Job Description
The summer intern will work on a variety of tasks in the Office of Sustainable Energy (OSE), including research, data collection, stakeholder and public engagement, and communication of findings to project partners.
The OSE is working to establish the Regional Innovation Center, which will support local governments and home retrofit organizations in southeast PA by: supporting program coordination for weatherization and whole home retrofits; expanding DVRPC’s programs to support local government capacity; and coordinating regional collaboration and solutions. Active projects and programs under the Regional Innovation Center include:
- A pilot project to help home retrofit organizations coordinate for residential energy improvements.
- The Sustainable Energy Partnership of southeast PA, which provides support to the four collar counties in purchasing electricity and renewable energy.
- The Regional Benchmarking Program, which provides data management, stakeholder engagement support, and technical assistance to five pilot cohort municipalities in southeast PA to help them explore and potentially adopt an energy benchmarking requirement for large buildings.
The intern will have the opportunity to support all active projects and programs under the Regional Innovation Center, with the majority of effort supporting the Regional Benchmarking Program.
Responsibilities
- Develop presentations, take notes, and participate in regular program or project team meetings.
- Conduct desktop research in support of programs on topics such as whole home retrofits, workforce development, funding/financing projects, and policy.
- Home Retrofit Pilot:
- Support data collection for engagement materials that are developed as part of the strategies for home retrofit providers and local governments.
- Sustainable Energy Partnership:
- Gather and analyze utility bill data and support benchmarking of county facilities using available tools such as Energy Star Portfolio Manager, the Building Energy Analysis Manager, and Excel spreadsheets.
- Regional Benchmarking Program:
- Organize, track, and analyze data on building characteristics and benchmarking information using tools like Energy Star Portfolio Manager, Building Energy Analysis Manager (BEAM), property/building datasets, and Excel spreadsheets. Help to develop the covered building data summaries and Covered Properties Lists (CPLs) for the pilot cohort municipalities. Document and address data issues.
- Develop data tables, fact sheets, presentations, and/or other engagement materials for external meetings with Regional Benchmarking Program stakeholders, where applicable.
- Coordinate with GBU’s Better Buildings Hub to host webinars, workshops, and/or convenings related to best practices or regulatory issues; develop narrative-driven materials; and develop joint storytelling products that highlight building performance and related topics.
- Work with each municipality in the Regional Benchmarking Program pilot cohort to develop a draft Operations Plan for policy implementation.
- Help to draft a Regional Benchmarking Program grant application to a funding opportunity.
- Attend webinars, local networking events, and other opportunities as interested and available.
Qualifications
- Interest and background or training in power and utility systems, policies, and regional or municipal planning.
- Oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to perform independent research and gather data from reliable sources.
- Strong quantitative skills. Experience in data analysis and coding is a plus.
- Ability to work independently and be self-motivated.
- Ability to prioritize work and multitask.
- Proficiency in Google Suite is required.
Availability
Ability to start on June 2nd, 2026 is preferred. This is a hybrid, full-time position requiring a commitment of 37.5 hours per week.
Compensation
Interns currently pursuing or holding a Bachelor’s degree will be paid $19 per hour. Those currently pursuing or holding a Master’s degree will receive $22 per hour. Students with Work-Study funding are encouraged to apply.
Minimum Education and Training
Must have completed at least ONE YEAR of a college/university program or be enrolled in a master's program, or an equivalent combination of experience and training, plus substantial experience, interest, or involvement in planning.
Application
To be considered for this position, please submit both your resume and a cover letter
Please click here to apply for this job opportunity
DVRPC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Full consideration will be given to all eligible, qualified applicants without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability, domestic or sexual violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition (including pregnancy), national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation; or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law. Minority, female, and disabled applicants are encouraged to apply