Intern - Environmental Research

Offshore Energy Environmental Research Support

As a leader in advancing New York’s energy transition, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has remained a credible, objective, and trusted partner in our State’s energy planning as well as in deploying new and innovative technologies to expand New York’s economy. NYSERDA has worked for the past 50 years to protect the environment and help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, lower energy costs, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. NYSERDA engages with stakeholders including residents, business owners, developers, community leaders, local government officials, universities, utilities, investors, entrepreneurs, and more, to develop, invest, and foster conditions that: 

• Attract the private sector capital investment needed to expand New York’s clean energy economy. 
• Overcome barriers to using clean energy at a large-scale in New York. 
• Enable New York’s communities and residents to benefit equitably in the clean energy transition. 

This is a paid internship for current students at an accredited college. The pay rate is from $18 to $20 per hour based on current class year. This internship will begin on June 1, 2026, and continue through August 7, 2026. If mutually agreeable, the internship may be extended into the Fall 2026 semester.

Interns must be located in New York State or an immediately adjacent state while working. It is expected that interns will follow our telework policy, with a combination of in-office and remote work. Interns work up to 18.5 hours per week during the semester, and up to 37.5 hours per week between semesters, when not attending classes.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

The intern will support NYSERDA’s Environmental Research team’s mission to plan for and disseminate environmental and fisheries research related to offshore energy development. 

• Event support: Attend the 2026 State of the Science on Offshore Energy, Wildlife, and Fisheries at Stony Brook University from Jun 8-11 and help in day-of-event activities as identified by the conference planning team.
• Scientific support: Synthesize scientific information from conference, academic, and regulatory resources.    
• Stakeholder engagement: Collaborate with internal, interagency, and external stakeholders on issues related to energy development and marine ecosystems.   
• Program support: Assist with project management, coordination, and logistical support for ongoing environmental and fisheries research projects.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Current enrollment in a graduate degree program in marine sciences, oceanography, or relevant environmental or physical sciences field.
• Proficient computer skills with the MS Office Suite (Teams, Word, PowerPoint, Excel). 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Organized and able to work independently with attention to detail and critical thinking skills. 
• Strong interest in the intersection of clean energy, climate, and marine ecosystems.
• Demonstrated aptitude in policy analysis, research (using primary and secondary sources), and technical writing.
• Ability to demonstrate respect, equity and inclusive behavior and practices of a diverse workforce and community.

Please submit two files, one for your cover letter and another for a resume, through our Careers page online.

(Applications submitted only through your school’s recruiting portal will not be considered.)

Please note that during the application process, you may be prompted to opt-in to Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) scoring. This is an automatic request in the ADP system but is not a feature that is used by NYSERDA in its recruiting and hiring process. Your response will have no impact on your application to NYSERDA.