Job Summary

Catalyst is looking for a motivated Sustainability Intern to join our Milan office on a paid, full time six month placement run in partnership with the Politecnico di Milano.

The role is split roughly in half. One half is net zero buildings and dynamic energy modelling in IES, covering operational energy, forecast primary energy consumption and overheating analysis. The other half is the delivery of BREEAM and LEED certifications on live projects across Italy and Europe.

Working alongside senior consultants, the successful candidate will build and run energy models, review design and construction documentation against certification requirements, prepare and manage credit evidence, and help produce the technical notes and reports that go to clients and assessors. The placement is open to master’s students, who can link it to a final thesis, and to recent graduates.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and run dynamic energy models in IES and use them to test design options with the project team.

• Produce operational energy assessments, forecasts of primary energy consumption and overheating analysis.

• Analyse how passive design measures, HVAC and other active systems, and construction methodologies affect building performance.

• Support net zero and decarbonisation strategies for existing buildings and new developments.

• Review design and construction documentation against BREEAM and LEED credit requirements and flag gaps.

• Prepare and organise the evidence required for each targeted credit and maintain credit trackers and scorecards.

• Draft technical notes, credit templates and sections of modelling and certification reports.

• Liaise with clients, design teams and contractors, and support submissions to the assessor.

• Take part in project meetings and site inspections.

Essential Skills

• A degree, or studies nearing completion, in Building Engineering, Energy Engineering, Architectural Engineering, Environmental Engineering or a related discipline.

• Grounding in building physics, energy efficiency and construction technology, with the ability to read technical drawings and specifications.

• Genuine interest in net zero buildings, energy modelling and green building certifications.

• High attention to detail, as both modelling and certification work rest on well evidenced documentation.

• Good analytical skills and confidence with Excel.

• Professional fluency in English, as all project work, models and submissions are in English.

• Organised and proactive, able to keep several workstreams moving at once.

• Willing to attend site visits and to work on projects outside Italy.

Desirable Skills

• Knowledge of building energy modelling, HVAC and other active systems, passive design and construction methodologies. This is what allows the successful candidate to work with dynamic simulations in IES and to assess projects against BREEAM and LEED.

• Academic or professional exposure to IES, BREEAM or LEED.

• Experience with energy simulation software such as IES VE, DesignBuilder, EnergyPlus or TAS.

• Familiarity with life cycle assessment tools such as One Click LCA.

• Working knowledge of AutoCAD or Revit.

• Fluency in Italian and in a further European language.

Why Join Catalyst?

• An international, multidisciplinary team of engineers, physicists, architects and certified assessors, with colleagues across Italy, Ireland and the UK.

• Live projects and client contact from the start, rather than shadowing.

• Structured onboarding and a named mentor within the Sustainability department.

• Exposure to the full sustainability agenda, from energy modelling and certifications to net zero, EU Taxonomy and EPBD.

• Flexible hybrid working, with no fixed pattern of office and home days.

• Laptop and all professional software licences, including IES.

• Support for a final thesis where the placement is linked to the candidate’s studies.

• A permanent role will be evaluated along the way.

Selection Process

• CV and cover letter review.

• Introductory call of around fifteen minutes.

• Interview with the hiring manager, including a short technical case study on a real modelling or certification scenario.

• Final interview with a member of the leadership team.

• Feedback to every candidate who reaches the interview stage. The process normally runs over two to three weeks.

To Apply

Please send your CV and a short cover letter to [email protected].