Sustainable Design (Architecture) Summer internship 2026 - London

RIOS is an international design collective. We are actively in pursuit of wonder within the design of the built environment. We believe design is an act of optimism through which invention and ideas change the world. We practice interconnected design across architecture, placemaking, and landscape architecture to define design as a continuum.

We follow a process that begins with attunement, where program and context shape strong conceptual thinking to establish a holistically informed big idea through which we develop form, confirm function, and define experience as the basis on which to explore ecology, material, and tectonic expression. We are known for our bold solutions that are inclusive of the wider context and are ever mindful that an interdisciplinary approach to design brings about inclusive, resilient, and original solutions that ensure diversity and resilience.

RIOS is seeking Sustainable design applicants for work placement this summer. Ideal candidates are highly motivated individuals who are passionate about design, and would enjoy participating in our lively office culture. This is a full-time one month program running anytime between Monday June 1, 2026 through Friday July 31st, 2026. A laptop will be provided for the duration of the program.

We are seeking candidates who are pursuing a career in sustainable architecture, environmental engineering, or environmental design, and who are passionate about performance-driven design. Applicants should have an interest in testing, analyzing, and applying environmental design tools and software, as well as supporting sustainable material research.

We are particularly interested in applicants with a passion for, and some early experience in, one or more of the following areas:

• Environmental analysis and computational design
• Passive design
• Weather data analysis & interpretation
• Concept validation and performance-led design
• Solar, daylight, wind, and overshadowing analysis
• Energy modeling and thermal performance
• Thermal comfort analysis
• Health and wellbeing in the built environment
• Sustainable materials and material databases

The candidate should demonstrate a strong interest in environmental design and analysis as a central part of their career development. We are looking for someone with an analytical mindset, a willingness to learn, an interest in contributing to research and innovation, and the ability to communicate and present research clearly and effectively.

Applicants should be undertaking or have completed an undergraduate degree in Sustainable Design, Environmental Design in Architecture or Environmental Engineering, or a related field, with strong academic performance, or have started to build equivalent relevant experience. We are especially interested in candidates who wish to pursue a career in sustainability, environmental design, or parametric simulation.

Candidates should ideally have experience or familiarity with:

• Computer-aided design and 3D modelling
• Rhino
• Revit
• Grasshopper

The ideal candidate should also demonstrate the following:

• Strong design skills and a passion for creativity as well as analytical mindset
• A high degree of self-motivation, with the ability to take initiative and go beyond assigned tasks
• The ability to work collaboratively and coordinate effectively within a team
• An interest in learning and contributing to research, environmental analysis, and performance-led design thinking
• The ability to communicate and disseminate research effectively
• Curiosity about how digital tools, environmental data, and sustainable materials can inform better design outcomes

Please submit an online application at www.rios.com/careers/ in PDF format, including:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Portfolio

Your portfolio should highlight your academic and professional experience relevant to our industry and this position. Applications will not be considered without a portfolio submission.

We offer a flexible hybrid working policy, with a typical schedule of three days in the office and two days working from home each week.