ACORE Internship Program

The ACORE internship program is designed to mentor rising seniors and graduate students, as well as recent university graduates who are interested in making a career in the renewable energy industry. The focus of the program is to assist young professionals along the path of professional development, gaining the knowledge, resources and experience they need to join the renewable energy industry, whether it be in industry and trade, finance or policy. Program participants engage in research, writing and program assistance based on their interests and ACORE's current programmatic needs, therefore excellent reading and writing skills in the English language are required.

The principal activity during the internship is an individual research project meant to focus the intern's attention and knowledge of a niche or aspect of renewable energy, preparing them to seek a job in that area. Interns build on their knowledge of the renewable energy industry prior experiences, delve into publications and reading lists provided to them by ACORE staff, and gain introductions to the renewable energy community, as well as potential employers though networking events and personal introductions.

Students who speak fluent Mandarin are welcome to apply specifically for a US-China Program internship at ACORE by noting that in their cover letter.

Internship applications are welcome from rising seniors and graduate students personally committed to making renewable energy the focus of their future career. We welcome applications from many majors, and from all U.S. universities.

Where will you intern? Internships are based in our Washington, DC office. Remote or web-based internships are not currently available.

When do internships take place? New applications are reviewed three times a year, roughly in line with the academic calendar. Interviews are conducted in the one to two months before each internship term begins. These terms are generally from September to December, January to April and May to August.

Are the internships full-time or part-time? Internships are customized to individual interns' schedules. Most internships are 2 or 3 full days per week for 3 to 4 months. Based on your individual circumstances and availability, full time internships may be available. The internship program is currently unpaid. Many participants who are not currently enrolled in school choose to work part time alongside a part-time internship.

What is expected of you as an ACORE intern? As an ACORE intern you expected to work with ACORE staff to identify, define and pursue a project of interest that will form the core content of you work at ACORE. Some interns know what project they want to pursue before starting; others define the project after arriving at ACORE. The core project or projects are designed to help you gain specialized knowledge in one area of the renewable energy industry. Most interns will spend 50% of their total time at ACORE focused on their core project. In addition to the project, you are expected to delve into the information resources provided to you by ACORE staff to gain a broad based understanding of the industry.

In the space of networking and industry exploration, you are expected to take advantage of all opportunities to attend lectures, briefing, and conferences and networking events to gain a broader understanding of the numerous organizations and viewpoints in the space. Keeping your job search in mind, you will be expected to work out a personal informational interviewing plan, identifying individuals working in your areas of career interest, to gain a better understanding of future opportunities. Lastly, as a team player in a fast-paced office, we hope you are willing to pitch in with tasks such as stuffing envelopes or working conferences with the rest of the ACORE team, when that kind of work is necessary.