About the Program

• Applicants must be actively enrolled in an accredited undergraduate program at a degree-granting two or four-year college or university or have graduated from one within the last year
• Applicants must have been enrolled in an undergraduate program for at least one calendar year
• Applicants must live and have authorization to work in the U.S./Puerto Rico
• Applicants must be fluent in English and Spanish

About the commitment:

The program will take place from  February - April 2025, and interns are expected to commit to working an average of 15-20 hours a week in a hybrid environment. Interns will have an opportunity to produce a research or writing product that will be supported by their mentor at IREC. Interns will be paid $20 for their participation and college credit may also be available. Our long-term goal is to provide training to students from disadvantaged communities and populations who have been historically underrepresented in clean energy leadership positions. We hope this form of early career support will help build greater diversity and inclusion across the clean energy sector.

About the position:

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) is hiring an intern for the Spring 2025 IREC Internship Program. The internship program is designed to provide students with practical experience and hands-on exposure to the clean energy sector. There is one internship available within IREC’s Puerto Rico-based team within the Local Initiatives department. 

About IREC

IREC is an independent nonprofit that builds the foundation for rapid adoption of clean energy and energy efficiency to benefit people, the economy, and our planet. Our vision is a 100% clean energy future that is reliable, resilient, and equitable. IREC develops and advances the regulatory reforms, technical standards, and workforce and community-based solutions needed to enable the streamlined integration of clean energy.  IREC provides independent leadership and trusted clean energy expertise through three interrelated strategies:

• Workforce Development - IREC leads initiatives to build a diverse and qualified clean energy workforce while ensuring that clean energy workers have access to family-sustaining careers.

• Local Initiatives - IREC supports communities to develop policies and promote best practices that accelerate the equitable deployment of clean energy.

• State Regulatory Engagement - IREC represents the public interest in state regulatory proceedings and develops and disseminates best practices to ensure that distributed energy resources (DERs) can be equitably and efficiently integrated on the electric grid.

Responsibilities

• Participating in community-based outreach by taking notes and documenting community meetings
• Attending local educational opportunities to learn about renewable systems and develop resources based on these learnings
• Supporting IREC staff during team meetings with items related to the progress of work on renewable energy projects
• Providing organizational assistance to program staff to manage community documentation in regards to contractual relationships with the municipalities, or other entities with which the community has co-development agreements, use permits, etc.
• Outreach to community leaders to build lasting relationships within the community
• Providing support with the overall management and development of clean energy projects

Knowledge, Skills, Experience, and Qualities for This Role:

The successful candidate will bring the following qualities to our organization:

• A keen interest in pursuing a career in clean energy 
• Strong project management skills, i.e., adaptability, critical thinking, time management, planning, and collaboration
• Experience with at least two of the following tasks: developing surveys, drafting correspondence, managing project deliverables, utilizing databases and datasets, note-taking, proofreading, creating tables in Excel and/or Google Sheets, managing shared drives, and adding citations to documents

IREC Foundational Values

• We value diversity of backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and thoughts and believe they result in better outcomes and greater organizational impact.

• We value the uniqueness and dignity of each individual and their right to be their true and complete self.

• We believe in the potential of the clean energy transition to advance equity in our nation.

IREC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and embracing a workplace with diverse voices and perspectives. We strongly encourage and seek applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds. Applicants are not discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, medical conditions, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Apply with: A cover letter addressing why you are interested in working for IREC, a short essay about what you hope to gain from your internship experience, and a resume. All application materials must be submitted in English.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until November 1st, 2024, or until the position is filled.

Applicants must be based and authorized to work in the United States.