Job Description

The Organization

Renewable Northwest is a nonprofit advocacy group based in Portland, Oregon. We envision every home, business, and vehicle in the Northwest to be powered by renewable, affordable, carbon-free electricity. Our mission is to decarbonize the region by accelerating the transition to renewable electricity. We do this work through engagement in the regulatory sector, policy development and advocacy for transmission and market solutions that benefit integration of renewable energy resources.

The Internship

The development of offshore wind in the United States has advanced significantly in the past year, including on the West Coast, but is still in early stages. In Oregon, offshore wind is increasingly a part of electricity sector discussions – from planning and regulation to transmission and regional markets. Understanding how different states and regions are approaching these aspects will be instructive for the Oregon context. This internship will support Renewable Northwest’s work around the responsible development of offshore wind in Oregon as part of meeting the state’s clean energy goals.

The internship’s work would include:

• Research of current policies and procedures – federal, regional, and state, as required – around offshore wind development in the United States, and of latest research and published studies on offshore wind technology and impacts to create an outline, annotated bibliography, or case studies.
• Creation of fact sheets on the offshore wind development process in Oregon in collaboration with Renewable Northwest staff.
• Conduct interviews with Renewable Northwest members interested in offshore wind to help identify areas of opportunity and possible policy gaps.
• Attend offshore wind discussions and meetings with other stakeholders, as appropriate.

The resultant information will help shape local and regional policy solutions for advancement of clean energy. In addition to the focus on this project, the intern will get broad exposure to the policy and regulatory work of the organization and will gain real-world experience on renewable energy issues in the Northwest.

Candidates should have excellent research and writing skills, have strong experience working with Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint) and Google Docs, and demonstrate passion for renewable energy and/or Northwest energy issues.

This is a paid, temporary position at $15/hour.

The length of the internship will vary depending upon school schedules but is not expected to extend beyond 12 weeks. Interns will have the option to work at the Portland office or remotely and be required to attend virtual meetings.

How to Apply

Send the following materials in MS Word or PDF format via email:

• Cover Letter - address to: Diane Brandt, OR Policy Manager. (Highlight your skills/experience as they relate to the projects outlined above)
• Current Resume
• Writing sample of 3 to 5 pages (Highlight your writing/research skills)
• List of three professional references: Include name, title, relationship to you, phone, and email address

Send complete application to:  [email protected]. Questions may be directed to Pam Mahon, Operations Manager at the same email address. Application deadline: April 22, 2022

Job Categories: Clean Energy. Job Types: Internship. Job Tags: Offshore Wind, Policy Research, and renewable energy. Salaries: Less than 20,000.

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