Fall 2026 Internship Positions
ACC Recycling Engagement Intern
This position will work directly with Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste & Recycling to become a leader in sustainable material management and create a culture of zero waste in Athens. The intern will coordinate the volunteer leadership program to support zero-waste events and effective diversion of hard-to-recycle materials. Candidates should be organized, detail-oriented, and self-motivated with excellent written and verbal communication skills and a passion for people and waste reduction.
ACC Sustainable Energy Intern
This position will work directly with the Athens Clarke County Sustainability Department’s Energy Program and Conservation Coordinator on various energy projects working towards the goal of 100% clean and renewable energy for municipal buildings by 2035. Candidates should be passionate about sustainability and have an interest in one of the following categories: Fleet Electrification, Solar Energy, Energy Efficiency, Building Electrification, or Battery Storage. Experience in project or data management is preferred but not required.
Athens Farmers Market Intern
This position is May – December 2026 (Summer and Fall) and will report to the the Athens Farmers Market Director to support AFM’s mission to ensure prosperity for farmers and artisans, ease of access for current and future customers, and an optimum sense of wellbeing for all in our community. Intern will primarily work at the Saturday morning market at Bishop Park from 6:30AM – 1:30PM to help with set up, break down, serve as a greeter, and assist EBT customers.
BikeAthens Sustainability & Community Engagement Intern
The intern will support BikeAthens’s mission to promote equitable, sustainable transportation by strengthening both community outreach and sustainable shop practices. They will help develop creative educational materials, assist with events that encourage biking, walking, and transit use, and share impact stories through digital and in-person engagement. In the BikeAthens shop, the intern will assess and improve sustainability efforts such as reuse systems, recycling, and materials recovery. This role blends communications and hands-on problem-solving to demonstrate sustainability in action across education, operations, and community impact. Preferred candidates will be confident cyclists with experience working on bicycles.
Campus Arboretum Intern
The intern will report to the UGA Grounds Department and assist in keeping the campus tree inventory current through outdoor fieldwork. This involves continuously walking around, taking coordinates of trees, identifying trees, taking height, DBH, and other data from the trees, and utilizing i-Tree software to measure, analyze, and assess the Campus Arboretum. Areas of work will include Athens, GA portions of campus (including the new medical science campus and other surrounding campuses). This work will include landscaped areas around parking lots and buildings and natural areas. Candidates should have knowledge of trees found in Georgia and ideally have experience with tree inventory, utilizing GPS units, and GIS mapping software.
Campus Pollinator Program Intern
This intern supports UGA’s Bee Campus USA certification and pollinator conservation efforts through a combination of program development, data collection, report writing, public communication, and some fieldwork. Core responsibilities include compiling and publishing the annual Bee Campus USA Report, mapping/monitoring campus pollinator habitats using GIS, assisting with the Vet Med Pollinator Meadow and other habitat enhancement projects, coordinating communications and engagement with our Pollinator Program Committee, and planning the annual Pollinator Census and related student engagement events. The intern will also maintain and expand the Pollinator Program website with current content and resources. Candidates with experience in ArcGIS and a foundational knowledge of Georgia’s native plants and pollinator species are strongly encouraged to apply.
Circularity Intern
The Circularity Intern will support the Circular UGA initiative and waste reduction on campus through research, engagement, and hands-on projects. The intern will lead the reconditioned water bottle program – collecting unclaimed water bottles from campus buildings, partnering with Dining Services to wash and sanitize the bottles, distributing them on campus, and tracking reuse – and manage the CHaRMxUGA collection site in collaboration with Waste Reduction Services and UGA Libraries to ensure materials are managed safely and effectively. The intern will also assist with planning and hosting Circular UGA workshops to engage students, faculty, and staff in circularity and waste reduction. In addition, the intern may conduct research to develop guidelines and policies for campus organizations, communicate benefits of circularity at UGA, and/or identify other effective strategies to maximize the value and lifespan of materials on campus. Intern should have a valid driver’s license and be able to lift 40 pounds.
Concrete Jungle Intern
The Concrete Jungle Intern will support fruit tree and farm gleaning, produce education initiatives, communications, and food distribution. This position assists with volunteer recruitment through social media, newsletter, public speaking opportunities, and other organizational projects that align with the intern’s skills and interests. The intern will work in a small nonprofit environment focused on community-based solutions to food insecurity and food waste.
Emissions and Climate Solutions Intern
This intern will track and communicate UGA’s progress toward its 2040 carbon emissions reduction goals by maintaining and improving the annual emissions inventory, supporting the UGA Emissions Tracking Dashboard, and developing visualizations that clearly communicate progress toward campus climate targets. The intern will also contribute to UGA’s 10-Year Campus Sustainability Plan Progress Report, researching and documenting achievements across emissions and climate program areas. Special projects include developing new Scope 3 data collection methods for transportation and procurement emissions, two high opportunity categories for achieving measurable reductions at UGA. Candidates with experience in one or more of the following are encouraged to apply: intermediate to advanced Excel, data visualization or BI dashboard tools, report writing, ArcGIS, or use of AI tools to accelerate technical learning.
Farm to Campus Intern
The Farm to Campus Intern is responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing weekly Farm to Campus Markets. The intern must be available on Wednesdays between 8AM-4PM and must have a vehicle and valid driver’s license to transport produce and supplies. Candidates should be self-motivated, creative, collaborative, and highly organized with excellent communication skills. Experience volunteering with Farm to Campus Markets and participation in Farmers Market Friends student organization is preferred.
