Working With CCSI

Researcher or Senior Researcher (Associate Research Scholar)

CCSI is seeking a Researcher or Senior Researcher (Associate Research Scholar) to advance its applied research, policy, and advisory work on integrated energy systems planning and finance. This role sits at the frontier of a rapidly evolving and increasingly integrated energy sector, where electrification, digitalization, e-mobility, urbanization, and emerging-market growth are transforming the operational logic and investment requirements of energy systems around the world. The position will engage directly with these dynamics, examining how system design, planning, and investment frameworks can optimize the integration of digital and physical infrastructure to support climate and development goals.

This position will support the design and implementation of system-level strategies for low-carbon, affordable, and resilient energy transitions  linking generation, grid infrastructure, and emerging load centers such as industrial corridors, data hubs, and clean-fuel value chains. This will include contributions to the development of integrated modelling frameworks, investment and financing roadmaps, and institutional and regulatory strategies that enable countries and regions to achieve net-zero, competitive, and inclusive growth. The position will bridge technical systems analysis with institutional and financial innovation to translate scenario-modelling outputs into investible transition pathways aligned with emerging global norms in climate finance, industrial policy, and digital infrastructure.

This is a highly interdisciplinary position spanning energy systems analysis, sustainable finance, and public policy, and requires intellectual curiosity, creativity, and a pragmatic commitment to translating research into actionable solutions. This role will initially contribute to CCSI’s work under the ASEAN Regional Integrated Energy System (ARIES) project, supporting the design of regional pathways, financing frameworks, and institutional mechanisms for coordinated energy system transformation across Southeast Asia.

To apply, and for more details, including key responsibilities and qualifications, please visit this page. Do NOT apply directly to CCSI.

Program Associate, ASEAN Regional Integrated Energy System

The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI) is hiring a Program Associate to provide operational and research support with respect to our broad portfolios of work concerning sustainable investment in land, agriculture, mineral value chains and food systems; climate finance; and transition planning, among others. This position is full time for 1 year with a possibility for extension. 

This position will start as soon as possible and will focus in particular on supporting CCSI’s project ASEAN Regional Integrated Energy System, providing significant coordination and stakeholder management support. 

CCSI is an applied research center at Columbia Climate School. We seek to develop policies and practices that shape public and private investments to advance, rather than undermine, sustainable development and human rights. 

Responsibilities

  • Conduct background research in preparation for projects, meetings, and events. This includes staying abreast of global current events related to sustainable investment.
  • Compose, organize, and edit text on behalf of CCSI’s Director and staff as needed.
  • Plan and oversee the logistics for high-level meetings and events.
  • Manage the communications process for select projects and initiatives, coordinating across communications personnel and researchers.
  • Serve as primary liaison with collaborators on CCSI projects.
  • Provide administrative support for research and project management.
  • Additional assignments as deemed appropriate by CCSI’s Director or staff.

To apply, and for more details, including qualifications, please visit this page. Do NOT apply directly to CCSI.

Program Associate (across various CCSI focus areas)

The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI) is hiring a Program Associate to provide operational and research support with respect to our broad portfolios of work concerning sustainable investment in land, agriculture, mineral value chains and food systems; climate finance; and transition planning, among others. Ideal candidates will have recently received their undergraduate degree, or will be graduating in Summer 2026, and will envision staying in the position for one year with a possible extension.

CCSI is an applied research center at Columbia Climate School. We seek to develop policies and practices that shape public and private investments to advance, rather than undermine, sustainable development and human rights.

Responsibilities

  • Conduct background research in preparation for projects, meetings, and events. This includes staying abreast of global current events related to sustainable investment.
  • Compose, organize, and edit text on behalf of CCSI’s Director and staff as needed.
  • Plan and oversee the logistics for high-level meetings and events.
  • Manage the communications process for select projects and initiatives, coordinating across communications with personnel and researchers.
  • Serve as primary liaison with collaborators on CCSI projects.
  • Provide administrative support for research and project management.
  • Additional assignments as deemed appropriate by CCSI’s Director or staff.

To apply, and for more details, including qualifications, please visit this page. Do NOT apply directly to CCSI.

We offer a limited number of unpaid and paid research and administrative internships for undergraduate and graduate students (including graduate students in law, business, international affairs, and environmental studies) during the fall, spring and summer. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, and writing sample ALL TOGETHER IN A SINGLE PDF FILE, in that order. The cover letter should include a distinct list of which internships you are applying for (you may include as many as you’d like). Please submit materials to Nancy Siporin via this application link, unless otherwise specified.  

Application deadlines are as follows unless otherwise noted in the descriptions below (although applications will be considered on a rolling basis):

  • Fall semester: September 15
  • Spring semester: January 15
  • Summer: March 15 

Candidates must currently be enrolled in a degree program, have astute research, analytical and writing skills, and enjoy working on a team. Students enrolled at other academic institutions may apply for all positions, but only students currently enrolled at Columbia University are eligible to receive payment if selected for a paid position. Candidates must commit to at least 10-15 hours per week for Spring or Fall internships unless otherwise indicated, but more hours are possible. Summer internships are full-time (35-40 hours per week) unless otherwise noted. Continuation into subsequent semesters is possible, and course or academic internship credit can be granted in limited cases.

If you are applying for a paid internship, please indicate if you are work-study eligible (preferred but not required).

All positions for the Spring 2026 semester have been filled.

There are no Summer 2026 positions at this time.

What CCSI offers: Through the internship experience, interns can expect to make substantive contributions to research and/or administrative activities at CCSI. The internship experience is a mutually beneficial one, and provides interns with opportunities for professional growth and learning. CCSI develops specific terms of reference for every intern each semester, with clear tasks and timelines.

What CCSI looks for: Ideal candidates should be detailed-oriented, well-organized and responsive, and prioritize and carry out tasks with minimal supervision. Candidates should also have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Our interns have included both undergraduate and graduate students from Columbia College, Columbia Climate School, Columbia Law School, the School of International and Public Affairs, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Professional Studies, and Columbia Business School, among others. We also occasionally accept Interns from outside the university.

Visiting Scholars can include faculty and researchers from other academic institutions or professionals from industry, museums, or other entities who want to pursue their own independent research using University resources or facilities. Visiting Scholars must apply through Columbia Climate School’s Visiting Scholars Program. Applications for Visiting Scholars are reviewed twice during the year, corresponding with two program intakes, as follows:

  • April 15 – for visitors starting between September 1st and December 31st
  • September 15  – for visitors starting between January 1st and August 31st