From day one at NREL, you’ll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you’ll have the opportunity to engage through our ten employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes.
NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves.
Our planet needs us! Learn about NREL’s critical objectives, and see how NREL is focused on saving the planet.
We invite all interested candidates to apply for this opportunity. While we recognize that job seekers may hesitate if they don’t meet every requirement, we encourage dedicated individuals who meet all the basic and additional required qualifications of the role to submit an application. We value the opportunity to consider those who believe they have the necessary skills and ambition to succeed at NREL.
Job Description
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, is a leading center for renewable energy and energy efficiency research. Within NREL, the Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA) conducts impactful research to guide global energy investment, policy decisions, and educational initiatives. Focusing on the intersection of energy, finance, and society, JISEA drives transformation in the energy sector.
Position Overview
JISEA is seeking motivated student or recently graduated researchers to support initiatives addressing climate change, clean energy, and societal challenges as a Research Program Participant (RPP). RPP Interns will collaborate with NREL researchers to advance clean energy solutions, with a primary focus on developing actionable insights and supporting groundbreaking projects.
Job Duties May include
- Needs Assessment: Conducting needs assessments to identify critical challenges in clean energy transformation.
- Technical Workshop Facilitation: Assist in organizing multi-party meetings and workshops that bring together stakeholders to drive progress on project goals. Responsible for documenting key points and action items to ensure alignment across project teams.
- Data Synthesis: Translate multi-stakeholder discussions into actionable insights and create comprehensive datasets.
- Publishing and Networking: Contribute to JISEA publications and participate in conferences to expand professional networks. Develop high-quality outputs, including white papers, technical reports, presentations, and videos to communicate research findings effectively.
- Presentations: Present research findings to colleagues and the US Department of Energy (DOE).
- Collaborative Research: Partner with NREL researchers to frame concept notes and foster relationships that address evolving energy challenges.
Types of Projects
The selected intern will be assigned to a primary project/area of focus but may support multiple projects. Projects may include:
- Community Power Accelerator: Support efforts to connect community solar initiatives with financial backers and developers to accelerate renewable energy projects.
- Innovative Siting of Energy Infrastructure: Support projects investigating how energy infrastructure (e.g., solar farms, transmission lines) can be developed in new places and areas.
- Catalyzers: Collaborating with colleagues to elevate, broaden, and deepen research capabilities to address emerging challenges in the clean energy transition by leveraging energy analysis, projects, data, and tools within specific research areas.
- DOE Voucher Program Support: Assist in connecting small businesses with DOE voucher programs, enabling them to access technologies that can accelerate their growth.
- America Made Prize Challenge: Participate in reviewing feedback for this initiative, which supports American innovation in clean energy.
Basic Qualifications
Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. Undergraduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a bachelor’s degree program from an accredited institution. Post Undergraduate: Earned a bachelor’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year. Graduate: Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a master’s degree program from an accredited institution. Post Graduate: Earned a master’s degree within the past 12 months. Eligible for an internship period of up to one year. Graduate + PhD: Completed master’s degree and enrolled as PhD student from an accredited institution.
* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.
Additional Required Qualifications
- The successful candidate will have recently completed an undergraduate or graduate degree, or be currently enrolled in a graduate program in: engineering, social science, business, finance, MBA, public policy, MPA, or related field.
- Education based knowledge of at least one method of research impact: community engagement, qualitative research methods, quantitative research methods.
- Writing up syntheses of multiple inputs toward a collaborative output.
All applicants must provide a writing sample, ideally consisting of no more than 5 pages. The sample should come from work that the applicant has done before, whether from coursework or internship/work experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Undergraduate degree plus progress or admittance to a graduate degree in business or science management, social sciences, engineering.
- A track record of identifying challenges and taking action to make change in the target system.
- An understanding of the complexity of making progress at the intersection of technology and society.
- Candidates willing and able to work from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s South Table Mountain campus at least three days per week.
Job Application Submission Window
The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.
