About us

Founded in Brussels in 1983, CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies) is a leading think tank and forum for debate on EU affairs, which has been consistently ranked among the world’s top 10 best think tanks. One of CEPS’ distinguishing features is its strong in-house research capacity and an extensive international network of partner institutes. CEPS’ funding comes from a variety of sources, mainly research grants and service contracts, but also from membership and conference fees.

The Energy, Resources and Climate Change unit of CEPS consists of a research team specialised in today’s energy, circular economy, climate change, and geopolitical challenges. It provides a forum that stimulates discussions among both EU and non-EU stakeholders and decision-makers.

Main tasks

You will become a member of the Energy, Resources and Climate Change (ERCC) team and work under the supervision of the Head of Climate Programme. In this role, you will contribute to the activities of the Climate Programme:

You will primarily contribute to research projects within the scope of the Climate Programme (listed below).
You will conduct desk research on relevant topics, assist with data collection and daily research support, support the preparation and conduct of interviews, and summarise findings from interviews and meetings in written form.
You will perform other related tasks as required, including administrative and organisational support for the activities of the Climate Programme.

Your background and qualifications

You are about to complete a Master in economics, international relations, political/social sciences, engineering, or other relevant fields, and must be enrolled as a student at an EU-based university for the full duration of the internship.
For recent graduates, the option of the CIP (la convention d’immersion professionnelle) scheme may be considered, subject to the candidate’s eligibility and possession of the right to work in Belgium.
You have a demonstrable interest in climate-related topics, inter alia carbon pricing, climate risks and resilience, climate adaptation, and climate finance. You have conducted research assignments or projects in one or more of these areas during your studies or previous internships.
You have an excellent command of English, both orally and in writing.

Your profile

You are able to work in a research team comprising junior and senior colleagues.
You enjoy teamwork and are open to giving and receiving feedback.
You are flexible, organised and respect deadlines.
You have absolute respect for diversity and an inclusion-oriented mindset.
You are enthusiastic to contribute towards the success of the whole of CEPS as an organisation.

What CEPS can offer

We offer a full-time internship for the period of six months, starting from September/October 2026. The selected candidate will be eligible to receive expense reimbursement of up to 850 EUR/month upon submission of supporting documents. If the selected candidate is a recent graduate, they may join under the CIP scheme and receive a CIP allowance of 1200 EUR/month. The internship is based in Brussels and will take place in-person, but some teleworking might be possible for a limited period. Candidates must be legally entitled to undertake an internship in Belgium for the duration of the placement.

Application and deadline

Please send your application to [email protected] with 'Intern Climate Programme September 2026 ’ in the subject line by 10 August 2026, 23:59 CET.

Interviews will be held online during August 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. CEPS reserves the right not to fill the position if no suitable candidate is found.

Applications should include the following documents, all in English, compiled into a single PDF document:

i) a one-page letter of motivation
Please explain your interest in this internship.
Please confirm in your letter that you are available to start the full-time internship in September/October 2026 and to relocate to Brussels for the majority of its duration.
ii) your CV, indicating your current university enrolment and/or your right to work in Belgium.
iii) two written examples of work in the fields relevant to this post (e.g. a journal publication, a project report, a university assignment etc). If the written example has more than one author, please specify in the letter of motivation which parts you have written.

Applications received after the deadline, not submitted as a single PDF file, incomplete applications, or applications that do not follow the above instructions will not be taken into consideration

More information

For further information about the position, please contact [email protected].