Intern - Urban Climate Resilience

About us

WRI India, an independent charity legally registered as the India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being.

Know more: https://wri-india.org/

Program Overview for Sustainable Cities and Transport

At WRI India Ross Center we focus on 10 integrated solutions to urban challenges. Through applied research, tools, hands-on advice, and by tapping our network of global experts, we accelerate transformative urban initiatives that have the power to change Indian cities into thriving, equitable and low-carbon places that are good for people and the planet.

Working at WRI India Ross Center offers you the unique opportunity to learn and grow as you collaborate with a diverse set of change agents across Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. As India’s biggest urban focused think and do tank, we seek thoughtful, enterprise-minded and sensitive individuals who can help us support this transformation and make a positive difference to citizens’ everyday lives.

Job Highlight:

We are seeking an Intern (Community Engagement) to support the Mangrove Coalition project, housed within its environment and climate resilience work. We bring deep expertise across its practice areas, spanning climate adaptation, nature-based solutions, urban and regional planning, water resilience, and governance. As a trusted knowledge partner, We work closely with governments, communities, and research institutions to translate science into policy and on-ground action.

The Mangrove Coalition is a multi-stakeholder platform that works to strengthen the protection, restoration, and sustainable management of mangrove ecosystems across selected pilot cities, with a growing focus on urban mangroves. The Coalition places strong emphasis on community-led approaches, recognizing the critical role of fishing communities, coastal residents, and local institutions in mangrove stewardship, particularly in urban and rapidly urbanizing contexts where livelihoods, access rights, and governance structures are often contested.

You will support community engagement and field-based activities of the Mangrove Coalition, including facilitating consultations and participatory mapping exercises, documenting community knowledge and customary practices related to mangroves, supporting stakeholder meetings and workshops, and assisting in translating community insights into program documentation, case studies, and communication material. The role will also involve coordination with partner organizations, local NGOs, and public agencies to strengthen inclusive and context-sensitive mangrove conservation and climate resilience planning.

What will you do:

• Support on-ground community engagement and field activities, including regular field visits to mangrove sites and interaction with fishing communities, coastal residents, and local user groups.
• Assist in facilitating community consultations, focus group discussions, and participatory mapping exercises, with an emphasis on documenting local knowledge, customary practices, and lived experiences related to mangroves and livelihoods.
• Engage with local NGOs, community-based organizations, and city agencies by supporting coordination, scheduling and attending meetings, and assisting with interviews and follow-ups.
• Support planning and execution of community workshops, stakeholder meetings, and outreach events, including preparatory work, logistics, and on-site coordination.
• Document engagement processes through field notes, photographs, and simple summaries, and support preparation of community-facing material, presentations, and internal reports.
• Support outreach and communication activities, including assisting in the development of communication material and program updates; proficiency in spoken and written Tamil will be essential for effective community interaction and documentation.

What will you need:

• Graduation or Post graduation in Sociology, Social Work, Anthropology, Geography, Architecture, Planning, , Urban/ Environmental/ Development Studies, Public Policy, or allied fields.
• Background in environmental and/or social studies is highly recommended.
• Minimum 1-2 years of work experience in relevant field, with research or project implementation and management experience.
• Strong research, writing, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) is a requirement. Good working knowledge of other creative and analytics software (Abode, GIS, Python, R etc) is recommended.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently as well as part of a team
• Ability to think creatively and present complex information in a clear and concise manner
• Ability to work calmly and enthusiastically under pressure

Stipend: INR 25,000

Salary shall be commensurate with experience and skills. WRI offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.

Location: Chennai

Duration: 3 months

Start date: As soon as possible

List of Documents to be attached:

• Cover Letter
• Resume

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose.

Only select applicants will be contacted for interview. There will be a writing test conducted with final candidates. Please do not contact program staff directly for this position.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) @WRI India

WRI India values and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion across all areas of our work and workforce. Integrating these values into our actions fosters a progressive and collaborative culture and can also enhance our impact. It is our responsibility to create a welcoming working environment for people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and experience to learn together. We are responsible for fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where questions, concerns and information about diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our ongoing dialogue and development.

Learn more about WRI India’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Click Here