Greeks Go Green Intern
The Greeks Go Green Intern serves as the student leader for sustainability initiatives within the University of Georgia Greek community. This position develops and implements environmentally conscious programs, partners with chapter and campus stakeholders to promote sustainable practices, and educates members on reducing their environmental impact. The intern will have the opportunity to create their own projects as well as continuing on-going initiatives such as Greek house composting and the Greeks Go Green chapter certification program.
Shell to Shore Intern
Shell to Shore is a non-profit oyster shell recycling program in Georgia which reduces landfill waste and supports restoration and revitalization projects on Sapelo Island. Intern will report directly to a Shell to Shore staff member. Responsibilities will include transporting shells from restaurants and events in Athens and helping to expand the capacity of Shell to Shore in Augusta and Atlanta. The intern will help create educational resources and assist in finding new sources of funding to expand the project. Valid driver’s license and ability to lift up to 50 pounds required; excellent written, graphic, and verbal communication skills and an interest in coastal restoration is preferred.
Strategic Communications Intern
Intern will work collaboratively to develop engaging on-brand content for Instagram, Linked In, and other outlets used by the Office of Sustainability. Specific tasks will include creating and following a content calendar; developing collaborative partnerships to expand our reach; interviewing students, faculty, and staff who are making tangible positive change on campus; and creating engaging photos, graphics, and captions for social media. Candidates should be organized, proactive, curious, and passionate about effective storytelling to advance sustainability at UGA.
Sustainability Leadership Program Intern
This position will assist the Office of Sustainability in developing a UGA staff leadership program. Intern will research reference programs, design a competency-based credential program to engage UGA staff in sustainability leadership activities, and develop a plan and schedule for phased implementation. Candidates should be organized and self-motivated with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Swap Shop Intern
The Swap Shop Intern manages the student-run free campus thrift store by promoting circularity and waste reduction, inventorying gently used items, coordinating volunteers, and tracking program metrics. The intern oversees daily operations of the Swap Shop, ensuring it remains appropriately staffed, organized, and functional; manages customer engagement and educates the campus community on waste reduction; and promotes the Swap Shop through various campus engagement activities.
Textile Recycling Studio Intern
The intern will support the development of the Textile Recycling Studio by assisting with textile collection, fiber sorting, diversion tracking, and inventory management. The intern will also contribute to material transformation initiatives, including producing TMI-branded stadium seat cushions, blanket fill, and textile-based art canvases from recovered materials. Additional responsibilities include documentation and support for educational and campus sustainability outreach efforts.
Trash Trap Water Quality Intern
The intern will be responsible for the oversight and management of the trash trap located on Tanyard Branch adjacent to Bolton Dining Commons. The trash trap will be emptied and inventoried at routine intervals under your direction. Inventory data will be archived and also uploaded to Debristracker.org, an open data citizen science movement. On an ad hoc basis, the intern will lead additional volunteers or classes interested in engaging with Circular UGA. This position will also participate in ongoing water quality monitoring efforts for the main campus as they occur during the semester.
UGA Dining Services Sustainability Intern
The intern will support key Dining initiatives while contributing to campus-wide sustainability goals. The intern will analyze Raccoon Eyes waste tracking data to identify trends in pre-consumer waste, helping inform student education and public relations initiatives. They will also serve as the primary liaison to Raccoon Eyes as they provide actionable feedback to culinary teams for improved menu design and waste reduction. The position will also assist with sustainability data collection and reporting for the AASHE STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System), while researching emerging sustainability trends and operational alternatives to help keep Dining Services informed of best practices. The intern may also help revitalize the Dining Sustainability Ambassador Program or other initiatives to further engage students in sustainability across campus.
UGArden Compost Intern
This intern will report to UGArden and manage the farm composting system. They will work with a Master Gardener to manage the piles, grind and turn them with a tractor, and record the temperature for our compost records. Experience operating equipment not required. However, this intern will be expected to operate the tractor and should be prepared and willing to do so. Intern may be asked to assist with other UGArden activities.
University Housing Sustainability Intern
The University Housing Sustainability Intern will assist with special events related to environmental sustainability initiatives within University Housing. The primary function of this position is to co-advise the University Housing EcoRep program, an experiential learning program in which 13-15 student leaders provide peer to peer education and engagement on departmental sustainable initiatives within the residence halls. The Intern will also help to plan and implement special events relating to resident engagement in sustainability initiatives. These include seasonal waste reduction initiatives such as our move-in and move-out donations and recycling.
Urban Agriculture Intern
Intern will be responsible for planning, planting, maintaining, and leading volunteer workdays at the Geography Building Green Roof Garden, in collaboration with UGArden. Candidates should have gardening experience, strong leadership and organization skills, a willingness to work outdoors in various weather, and a passion for people and local food systems.
Zero Waste Infrastructure Intern
This intern will help UGA enhance Zero Waste infrastructure and reach its waste diversion goals through planning and implementation of new compost bins and signage across strategic buildings on campus. This work will include assessing interior waste infrastructure, planning compost bin placement, communicating with stakeholders, and physically installing bins and signs. No special skills required, but successful candidates must be willing and able to lift and/or push up to 50 lbs, haul large bins, and move other supplies as needed. These enhancements in waste infrastructure and education will play a critical role in helping UGA reach its waste diversion goals. Candidates should be a self-starter with a strong work ethic, show initiative when solving problems, highly organized, detail-oriented, and a team player willing to lift heavy things and work well with their hands.
