Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading international nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. Connect with us on EDF Voices, Twitter and Facebook.

Are you interested in exploring a career at an internationally-recognized environmental organization? By joining EDF as an Intern, you too can be part of a vibrant workplace that welcomes diverse perspectives, talents and contributions, where innovation and a focus on results are a way of life. EDF’s Internship Program welcomes intellectually hungry leaders to join us, advance our work, and cultivate the skills and relationships needed for a successful career working for the environment. Alumni of our Internship Program have gone on to important leadership positions, most notably our own President, Fred Krupp. Could you be the next Fred Krupp?

EDF offers internships and fellowships for students and recent graduates in a variety of programs and departments throughout the organization. The ultimate goal of our internship and fellowship program is to provide high-quality experiences (including relevant projects and opportunities for networking) that form the foundation for any individual who is serious about pursuing an environmental career.

The U.S. is on the verge of a revolution in the way we make, move and use electricity. Stronger clean air standards, abundant shale gas, an aging power structure—and the falling cost of solar and wind—are creating an opportunity to transition to a cleaner, more efficient electricity system.

The U.S. will spend a projected $2 trillion in the next 20 years upgrading its power system. In an era of powerful new information and communication technologies, our challenge is to make sure this opportunity is not misspent on replacing old, dirty infrastructure with more of the same. We need new rules, ideas and approaches to convert the power grid from a system of centralized, fossil fuel power plants to an intelligent, efficient, connected network that smoothly integrates vastly increased amounts of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) seeks to accelerate our country’s transition to cleaner, more efficient energy—and a grid that uses the growing power of information networks—to slash harmful pollution, give people control over their energy costs and grow our economy.

Through its Clean Energy Program, EDF is committed to developing a comprehensive strategy to facilitate decision making by utilities, regulators and state policy makers over the next 5 years.

The work of this Summer Intern will help the leadership team of EDF’s Clean Energy Program develop and begin to implement strategies to encourage states and utility companies in the Northeast region to accelerate the adoption of energy efficiency practices to all end users of electricity.  

Reports to

Rory Christian, Director – New York Clean Energy

Overall Function

The EDF New York Clean Energy Program seeks a Summer Intern to work with the Leadership Team in New York to conduct research and analysis in support of developing a regional strategy for engaging cities and states in the Northeastern United States.  The strategy is primarily geared towards promoting energy efficiency in residential buildings, and will touch upon issues related to electricity and gas transmission and production. The fellow will focus on an array of subjects, including, but not limited to commercial and residential master metered buildings, financing options for various buildings/ownership arrangements, electric vehicles and specific regional programmatic work. 

Climate change will significantly affect the Northeast regional over the next 30 years.  In the Tri-State area alone, over 59% of energy capacity will be in areas prone to flooding, in addition to 21% of public housing units and 12% of hospital beds.  Water and sewage treatment, as well as shipping ports will also be significantly affected.  To help stem the tide, The EDF Clean Energy program is engaged in a series of efforts to decarbonize the electricity grid, and prepare the U.S. for a transition to a cleaner economy.  We seek to both increase availability of clean energy, while reducing the use of all forms of energy and implement specific regional efforts that can be exported to other areas, or scaled for a broader impact..

Key Responsibilities

Tasks will include but are not limited to:

• The Summer Intern will report to the Clean Energy Director and will work closely with all members of the NY Clean Energy team.
• Research existing structures for interagency collaboration, both within individual states and across multiple states.  Identify opportunities for establishing such structures in the Northeast region.
• Research Federal regulations applicable to flood insurance.
• Identify and quantify significant regional assets (e.g. power plants, water treatment plants, etc.) in coastal areas prone to flooding to assess the potential impacts of sea level rise over 30 years.
• In collaboration with EDF economists and lawyers, research regional public service commission filings, as deemed appropriate, for regulatory matters aligned with ongoing Clean Energy work.
• Identify regional environmental justice partners operating in Northeast states and coordinate activities in the roll out of strategies.
• Draft and finalize a report relative to the findings of this project and provide a briefing to the leadership team of the Clean Energy program regarding the report and various findings and recommendations.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated interest in and ability to conduct independent research with limited direction.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Superior skills in MS Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint.
• An understanding of and commitment to Environmental Defense Fund’s mission of protecting the natural environment and limiting humankind’s impact on the planet.

• Must be well organized, motivated, and detail-oriented.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work in a team setting and have the ability to work independently when projects are due.
• Demonstrate initiative and problem solving skills.

Location

New York, NY

Term

10 weeks during the summer

Hours

Full-time (35 hours/week)

Application Materials

Interested applicants should attach their cover letter and resume to the EDF application, together with a writing sample.  Writing sample should be no longer than 5 pages.

Due to the volume of employment applications and queries received, EDF is unable to respond to each application individually. Applicants will be contacted directly if selected as a candidate.

Environmental Defense Fund is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.