Jobs

Student Internship: Economic Analysis of Water Supply and Climate Risks

IEGR is seeking a motivated Bachelor’s or Master’s student to contribute to Climate Change and the Lake Constance Economy: Impacts, Risks and Adaptation, a broader study of the economic implications of climate change in the Lake Constance region. (See here)

The internship focuses on water supply, particularly the potential economic consequences of lower lake levels and long-distance drinking water supply to the Stuttgart area. It offers an opportunity to apply economic concepts and quantitative methods to a practical environmental and infrastructure challenge.

Your responsibilities

Working with the project team, you will:

• collect and document publicly available data on water supply volumes, tariffs and costs;

• compare selected water suppliers and tariff structures;

• develop a transparent spreadsheet or computational model for scenario analysis;

• examine how changes in water levels, energy prices and technical assumptions could affect pumping and treatment costs;

• assess how additional supply costs could translate into higher water bills for households and businesses;

• distinguish between supply costs, customer price effects and potential economic consequences of supply interruptions;

• prepare a concise analytical report and present your findings.

Technical assumptions and hydrological scenarios will be provided or reviewed by the project team.

Your profile

• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s programme in economics, environmental economics, business economics or a related field.

• Good command of English and German, including the ability to read German supplier reports and communicate findings in English.

• Interest in environmental issues, water resources and climate change.

• Basic knowledge of microeconomics and quantitative research methods.

• Confidence using Excel or comparable spreadsheet software; experience with Python, R or Stata is an advantage.

• Ability to critically assess data sources, document assumptions and communicate uncertainty.

• A structured, reliable working style and willingness to work independently while seeking feedback.

Previous experience in the water sector is welcome but not required.

What you will gain

You will develop practical skills in economic data analysis, tariff comparison and scenario modelling. The internship will help you connect environmental and infrastructure economics with real-world water supply challenges and contribute to a wider research project.

By the end of the internship, you will have produced a documented dataset, a reproducible scenario model and a short research report.

How to apply

Please submit a short statement of interest and your CV, indicating your degree programme, relevant analytical skills and availability. 

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