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Accompagnement de projets RSE : Mobilité durable et Plan d’actions Bas Carbone

INRAE Occitanie-Toulouse • France • Added on Jun 24, 2026
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This internship puts you at the heart of a major public research institute’s environmental transition. You’ll drive the rollout of INRAE’s Low Carbon Plan, focusing on two main levers: improving mobility plans across several regional sites and supporting willing research units as they work to shrink their own environmental footprint.

The goal is to turn research excellence into a model of restraint. By working on sustainable mobility and emissions calculations, you’ll help 1,300 staff align their daily practices with national climate ambitions — a rare chance to combine scientific rigor with change management at an institution that leads on agroecology.

This suits someone who is a Master’s student in CSR or environmental studies looking for hands-on experience in low-carbon project management, with a strong interpersonal touch and the ability to bring teams together around practical, data-driven solutions.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The intern will play a pivotal role in implementing the Low Carbon Plan for the INRAE Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur center. Primary missions include updating and developing sustainable mobility plans for specific sites like Le Tholonet and Avignon, which involves data collection and analysis regarding employee travel habits. Furthermore, the role involves supporting individual research units in defining and adopting their own decarbonization strategies. This includes using decision-support tools to calculate greenhouse gas emissions and creating customized action plans that fit the specific operational needs of laboratory and field research activities.

Key learning opportunities for this job

Candidates will gain hands-on expertise in conducting carbon footprint assessments and implementing environmental management systems within a complex public institution. You will learn to use specialized tools for GHG calculation and decision-making, gaining a deep understanding of the ISO 26000 standard framework. Additionally, the internship offers significant exposure to territorial mobility challenges and collaborative project management. You will learn how to facilitate workshops, lead steering committees, and communicate technical sustainability concepts to diverse scientific and administrative audiences.

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

The ideal candidate is currently pursuing a Master's degree in CSR, environmental management, or sustainable development. You should possess a solid understanding of carbon accounting principles and the systemic challenges of sustainable mobility in both urban and semi-rural settings. Soft skills are crucial, as the role requires interpersonal agility to engage with various research collectives. Autonomy, organizational rigor, and the ability to synthesize complex data into actionable reporting are essential traits for success in this multi-site environment.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, demonstrate an interest in how public research institutions can lead by example in the climate transition. Highlight any previous experience with carbon footprint tools or mobility diagnostics. Your cover letter should reflect your ability to bridge the gap between technical data and human behavior change. Given the multisite nature of the center, showing flexibility and a proactive approach to remote and on-site coordination will be highly valued. Mentioning your familiarity with ISO 26000 or specific French environmental regulations (like the LOM law for mobility) would be a significant advantage.

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

The focus is primarily on Scope 3 emissions related to employee commuting and professional travel, as well as the operational decarbonization of research infrastructure. The role aims to translate national policy into local, site-specific actions that reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of scientific activities. There is also a strong social dimension focused on employee engagement and changing institutional culture. By involving research units in their own carbon planning, the role fosters a sense of collective responsibility and transparency regarding the center's environmental impact.

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

One of the main challenges is data collection and quality across multiple sites, requiring persistence and clear communication with various departments. You may also encounter resistance to change, as modifying mobility habits often involves personal trade-offs for employees. Balancing the diverse needs of different research units—from laboratories to experimental farms—requires a flexible advisory approach. Adapting general carbon reduction frameworks to the technical constraints of scientific research can be complex and requires creative problem-solving.

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day might begin with analyzing commuter data to prepare a report for a local mobility committee. This is followed by a meeting with a research unit leader to discuss their unit's carbon audit results and brainstorm potential mitigation measures for their next project cycle. In the afternoon, you might travel to a different site to conduct a field visit or facilitate a brainstorming session with agents. The day often concludes with drafting communication materials to share best practices or updating project tracking tools to ensure institutional alignment.

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

This internship provides a high-visibility platform within a major national institute, offering networking opportunities with CSR professionals and public sector leaders. The experience gained in carbon strategy and stakeholder engagement is highly transferable to ESG roles in both the public and private sectors. Successful completion of this mission demonstrates an ability to manage large-scale organizational transitions and master the tools required for modern environmental reporting. It serves as an excellent foundation for a career as a Sustainability Consultant or CSR Manager.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

You will interact closely with the CSR support services and the center's management team. External stakeholders include local government partners and territorial mobility coordinators who assist in regional transport planning. Internal stakeholders are diverse, ranging from research unit directors to administrative staff and technical engineers. Building trust with these varied groups is essential for gathering accurate data and ensuring the long-term adoption of carbon reduction measures.

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