Thesis Internship: Energy Performance Certificates Data Research

Are you passionate about sustainability, data science, and making a real impact in the financial sector? ING is offering a unique opportunity for a thesis intern to explore the intersection of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and risk, contributing to ING’s sustainability and risk strategy. 

📍 Location: Amsterdam 
📅 Duration: 6 months 
🎓 Target Group: Master’s students in Data Science, Economics, Finance, Sustainability, Engineering or related fields

The team

As part of ING’s ESG Tribe in COO Risk, we are looking for a motivated thesis intern to conduct research on EPC data and its implications for the mortgage market and beyond. You will work closely with colleagues from COORisk, ESG Risk, and Sustainability, gaining exposure to real-world challenges in sustainable finance and data modelling.

🧠 Potential Research Topics

You’ll have the opportunity to explore one or more of the following topics, depending on your interests and academic background:

EPC and Credit Risk
Investigate how EPC ratings influence credit risk metrics such as Probability of Default (PD) and Loss Given Default (LGD).

Improving EPC Proxy Models
Explore the use of machine learning to enhance proxy models for EPC estimation, especially in markets with limited label coverage.

Handling Expired EPC Labels
Develop strategies or models to improve the reliability of EPC data after the 10-year expiration period.

Consumer Incentives for EPC Renewal
Design and evaluate reward systems or policy mechanisms to encourage consumers to renew or update their EPC labels.

Feasibility of Decarbonization Pathways
Assess whether the Dutch mortgage portfolio can realistically achieve EPC=A by 2030 or EPC=A++ by 2040, and what renovation rates would be required.

🤝 What We Offer

• Supervision and support from experts in Risk, Finance, and Sustainability

• Access to ING’s internal data and modelling tools (where applicable)

• A collaborative environment with professionals working on cutting-edge sustainability topics

• A chance to contribute to ING’s strategic goals around decarbonization and compliance

How to succeed

We hire smart people like you for your potential. Our biggest expectation is that you’ll stay curious. Keep learning. Take on responsibility. In return, we’ll back you to develop into an even more awesome version of yourself.

✅ Requirements

• Enrolled in a Master’s program (thesis phase)

• Strong analytical skills and familiarity with data analysis or machine learning

• Interest in sustainability, energy efficiency, and financial risk

• Ability to work independently and communicate effectively with stakeholders

Rewards and benefits

This is a great opportunity to train with highly skilled people who are experts in their field. You’ll do a lot and learn a lot – not only about your specialist area and the bank, but also about yourself and whether this type of environment is right for you.

You’ll also benefit from:

• Internship allowance of 700 EUR based on 36 hours work week
• Your own work laptop
• Hybrid working to blend home working for focus and office working for collaboration and co-creation
• Personal growth and challenging work with endless possibilities
• An informal working environment with innovative colleagues

During the duration of your internship at ING, it is mandatory to be enrolled at a Dutch university (or EU-university for EU passport holders).

Questions?

Contact the recruiter attached to the advertisement. Want to apply directly? Please upload your CV and motivation letter by clicking the ‘Apply’ button.

About our internships

Every year, more than 350 students join our internship program. While there are no guarantees about your future, many of our former interns move into a permanent role or onto our International Talent Programme (traineeship).

Whatever happens, an internship at ING is the ideal opportunity to meet a wide variety of people, to build up your own network, and to learn about many different aspects of banking – put simply, it’s a great start to your career.