Work With Us
The Office of Sustainability regularly offers internships and other positions for both undergraduate and graduate students at Tufts. When a position is open, it will be linked below to a job posting on Handshake along with application instructions and deadline.
Please note, for graduate students that do not have access to the Handshake platform, please email your cover letter and resume to the contact person indicated on the position instructions.
Please email us at sustainabilityoffice@tufts.edu with any questions.
Additional internship and academic opportunities may be found on the Environmental Studies Program blog.
OOS Statement of Inclusion
Tufts Office of Sustainability believes in the inherent worth of all people. In line with the work of the Office of Institutional Inclusive Excellence and the university at large, we aspire to deliver on the promise that Tufts is a place where all members of our community feel a sense of belonging and are empowered to contribute in ways that celebrate the most important parts of their identity.
Tufts Office of Sustainability seeks to illuminate the way global inequity, sustainability, and community resilience intersect, and makes a concerted effort to bring new voices and perspectives into the field of sustainability. We commit to developing opportunities for diverse participation in sustainability, valuing the many experiences and perspectives each individual member brings to our community, and welcoming diverse ideas and experiences.
Acutely aware of the way structural power shapes people’s experiences, our office engages the Tufts community with institutional problem solving that models the real-world challenges posed by global inequity and climate change. With an emphasis on just sustainability in our Annual Equity and Justice Goals, our office works to integrate equity and inclusion into our work, systems, and structures, including hiring, programming, communications, and governance.
Tufts Sustainability Exploration Grant
This grant is available for Tufts students to receive funding to complete an unpaid summer internship related to sustainability.
Read about one student's internship experience funded by this grant.
Current Openings:
Sustainability Program Intern
Tufts Office of Sustainability, Summer 2025
Organization Description: The Office of Sustainability works to improve Tufts University and scale its impact on the community and world. We focus on the equitable and sustainable use of resources and organizational change at all levels. Our core approach is linking institutional problem solving with Tufts education and research enterprises to build common purpose and an ethos of collective problem solving. Staff in the office create strategic partnerships, student and employee engagement programs, financially support sustainability efforts on campus and collaborate with faculty and the Operations Division on innovation and improvement efforts. Led by the Chief Sustainability Officer and reporting to the Executive Vice President, the Office consists of 4 full time staff and +/- 20 part-time student workers.
Position Purpose: To support the advancement of sustainability on campus by conducting research on sustainability data metrics, creating engaging content, assisting with sustainability programming, and more.
Position Description:
The Tufts Office of Sustainability is seeking an undergraduate or graduate intern to assist with our sustainability programming. This position will include supporting the Director, Communications Specialist, and other staff as needed.
Working with the Director, they will research best practices for data sharing of operational data such as real time energy usage. This will mainly entail speaking to staff at other universities to understand how they collect and display their information, what tools they use, and who the stakeholders are. They will also collect campus sustainability data related to academics, food, waste, energy, and more for the AASHE STARS report.
They will work with the Sustainability Communications Specialist to create content and execute marketing campaigns centered around the office’s programming. They will contribute weekly to our social media channels, gather content for the monthly newsletter, update the sustainability website as needed, create graphics and signage, and complete other communications tasks as assigned. Software and equipment (Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, WordPress, etc.) will be provided by the office.
Other tasks include general office upkeep such as prepping materials for orientation events, keeping the office plants alive, and ad hoc tasks.
Hours & Timeframe:
This position will be available from the first week of June through late August 2025, working 35 hours a week, primarily during business hours (M-F, 9 AM - 5 PM), in-person in our office on the Medford/Somerville Campus. Hybrid work can be considered, per discussion with supervisor. In the case of hybrid work, employees will be expected to follow an agreed upon hybrid work plan.
Required Skills & Qualifications:
- Interest in sustainability
- Experience with social media
- Excellent writing abilities
- Reliable and able to manage time effectively
- Proactive and confident in initiating conversations with professionals outside of Tufts via phone or Zoom.
- Strong research and information-gathering skills, with the ability to organize data from multiple sources and distill key insights.
- Adaptable and willing to take on a variety of tasks as needed, from office organization to hands-on support.
Compensation: $17/hour
Apply via Handshake or through email (sustainabilityoffice@tufts.edu) with a cover letter addressed to Tina Woolston and a resume. Please note that applications without cover letters will not be considered. Direct questions to sustainabilityoffice@tufts.edu.
Applications are due Tuesday, April 8th at 11:59 pm. Interviews will take place the following week.
Green Fund Coordinator
Tufts Office of Sustainability, Academic Year 2025 - 2026
Organization Description: The Office of Sustainability works to improve Tufts University and scale its impact on the community and world. We focus on the equitable and sustainable use of resources and organizational change at all levels. Our core approach is linking institutional problem solving with Tufts education and research enterprises to build common purpose and an ethos of collective problem solving. Staff in the office create strategic partnerships, student and employee engagement programs, financially support sustainability efforts on campus and collaborate with faculty and the Operations Division on innovation and improvement efforts. Led by the Chief Sustainability Officer and reporting to the Executive Vice President, the Office consists of 4 full time staff and +/- 20 part-time student workers.
Position Description
The Green Fund is a program to provide up to $40,000 of funding for the implementation of sustainability projects and ideas from and for the Tufts University community on the Tufts campuses.
The Green Fund Coordinator will manage the Green Fund program throughout the application, implementation, and reporting process. This includes collaborating with applicants, project winners, members of the Office of Sustainability, and the Green Fund Committee.
Green Fund Intern Responsibilities:
- Recruit new committee members as necessary, oversee member involvement, and prepare materials for committee meetings.
- Listen to committee feedback and make appropriate changes throughout the reviewal process
- Facilitate the Green Fund application process including advertising, holding informational sessions, and planning the timeline
- Create materials, spreadsheets or forms that allow committee members to review the projects efficiently and easily.
- Coordinate a (potentially) university-wide event for the final pitch where teams present their project proposals.
- Assist funding recipients with resources they might need in getting their project started (connecting them with people on campus, etc.)
- Facilitate the creation of signage crediting the Green Fund
- Follow up with winners periodically to get updates on how their project is progressing. Update Tufts community about project progress.
- Manage the Green Fund webpage content and make updates regularly – this may involve direct edits or collaborating with the communications team
- Organize, manage, and update all the Green Fund application and admin materials on Box
Hours & Timeframe:
This is an academic year position although some work can be done at the end of the Spring Semester and over the summer. Intern is expected to work 8-11 hours a week, working additional hours during the evaluation periods in October and February. These hours will occur primarily during business hours (M-F, 9 AM - 5 PM), and preferably in-person in our office on the Medford Campus.
Required Skills & Qualifications:
- Reliable, with good time management skills
- Excellent organizational skills
- Professional demeanor and comfort presenting in front of others
- A positive attitude and ability to take initiative
- Comfortable talking to others
Preferred Skills & Qualifications:
- Interest in sustainability topics and solutions
- Knowledge of sustainability efforts at Tufts
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite features
Pay Rate: $17 per hour
Work study preferred, but not required.
Apply by emailing a cover letter addressed to Tina Woolston, along with a resume, to sustainabilityoffice@tufts.edu. Please note that applications without cover letters will not be considered.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until April 2nd at 9:00 am. Apply early for priority consideration.
