Intern, Research, U.S. Renewable Energy

Internship Summary

As the U.S. Energy intern, you will provide research needed to support the Energy Team’s various projects across the U.S., with two of particular focus.  The majority of your work will focus on research support for 1) local county and city school districts planning electrically and financially for electrification of school bus fleets with the Bezos Electric School Bus Initiative and 2) helping with research and delivery of webinar series on curbside charging planning and development for city energy/fleet managers for downtown districts and residential neighborhoods per UPS Foundation outreach goals.

Examples of research support will include best practices and case studies for determining system size and cost of electrical infrastructure equipment for school busses depots and smaller systems attached to existing streetlights in urban areas, financing mechanisms, and emissions benefits of transition away from fossil fuel-powered buses and personal vehicles.

Time permitting, there may be additional research support activities across the Energy Program and WRI’s Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.

The application deadline for this internship is April 25, 2021.

Learning Outcomes

The intern will gain experience in the following areas:

• Providing research support for school districts, counties, and cities looking to procure electric vehicle charging infrastructure
• Electrical infrastructure charging systems, system sizing for bus fleets and individual personal vehicles
• Supporting the organization and implementation of a webinar series with city stakeholders focused on curbside charging planning and implementation
• Tracking new EV, battery and system charging technologies in the broader EV industry

Internship Qualifications

• Highly organized individual with ability to work independently
• Strong background in electrical engineering, physics or economics
• Interest in helping to foster transition to electric school bus infrastructure at county and city levels of electrical grids and introduction of renewable energy to consumption/generation mix
• Commitment to creating a strong, cohesive, and effective educational platform to help city energy/fleet managers identify and implement actions to achieve their early EV transition goals

Compensation

• The pay range for this internship opportunity is between $15-18/hour, commensurate with qualifications.

Duration and Location

• This is a summer internship with flexible start and end dates based on the individual’s availability and need for the project.
• This is a remote-based internship with the option to work out of the Washington D.C. office once it reopens.
• WRI will provide a laptop for the duration of your internship.