Implementing sustainability in practice: an internship perspective

At Jacobs, I worked on the Global Sustainability team, where I took on responsibilities that spanned both the market solutions and engineering groups. Because the Global Sustainability team was newly formed during my internship, I had the opportunity to contribute to a wide variety of projects. The team’s mission was to embed sustainability across Jacobs’ 45,000-person organization, both internally and in the client-facing work we deliver.

My primary project involved updating our newly developed Sustainability and Resilience Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, which tracks and organizes thousands of opportunities. I reorganized dashboards and refined the filtering system to help our team better track how sustainability goals were being integrated into project bids. My second major project was drafting a multi-million dollar on-call contract proposal for a transportation agency in the Northeast. I was given the opportunity to lead the 66-page proposal together with another intern, giving us real ownership of the process from start to finish! 

A highlight of this internship was getting a look at how sustainability is implemented in practice. Much of my past experience has focused on policy and legislation, giving me only a high-level view of climate solutions. At Jacobs, I was able to dive into the technical and commercial details, from designing bridges with low-carbon concrete to exploring projects that integrate wireless charging technology for EVs directly into roadways. I saw firsthand how sustainability goals begin in policy, are shaped by standards and funding mechanisms, and ultimately come to life through the projects delivered by firms like Jacobs.

I’ve had a longtime, yet somewhat abstract, ambition to protect our environment and help address climate change. My internship at Jacobs grounded that passion in reality, showing me the trade-offs and creativity required to make solutions both impactful and commercially viable. As I continue my undergraduate journey, I’m eager to keep learning and contributing to approaches that can drive meaningful progress in the fight for a greener future.