1. The programme in context

The Climate & Growth Internship Programme is a selective early-career programme for exceptional students and recent graduates who want to contribute to Indonesia’s climate and economic transformation. Participants are embedded directly in the ICGD Secretariat alongside the permanent team and contribute to live projects, analysis, policy processes and stakeholder engagements. Alongside that delivery work, the Programme is built to develop the judgement, communication and convening skills that early-career professionals rarely get to practise: Participants sit in the rooms where decisions are prepared, and they are expected to form a view and defend it. ICGD gains additional analytical and delivery capacity as the Secretariat builds out, and Participants leave with a body of real work and a network across government, industry and partner institutions.

2. Objective

To bring exceptional early-career talent into ICGD’s live work for a defined period, giving Participants genuine responsibility on active workstreams and structured development in analysis, policy judgement and stakeholder engagement, while strengthening the Secretariat’s analytical and delivery capacity.

3. Intake and timing

The 2026 intake is expected to start in October 2026. ICGD also expects to run intakes timed to the academic calendar, including a mid-year intake for postgraduate students available over the long summer break, so candidates whose availability falls outside the October window are encouraged to say so in their application. Participants may work across several ICGD programmes rather than being assigned exclusively to one project.

4. Areas of work

Assignments depend on organisational priorities and on the Participant’s background. They may include any of the following.

A. Climate policy and carbon markets

Research and analysis on Indonesia’s climate policy architecture, carbon pricing, carbon markets, NDC implementation and the associated regulatory developments. This includes support to ICGD’s work on the national carbon market ecosystem and on coordination among the relevant ministries and institutions.

B. Economics of green growth

Economic, policy and quantitative analysis on the relationship between Indonesia’s climate ambition and its economic growth. Topics include climate-economic modelling, macroeconomic and sectoral analysis, industrial competitiveness, investment requirements, employment effects and green growth pathways, including the modelling work ICGD supports across government.

C. Green industrialisation and investment

Support to ICGD’s work on industrial decarbonisation, green investment strategy, sector pathways and project pipeline development. Current priorities include policy and governance support, work to connect verified projects with capital, and the development of industrial decarbonisation strategies and pilot projects.

D. Mobilising climate finance

Thought leadership and policy support on mobilising climate finance for Indonesia’s transition. This includes growing the high-integrity carbon credit market, Article 6 host country arrangements, building the readiness of regulated entities for emissions trading, transition finance policy, and the design of climate finance vehicles and capital market products.

E. Research and thought leadership

Desk research, review of Indonesian and international policy developments, dataset analysis, development of presentation material, and contributions to policy briefs, concept notes, discussion papers and other ICGD knowledge products.

F. Government and stakeholder engagement

Preparation for engagements with ministries, agencies, businesses, development partners, academics and civil society organisations. This includes briefing materials and background research, stakeholder mapping, agendas and discussion materials, participation in meetings and policy dialogues, meeting notes and synthesis of key insights, and tracking of actions and follow-up items.

G. Strategic initiatives and convenings

Support to ICGD’s domestic and international dialogues, workshops, roundtables and other strategic initiatives, including ICGD’s engagement with international institutions and partners, and translating international experience into lessons that are relevant for Indonesia.

5. Key responsibilities

• Conduct high-quality qualitative and quantitative research on climate, economic, industrial, investment and public policy topics.
• Analyse policy documents, regulations, reports, datasets and international case studies.
• Synthesise complex information into concise presentations, briefing notes and memos for senior stakeholders.
• Support the development of ICGD policy briefs, concept notes, proposals and analytical products.
• Support the preparation and delivery of meetings, workshops, roundtables and stakeholder consultations.
• Participate in selected meetings and prepare concise records of the discussion and the actions agreed.
• Support stakeholder mapping and engagement across government, the private sector, development partners, academia and civil society.
• Contribute to project management, workplan tracking and coordination across selected ICGD initiatives.
• Take ownership of specific analytical or organisational tasks as agreed with the supervising project lead.

6. Candidate profile

Education

• Current undergraduate students in their final years of study.
• Current postgraduate students, including those available during a long summer or semester break.
• Recent graduates, preferably with up to two years of professional experience.
• Relevant fields include economics, public policy, international relations, engineering, environmental studies, finance, business, law, political science, data science and related disciplines.

Experience and skills

• Excellent research and analytical skills, with the ability to structure a complex problem and communicate the findings clearly.
• Strong written and verbal communication, and the ability to build a clear, professional presentation.

• Genuine attention to detail, and strong organisational and time management skills.
• The ability to work independently while collaborating within a small team.
• Professional proficiency in English and Bahasa Indonesia.
• Proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint, Word and Excel. Experience with quantitative analysis, financial modelling, data analysis or visualisation is an advantage for analytically focused assignments.

7. What we look for

Beyond academic qualifications, ICGD is looking for individuals who are:

• Intellectually curious. You enjoy understanding difficult problems and asking the right questions.
• Analytical. You are comfortable moving from a large volume of information to a clear conclusion.
• Entrepreneurial. You are comfortable in a growing organisation where responsibilities evolve quickly.
• Collaborative. You work effectively with colleagues and stakeholders from different professional backgrounds.
• Mission driven. You care about how Indonesia can achieve stronger economic growth while delivering its climate and sustainability objectives.
• Reliable. You take ownership of your work and can be trusted to deliver a high-quality output.

8. What Participants will gain

The Programme is designed to compress into a few months the kind of exposure that usually takes several years to accumulate. Participants will have the opportunity to gain:

• Direct contribution to live climate and economic policy initiatives in Indonesia.
• Work alongside experienced policy, economics, climate and investment professionals.
• Exposure to senior government, business and international stakeholders.
• Practical research, problem-solving and communication skills developed on real deliverables.
• An understanding of how policy analysis translates into government decision-making and implementation.
• Experience spanning climate policy, economics, investment and institutional reform.
• Structured mentoring and feedback from the ICGD team and from senior practitioners across the ICGD network.
• Confidence in presenting analysis, and in holding and defending a view in front of senior counterparts.

9. How the Programme is structured

Each Participant is assigned:

• A named primary supervisor within the ICGD Secretariat, and a mentor drawn from outside their immediate workstream.
• One or more active ICGD workstreams, with defined responsibilities and outputs for the Programme period.
• Regular feedback and mentoring from members of the ICGD team.
• Where appropriate, ownership of an individual research question or deliverable to complete during the Programme.
• A short development plan agreed at the start, with a mid-point review and a written assessment at the end of the placement.
• Cohort sessions with the ICGD team and invited practitioners on climate policy, economics, carbon markets and investment, and attendance at selected ICGD convenings.

ICGD is currently strengthening its independent Secretariat and expanding its internal analytical capacity. The Programme therefore sits alongside the permanent team, and Participants are treated as colleagues with real deliverables rather than as observers. Participants who perform exceptionally may be considered for future opportunities with ICGD, subject to organisational requirements.