as it pushes for wider adoption and demonstrating how policy can help accelerate the transition internationally.

This internship offers the opportunity to work within the Global Commercial Vehicle Drive to Zero program, especially on its off-road workstream. The intern will support the Working Group's efforts to extend the program's policy architecture, research, and market acceleration approach to ports, mining, and construction equipment — including hands-on work with tools like o-ZETI, the global database for zero-emission off-road equipment, alongside reference models like CORE. This contributes to the broader effort to bring off-road decarbonization to the same level of international coordination already achieved on the on-road side.

Intern Project Key Deliverables

Update and maintain the full OZETI and ZETI Database, including data collection, verification, cleaning, and organization for technical specifications

Cross check CORE, NYTVIP, WAZIP, HVIP and other relevant incentive programs to improve database accuracy and completeness

Coordinate with team members to gather input and update endorsers onboarding slides and related materials

Research and identify high-potential, high-quality organizations for future endorsers recruitment cycles

Support data analysis, internal briefings and presentations related to ZE-MHDVs market development and stakeholder engagement

Qualifications

  • Completed at least 3 years of accredited college/university level coursework pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Data Analytics, Engineering, Environmental Sciences or a related field
  • Strong technical and analytical skills with attention to detail.
  • High Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
  • Knowledge of Tableau, SQL, Python, or other programming languages.
  • Passion for the environment, preferably clean transportation
  • A high level of motivation to learn the industry
  • A self-starter approach with the ability to identify solutions independently
  • The ability to apply their skills to a diverse range of projects and tasks and work well on multidisciplinary teams
  • The ability to grasp new information and concepts quickly
  • Outstanding writing and communication skills
  • English proficiency required. Proficiency in other languages, particularly Chinese and Spanish, is a plus but not a requirement.
  • Weekly Minimum Hours of Availability: 20-25

$19 - $21 an hour

We understand that not everyone will match the above qualifications 100%. If your background isn't perfectly aligned but you feel you would be a great addition to the team, we'd love to hear from you.

We're a tight-knit team of world-class innovators, business minds, and change agents who believe passionately in our mission and put our team ahead of self. We are committed to the continued development and growth of our employees and invest in your success!

We care about your personal well being as much as your professional success and offer generous benefits to full time employees including: 100% company paid comprehensive health benefits for Medical, Dental, Vision, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability and Life Insurance, Retirement plan with generous company contributions, FSA for Health and Dependent Care, 3 weeks of vacation time in the first year of employment, 11 paid company holidays, paid sick time, paid family leave, and more!

Our inclusive environment focuses on making decisions based on merit without regard to race, color, hair texture, gender, religion, age, nationality, social or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, LGBTQIA+ status, marital status, pregnancy, disability, genetics, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.