Value of Water Communications Intern

Remote
Internship
Student (College)
XPRIZE Overview
XPRIZE is an established global leader in designing and executing large-scale competitions to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. As a 501(c)3, our unique model democratizes innovation by incentivizing crowd-sourced, scientifically viable solutions to create a more equitable and abundant future for all. Since our founding in 1994, we’ve launched $519 million in prize competitions that are driving more than $31 billion in social and economic impact — a 60x return on philanthropic investment. These competitions not only de-risk early-stage breakthrough ideas but also mobilize capital, talent, and momentum to accelerate solutions from concept to real-world scale.

We operate across 5 areas of impact, including:
  • Deep Tech + Exploration
  • Energy + Climate + Nature
  • Food + Water + Waste
  • Health
  • Learning + Society
Join XPRIZE to help create meaningful impact as we strive to empower humanity to achieve breakthroughs and architect a more equitable and abundant future for all.

Position Description
XPRIZE offers a meaningful part-time summer internship program spanning from June 15, 2026 - August 21, 2026 to undergraduate or graduate students looking to gain work experience in an exciting non-profit organization. Interns will participate in virtual social activities with their cohort, be provided with learning and professional development opportunities, and present a final research project to their department.

The XPRIZE Water Scarcity Team is seeking a 2026 Summer Intern to support communications research and strategic planning for the Value of Water (VOW) Ideas Competition. Scheduled for launch in 2027 as part of the broader XPRIZE Water Scarcity initiative, this global competition aims to transform societal perceptions of water by shifting from wasteful consumption toward a recognition of water as a fundamental human right. The initiative will invite grassroots thinkers, innovators, and students to submit creative public perception campaigns ranging from art pieces to communication strategies paired with a one-minute pitch video. By crowdsourcing breakthrough ideas on a global scale, the 2027 launch intends to identify inclusive and engaging concepts that bridge the knowledge gap and drive progress toward a water-secure future.

The Value of Water Communications Intern will help shape this Ideas Competition by researching how to successfully bridge a communication gap between technical experts and the general public regarding a technically complex topic like water scarcity. The role will focus on identifying successful communication trends and stakeholder perspectives to help translate complex data or jargon-heavy findings into clear, compelling messaging for action. Working with the Prize Operations team, the intern will synthesize this research into a strategic report to guide program decisions. As the program matures toward its 2027 launch, the position will play a key role in refining messaging and framing proposal language to transform technical concepts into a compelling call to action for a global audience.

This position is ideal for someone passionate about addressing global water challenges and excited to contribute to impactful work during this pivotal stage of the competition. Candidates that are pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in public policy, anthropology, sociology, environmental science, communications, education, or a related field are strongly encouraged to apply.


Responsibilities
  • Support internal concept development for the Value of Water Ideas Competition by summarizing existing frameworks and proposing a draft structure for how the track may be positioned,
  • Help fine tune the Ideas Competition by analyzing industry trends, gathering data and conducting interviews.
  • Identify gaps and needs in how the value of water is currently communicated in communities.
  • Identify key stakeholders that the operations team should be engaging to develop the Ideas Competition structure.
  • Develop capstone video featuring interviews of multidisciplinary experts such as from industry, academia, students/youth, indigenous communities and artists.

Deliverables
  1. “Value of Water” Proposal fine-tuning the competition track and outlining communication gaps and best practices for expanding awareness of the topic.
  2. Capstone video featuring interviews of multidisciplinary experts such as from industry, academia, students/youth, indigenous communities and artists.

Qualifications
  • Proficient in Google Drive Suite (including Docs, Slides, and Sheets)
  • Proficient in video production software
  • Strong academic or professional writing skills (ability to synthesize research into clear narratives)
  • Strong communication, organizational, and time management skills
  • Excellent attention to detail and problem solving skills
  • Passion for solving global issues
  • An interest in water initiatives and/or seawater desalination technology is a plus, as the role offers an opportunity to contribute to meaningful innovations addressing global water scarcity challenge
  • Must be a rising Junior or Senior in an undergraduate program or higher in a related field
  • Availability to work 25 hours per week for the duration of the 10-week program

Competencies required for this role:
  • Action-oriented
  • Manages ambiguity
  • Collaborates internally and externally
  • Growth mindset
  • Communicates effectively and professionally
  • Global perspective
  • Driven and dedicated

The anticipated compensation for this position is $18/hour to $22/hour. The actual compensation offered
will depend on a variety of factors including the qualifications of the individual applicant, years of relevant
experience for the role, level of education attained, and certifications and/or other licenses held. XPRIZE
is a remote-first environment.

The XPRIZE FOUNDATION is an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate in
employment. Equal access to employment, services, and programs is available to all persons. Those
applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application and/or interview process should notify
a representative of the organization.

Please note: Though submitting a resume to the XPRIZE FOUNDATION implies that you are interested
in a position(s), it does not imply that you are an applicant. You are not considered an applicant until you
have been contacted directly by a Talent Acquisitions representative requesting that you begin the
designated application process, which may involve phone and/or in-person interview(s), job-related
testing, and background checks.
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