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Internship Description

The Sorenson Impact Institute (SII) is seeking graduate student applicants for an immediate opportunity to join the Impact Finance team as a student intern supporting SII’s Nature-based Solutions initiative. 

With a highly collaborative approach, SII’s Impact Finance team works with mission-driven investors and practitioners to research, develop, and scale innovative financial solutions for social and environmental impact. 

The overarching goal of SII’s Nature-based Solutions (NbS) initiative is to expand investment capital into the preservation and restoration of nature. Though the initiative’s scope is global, SII has a particular interest in advancing NbS in Utah and the Mountain West. 

One of our initial projects in the region that the Impact Finance intern will support is a partnership with World Resources Institute (WRI) focused on quantifying the social, health, and economic benefits of the Upper Weber Watershed Project (UWWP). The UWWP is a landscape-scale effort to protect & restore 60,000 acres in the Weber River Watershed by reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire and enhancing long-term watershed resilience. SII’s role in the project is to identify and quantify the socioeconomic co-benefits expected to result from the project and engage with beneficiaries to monetize those co-benefits within a financial structure. The end goal of the project is to increase funding for the UWWP and establish a replicable framework for incorporating funding from nontraditional sources, such as the healthcare sector, into forest NbS projects. 

The Intern may also support additional projects within our NbS portfolio, as needed. 

A minimum 6-month commitment is required; there may be an opportunity to extend the internship to 12 months, subject to expansion of projects and funding. 

This opportunity will provide unparalleled experiential education for students interested in contributing toward innovation and impact on environmental problems, including those in Utah. This internship will also provide a hands-on opportunity to learn about social and environmental impact consulting, nature-based solutions, impact investing, and other issue areas.

Benefits Eligible: No

Department: Impact Finance

Status: Part-time 15-20 hrs/wk (University of Utah Students preferred, but open to other universities)

Time Period: Minimum 6 months, beginning in late February

Hourly Rate: $17.50-$32, depending on experience

Application Deadline: February 22, 2026

 

Responsibilities

  • Conduct secondary research of studies linking ecological outcomes with socioeconomic co-benefits 
  • Clearly track and organize research conducted
  • Review and analyze publicly available data to establish relevant baselines and benchmarks for specific outcomes and benefits
  • Take notes and/or transcribe stakeholder interviews and meetings
  • Write research briefs, summarizing key takeaways, and support writing for a report/white paper deliverable
  • Provide timely communication and collaboratively work with SII staff, partners, and other students
  • Attend weekly project meetings

Requirements

  • Must be a current graduate or PhD student
  • Must be willing to commit 15-20 hours per week for a minimum of 6 months
  • Preference will be given to students enrolled at the University of Utah or other universities in Utah, but the opportunity is open to students from any university
  • Preference will be given to students enrolled in programs related to environmental science, public health, health sciences, public administration, or economics
  • Strong skills and experience in quantitative and qualitative research
  • Data analysis skills and some proficiency with Excel
  • Strong communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving abilities
  • Strong writing skills
  • Be positive, proactive, resourceful, detail-oriented, and self-motivated
  • Ability to organize tasks and meet deadlines

Preferred skills/experience

  • Knowledge of nature-based solutions and ecosystem services
  • Understanding of impact investing
  • Familiarity with legislative and government budget processes
  • Statistical data analysis
  • Data visualization
  • Skills/experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
  • Ability to develop compelling PowerPoint presentations
  • Experience with Google Workspace and MS Office


 

About the Sorenson Impact Institute

At the Sorenson Impact Institute, we know capital always has an impact, and our work in the industry is designed to ensure it’s a positive one. Proudly housed at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business, our mission is to expand the market for impact investing and to equip the next generation of impact leaders, forging a future where impact is seamlessly integrated across sectors worldwide. Through our diverse expertise, we connect capital to measurable social, environmental, and financial outcomes. Leveraging our unique position at a leading public university, we drive critical innovations and research, amplify thought leadership, and provide world-class experiential learning and academic programming. Our headquarters, the Impact & Prosperity Epicenter, is a pioneering live/work ecosystem that fosters a shared vision for the betterment of people and the planet. Learn more at sorensonimpactinstitute.com.

 

Notes

* The dynamic nature of work means the student experience becomes more valuable with deeper levels of engagement. To facilitate this experience, students are expected to commit to working 15-20 hours per week for a minimum of six (6) months.

** The Sorenson Impact Institute strongly encourages diverse applicants, especially those who self-identify as Black, Native or Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQIA+, non-binary, living with disabilities, neurodivergent, young, speak English as a second language, and others from overlooked / underestimated communities.

*** Due to legal restrictions regarding student employment under certain Visa statuses, Sorenson Impact can not guarantee our ability to pay international students. For international students potentially selected, we commit to working with you and your institution to determine our ability to adequately compensate you for your time and energy. Please reach out with any questions.