Research Intern - Mainstreaming Agrivoltaics

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center, is seeking a highly motivated and skilled individual for an internship under the Indo-German Cooperation on Agrivoltaics (IGCA) project. The project supports the acceleration of agrivoltaics adoption in India by integrating solar power generation with sustainable farming practices. The internship will be based at IWMI’s Anand office in India.

The IGCA project supports the acceleration of agrivoltaics adoption in India by integrating solar power generation with sustainable farming. This dual-use approach optimises land use, enhancing solar deployment and food security. By empowering farmers, developers, and communities, it fosters income diversification, economic growth and climate resilience. By deploying agrivoltaics across diverse agro-ecological zones, the project showcases scalable solutions, develops viable business models and financing mechanisms to ensure economic feasibility for farmers and developers.

Scope of internship

The selected individual will work closely with Indo-German Cooperation on Agrivoltaics (IGCA) project leader and other IGCA colleagues to ensure the successful delivery of IWMI’s activities and responsibilities. The internship offers an excellent opportunity for young and budding researchers and public policy enthusiasts to gain invaluable experience of contributing to the development and implementation of innovative field projects; interacting with and learning from leading researchers, practitioner and policy makers; contribute to the design and organization of agrivoltaics winter school; and contributing to flagship knowledge and policy products in the emerging and rapidly growing field of agrivoltaics.

During this internship, the intern will assist in the following areas:

• Support the IWMI and IGCA teams in the run-up to the Agrivoltaics World Conference (AWC) 2026 in New Delhi, including event support during the conference, and follow-up activities including compilation of rapporteur reports and preparation of event proceedings.
• Support the IWMI IGCA team in planning and organizing the Winter School on Agrivoltaics (WSA 2026) in New Delhi and the intern will also be invited to join WSA 2026 as a participant.
• Support IGCA field projects and activities, particularly in Gujarat – including supporting the establishment of agrivoltaics field projects.

Requirements

• Final year student or recent post-graduate with a degree in a relevant discipline, such as Agricultural Sciences, Renewable Energy/Energy Studies, Environmental Sciences, Climate Change, Natural Resource Management, Economics, Public Policy, Development Studies, Engineering, or a related field.
• Excellent communication skills, with strong proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Academic experience in technical editing and academic writing, data analysis, knowledge product development, event coordination, or stakeholder engagement would be an added advantage.

Benefits

IWMI will provide a monthly stipend to the selected candidate during the internship period.

The duration of the internship is 04 months with the possibility of extension based on requirements of IWMI, and availability of funds as well as performance. This is a nationally recruited internship and only citizens of India are eligible to apply.

To apply, visit www.iwmi.org/jobs. Applications must be submitted by 24:00 (IST) on 23 September 2026 (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis).

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is an international, research-for-development organization that works with governments, civil society and the private sector to solve water problems in developing countries and scale up solutions. Through partnership, IWMI combines research on the sustainable use of water and land resources, knowledge services and products with capacity strengthening, dialogue and policy analysis to support implementation of water management solutions for agriculture, ecosystems, climate change and inclusive economic growth. Headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, IWMI is a CGIAR Research Center with offices in 17 countries and a global network of scientists operating in more than 55 countries. www.iwmi.org

IWMI believes that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational and multi-disciplinary working environment. We are consciously creating an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and our commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities.