summer internships
Energy-related research opportunities with faculty members, as well as with non-profit and government organizations, are listed below. Alternatively, a student may self-initiate an energy-related project with a faculty member of their choice.
- Applications open on November 25, 2024. Students should apply for an Andlinger Center summer internship in the Student Activities Funding Engine (SAFE). Application instructions can be found below.
- Princeton first-years, sophomores, and juniors in good academic and judicial standing may apply for up to two Andlinger Center summer internship opportunities.
- Students on a leave of absence for the AY24-25 academic year are not eligible to apply for summer 2025 internships.
- The final deadline for submitting applications is January 13, 2025.
- Selected students receive a stipend of $700/week, plus a research-related or travel-related award, if applicable.
- Questions? Contact Moira Selinka at mselinka@princeton.edu
Summer internships are funded by the Peter B. Lewis Fund for Student Innovation in Energy and the Environment and the Dede T. Bartlett P03 Fund for Student Research in Energy and the Environment.
Internships with Faculty
(Listed alphabetically by last name)
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Different projects on microbial, metabolic, and protein engineering for the sustainable production of fuels, chemicals, specialty chemicals, etc. We also have projects using microbial metabolism in reverse to degrade PFAS or cellular engineering to accumulate heavy metals, for bioremediation applications. The intern will learn modern techniques in molecular biology, genetic engineering, microbial cultivation, protein expression, fermentation, instrumental analysis, and other skills in biotechnology. Primary supervisor: Prof. Jose Avalos.
Background desired: Motivation to learn and passion for sustainability.
Duration: 9 weeks
Location: On campus
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Converting agricultural feedstocks and biomass into fuels and chemicals is a major challenge in the renewable energy transition. This process is bottlenecked by the difficulty of degrading lignocellulose. While significant progress has been made in degrading its cellulosic content, its hemicellulosic component contains a diverse range of polysaccharides such as xylan and glucurono-arabinoxylan that demand highly specialized Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes) for hydrolysis. These CAZymes are natively produced in several biomass degrading thermophiles such as Clostridium thermocellum and Caldicellulosiruptor bescii and have garnered significant attention in recent years.
The Conway Lab focuses on the biology and manipulation of thermophilic bacteria as emerging metabolic engineering hosts. Through this project we will explore how such thermophilic bacteria effectively deconstruct and utilize complex biomass through biochemically characterizing the specific CAZymes and non-catalytic auxiliary proteins that synergistically drive hemicellulose breakdown. To improve the production of valuable chemical commodities from these thermophilic host microorganisms, we will also develop engineering tools for metabolic and transcriptional control. Results from this work will further the utility of biomass degrading thermophiles in converting lignocellulosic biomass into renewable fuels and chemicals. Primary supervisor: Prof. Jonathan Conway, additional supervisors: Hansen Tjo, CBE Ph.D. student, Joey Galindo, CBE Ph.D. student.
Background desired: Major in science or engineering discipline is preferred. Previous laboratory experience is preferred, but not required. University laboratory safety and biosafety trainings must be completed prior to the start of the internship.
Duration: 9 weeks
Location: On campus
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Our research group engages in the design, fabrication, and characterization of engineered surfaces and materials employed in mid-infrared sensing systems or coatings for energy applications.
Background desired: No specific background required, although a STEM interest is beneficial.
Duration: 9 weeks
Location: On campus
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This project is to develop a novel electrochemical and plasma catalytic reactor to convert CO2 and water to methanol. The student will join a research group led by a graduate student or postdoc to develop the experimental design and characterize the CO2 conversion ratio and methanol selectivity. Primary supervisor: Prof. Yiguang Ju
Background desired: knowledge of thermodynamics
Duration: 9 weeks
Location: On campus
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Water desalination technology is increasingly essential to address growing freshwater scarcity associated with climate change, industrialization, and population growth. Electrically-driven, membrane based desalination processes are energy efficient and compact. They rely on ion exchange membranes, which are filtration materials that allow either cations or anions to move through. Although such processes work well for purifying brackish water, their ability to selectively remove specific contaminants such as arsenic or nitrate is limited by the selectivity performance of the membrane, which is difficult to predict when the membrane is in contact with natural waters that contain many dissolved species.
The objective of this project is to investigate how anions from different mixtures sorb (or partition) onto ion exchange membranes at different temperatures and concentrations. This data can be used to evaluate the kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of the partitioning process, with the ultimate goal of being able to predict the selectivity performance. This project will provide an excellent opportunity to learn hands-on laboratory skills relevant to water quality analysis and environmental engineering. In addition to practicing fundamental skills such as preparing and organizing samples, preparing aqueous electrolyte solutions, and measuring pH or conductivity, the intern will learn to use advanced analytical instruments such as ion chromatography. Primary supervisor: Ouriel Ndalamba, CEE Ph.D. student
Background desired: The intern will need a strong understanding of general chemistry concepts and must be familiar with basic laboratory safety and techniques. The ideal candidate will have prior experience in a chemistry or environmental lab environment and strong organizational, written, and verbal communication skills. The intern will be contacted by their mentor to complete laboratory safety training during the first week of the internship.
Duration: 9 weeks
Location: On campus
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Plastic pollution continues to be a major environmental problem. One of many possible solutions to this problem involves using either whole cell biocatalysts or purified enzymes to break down plastics into useful feedstock chemicals that can be used to displace petrochemical sources. This project will focus on the expression and purification of plastic-degrading enzymes from various sources. The student will gain experience in recombinant DNA manipulations as well as protein purification and characterization and enzyme assays. Primary supervisor: Prof. A. James Link.
Background desired: student planning to major in CBE, MOL, CHM or another engineering discipline are best suited for this opportunity
Duration: 9 weeks
Location: On campus
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This internship involves qualitative and quantitative research into the factors influencing private companies to invest in climate change adaptation. We will address questions such as what prevents companies from investing in adaptation, what policies would attract investment, in what sectors could existing business models be built upon to encourage investment, and what financial analysis methods would improve understanding of risks and returns of investments. The project will include literature review of journal articles and reports on private sector investment in adaptation, potential adaptation technologies, supply costs, and analytic methods. The products of the internship will be a report and pilot application of quantitative methods for evaluating adaptation investment returns. Primary supervisor: Richard Moss, Andlinger Center Non-resident Fellow
Project Background: The majority of tracked adaptation finance has come from public sources like national governments and international development agencies. Private sector involvement has been deterred by a variety of factors such as the difficulty in quantifying return on investment, the long-term nature of adaptation projects, and the fact that many of the benefits of adaptation are public goods. While currently limited, there is increasing interest from the private sector to invest in climate adaptation, particularly where there are clear business benefits or government incentives.
Background desired: Familiarity with mixed methods research; familiarity with uses and limits of financial modeling to assess investment potential; and use of sensitivity analysis to assess impacts of uncertainties on financial outcomes. Majoring in engineering (especially CEE/ORFE/MAE), economics, or SPIA.
Duration: 9 weeks
Location: On campus
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There has been growing evidence that some types of climate policies (e.g., subsidies to adopt clean energy) can enable or support the subsequent adoption of other policies (e.g., carbon pricing). The adoption of climate policy in leading countries/regions may also encourage other countries/regions to follow suit. Drawing on a few recently published global datasets on climate policy adoption, this project aims to deepen the empirical understanding of policy sequencing within major countries and policy diffusion across countries. The goal is to develop an empirically grounded framework to help predict policy choice and adoption. These empirical relationships will then be incorporated into a multi-sector, multi-regional global integrated assessment model for forward-looking scenario analysis. Primary supervisor: Prof. Wei Peng, additional supervisors: Dr. Manuel Linsenmeier, HMEI postdoctoral research associate, Huilin Luo, SPIA Ph.D. student
Background desired: Proficiency with R, Python, or other programming language for data analysis is required. Prior courses on energy transition, climate policy, or energy modeling are strongly preferred.
Duration: 9 weeks
Location: On campus
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The success of inorganic semiconductors, particularly silicon, stems from a deep understanding of their crystallization and epitaxial growth, in which crystals are grown on a pre-existing crystalline template. Despite the achievements of OLEDs, the crystallization of organic semiconductor (OSC) thin films and their epitaxy remains largely unexplored. In this project, we will investigate various OSC thin films to understand the factors governing their crystallization behavior. Furthermore, we will examine the epitaxial growth of OSCs to assess their structural tolerance and compatibility with other crystals. We believe that understanding the factors dictating the crystallization and growth of OSCs will be key to unlocking high-performance organic electronics. Primary supervisor: Prof. Barry Rand, additional supervisors: Chiao-Jung Su, ECE Ph.D. student, Hui Taou Kok, PHY Ph.D. student.
Background desired: Knowledge of physics and how to use Excel and PowerPoint and software to plot out data.
Duration: 8 weeks
Location: On campus
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Using a database of responses to a survey on emissions from water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs), interns will construct interview guides for follow-up conversations with WRRF operators, develop spreadsheets for data collection, and attend the interviews to take notes, document data, and ensure that all desired data points are collected. Primary supervisor: Emily Mayo, CEE Ph.D. student
Background desired: Technical skills with Google Sheets/Excel are preferred. Background in environmental engineering and any coursework relating to wastewater treatment would be helpful but not required.
Duration: 9 weeks
Location: On campus
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While catalysts are ubiquitous in the production of fuels and important intermediates for chemicals, consumer goods, and pharmaceuticals, the design of advanced catalysts that possess high reactivity, selectivity, and stability remains paramount to efficiently and sustainably meeting our growing demands. Porous crystalline materials such as zeolites and metal-organic frameworks are a class of materials that offer a large and diverse pool of catalysts and catalyst supports. This work strives to elucidate how important catalytic properties affect reactivity, selectivity and stability. We aim to control these properties via advanced synthesis strategies, which are vital for the optimization and potential industrial application of our materials and processes. Primary supervisor: Prof. Michele Sarazen.
Background desired: Some amount of chemistry.
Duration: 8 weeks
Location: On campus
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How does the new demand for electricity from AI computational demands impact our goals for decarbonization of electricity production? Is nuclear the backstop technology? How do renewables and battery storage impact the equation? The project is to study these issues quantitatively building off research funded by ARPA-E described at orfeus.princeton.edu. Primary supervisor: Prof. Ronnie Sircar
Background desired: Statistics (ORF 245), Python, Probability (ORF 309)
Duration: 8 weeks
Location: On campus
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The global demand of lithium is expected to increase 20-fold by 2050, highlighting how the clean energy transition strains the production of minerals. Lithium is primarily extracted from continental brines of geological origin, which are pumped into open-air ponds where water evaporates, gradually concentrating all solutes. Abundant salts crystallize and remain at saturation, while dilute elements (such as lithium) continue to enrich until chemical extraction is feasible. While evaporation is currently the method of choice due to its low cost, these evaporation ponds are slow, land intensive, and unsustainable. In order to improve evaporative lithium extraction, it is important to understand processes like the transport of dissolved minerals, the fluid dynamics of the brine, and the transfer of heat and water vapor, which are currently poorly understood due to the complex interactions between them. This project will investigate these fundamental transport processes using benchtop experiments and microfluidics. We will build microscopic channels as wide as a human hair, and observe the concentration and crystallization of minerals in-situ using microscopy. The resulting insights will be used to develop models for the concentration and extraction of minerals like lithium, as well as to explore pathways for their optimization. Primary supervisor: Dr. Fernando Temprano-Coleto, ACEE Postdoctoral Research Associate
Background desired: No particular background required.
Duration: 9 weeks
Location: On campus
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The rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the U.S. has increased demand for residential EV charging, creating new challenges and opportunities for the electricity grid. To manage this increased demand, electric utilities are introducing residential EV charging programs aimed at guiding consumer charging behavior, particularly encouraging off-peak charging. This strategy helps balance grid demand, supports grid resilience, and contributes to decarbonization efforts. This internship offers the opportunity to explore the nuances of these residential EV charging programs by supporting two research projects: 1) examining EV user enrollment in charging programs in Mercer County and/or PSE&G’s jurisdiction, and 2) investigating utility decision-makers’ mental models around program design. The intern will play a key role in qualitative data analysis, focusing on interview coding and thematic analysis to generate insights into user enrollment decisions and program design strategies. Primary supervisor: Calvin Spanbauer, SPIA Ph.D. student.
Background desired: Majoring in Public Affairs, Environmental Studies, Sociology, or a related social science; Familiarity with or an interest in learning qualitative methods (experience with NVivo or similar software is a plus); Strong attention to detail and ability to identify themes in text; Effective verbal and written skills for collaboration and reporting; Good time management to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
Duration: 8 weeks
Location: On campus
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Implementation of novel cement materials in the construction industry is hindered by the lack of long-term performance data predicting durability. This summer undergraduate research project consists of performing experiments in Prof. White’s research lab to determine the long-term performance of low-CO2 cements by discovering the underlying chemical mechanisms. Experimental techniques that may be employed include X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. No prior knowledge on the material or experimental techniques is required for this project. Primary supervisor: Prof. Claire White
Background desired: No particular background required.
Duration: 9 weeks
Location: On campus
Internships with Non-profit and Government Organizations
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Business and industry are critical greenhouse gas emitters and will play a key role in climate change mitigation. In a time when federal policy is loosened, voluntary action by industries will become even more important. The ACEEE Behavior, Health, and Human Dimensions Program will be conducting research on industrial decision-making and how industries can be encouraged to act on climate change. More broadly, in 2025 the program will conduct research and provide assistance to professionals on changing behavior and encouraging energy efficiency and climate action across all sectors of the economy. The intern will be asked to assist with background literature reviews, behavioral science advising, interviews with business leaders, and other research activities.
The intern will work within the Behavior, Health, and Human Dimensions program in Washington, DC. Primary supervisor: Dr. Reuven Sussman, Director, Behavior, Health and Human Dimensions Program.
Background desired/Qualifications: Experience, skills or knowledge in psychology or behavioral science are preferred but not required. A keen interest in learning, a strong work ethic, and an interest in the topic area is important. As a part of the program, the intern will learn and strengthen their research and project coordination skills. ACEEE will publish multiple studies in 2025 and the intern’s work will be featured in some of these publications.
Duration: 10 weeks
Location: Behavior, Health, and Human Dimensions program in Washington, DC either in person or remote.
Application materials: Interested applicants should attach their resume/CV and a statement indicating why they want to work with ACEEE and why they would be a good fit.
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Program/Department Overview
The goal of EDF’s Energy Transition Team is to bend the curve on global greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel production and use by 2030, cleanly and equitably. We will achieve this through a defined set of strategies targeted at 1) reducing emissions from fossil fuel production, delivery, and use, and 2) reducing demand for fossil fuels in power generation, transportation, buildings, and industry. To achieve this goal, we seek reforms in law, regulation, and/or business practice through a mix of strategic corporate partnerships, direct engagement with policymakers, and mobilizing investor and public sentiment in favor of change. In formulating and achieving our strategies, we will work in close collaboration with EDF regions, draw on cutting-edge science and rigorous economic and financial analysis, and act on principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion to develop durable solutions. This internship will be in the Energy Transition’s clean energy group, with a focus on California’s role in decarbonizing the US Power system.
Overall Function
Reporting to the Director, California Energy Program, this intern will support regulatory and legislative advocacy for clean energy procurement, transmission and market rule development for offshore wind and other clean energy resources. The intern will be tasked with preparing documents on both specific regulatory/legislative engagements in these key areas. In addition, the intern will be given a dedicated project to further advance our key deliverables. Key Responsibilities Tasks will include but are not limited to: • Research on clean energy market rules, including comparisons of the Western markets with other jurisdictions. • Support work with a diverse group of external public interest organizations and environmental justice partners to build consensus. • Prepare summaries of workshops and key meetings/briefings. • Contribute to developing briefing materials and presentations. • Prepare draft and edit various written collateral including opinion-editorials, blogs, speeches, presentations, etc. • Participate in advancing EDF Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values. Primary supervisor: Michael Colvin, Director of California Energy Program.
Background desired/Qualifications: • Enrolled in a degree program and/or demonstrated interest in clean energy, climate change, public policy or economics. • Coursework in energy, economics, climate change, public policy, or engineering recommended. • Excellent written and oral communication skills. • Must be well organized, motivated, and detail-oriented. • Ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines. • Ability to work in a team setting and have the ability to work independently when projects are due. • Demonstrate self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds. • Demonstrate initiative and problem-solving skills.
Duration: 10 weeks
Location: Hybrid out of an EDF office in Austin, TX, Boulder, CO, Boston, MA, New York, NY, Raleigh, NC, San Francisco, CA, Washington D.C, with option to be U.S. Remote. Intern supervisor is in California.
Application materials: Interested applicants should attach their cover letter and resume to their application in SAFE.
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Program/Department Overview
EDF’s Global Engagement and Partnerships (GEP) team facilitates EDF’s global presence, advocacy, and policy work, while also building strong relationships with stakeholders worldwide, working to ensure that EDF’s activities and communications are culturally relevant and effective. The GEP team coordinates EDF’s engagement in key international fora like the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other UN spaces, and serves as an institution-level coordinator for EDF’s partnerships with key multilateral stakeholders. GEP team members undertake original research and publish in peer-reviewed journals; participate in and regularly give presentations to international negotiators, representing EDF and broader NGO coalitions; and develop and present materials in a wide range of settings including multilateral meetings with governments, civil society organizations, corporations, and other stakeholders around the world.
Overall Function
The intern will support EDF’s Global Engagement and Partnerships team on research, writing, and advocacy projects focused on international climate negotiations and global environmental governance. The intern will also support the development and administration of strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in the multilateral space. The intern will work alongside other team members to prepare a range of written products, including policy memos, mappings of stakeholder initiatives, coordination support materials for EDF engagement, and tracking materials related to developments in multilateral environmental agreements including the UNFCCC COP30.
The intern will report to the Senior Analyst for Global Climate Cooperation. Key Responsibilities Tasks will include but are not limited to: • Support in the preparation of short policy briefs as well as larger written research products to inform team preparations for and analysis of negotiations in Rio Conventions and other UN and international forums, including the UNFCCC and the Convention on Biological Diversity. • Monitor and contribute to research on key and emerging issues in global environmental governance, including on updates to Nationally Determined Contributions, climate and biodiversity linkages, climate adaptation, and climate migration. • Support knowledge and stakeholder management for institutional partnership processes. • Support in overall coordination for EDF engagement in key multilateral spaces, including the UNFCCC and others. • Assist in creating presentations, blogs, memos, fact sheets, and communications materials for both internal and external audiences. • Participate in advancing EDF Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values. Primary supervisor: Zachary Cohen, Senior Analyst for Global Climate Cooperation
Background desired/Qualifications: Enrolled in a degree program and/or demonstrated interest in international environmental policy, environmental management, international relations, or related discipline. • Coursework in international relations, global environmental governance, and climate treaty negotiations recommended • Familiarity with UNFCCC or other UN conventions is a plus. • Excellent research, writing, and oral communication skills. • Must be well organized, motivated, and detail-oriented. • Ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines. • Ability to work in a team setting and have the ability to work independently when projects are due. • Demonstrate self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds. • Demonstrate initiative and problem solving skills.
Duration: 10 weeks
Location: Hybrid out of Washington, D.C., or New York, NY, with option to be U.S. Remote. Intern supervisor is in Washington D.C., and many team members are in New York.
Application materials: Interested applicants should attach their cover letter and resume to their application in SAFE.
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The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), located in Washington, D.C., regulates interstate sales of electricity and transmission of electricity. FERC also promotes strong national energy infrastructure, including adequate transmission facilities. FERC’s Office of Energy Market Regulation, Division of Electric Power Regulation analyzes regulatory filings involving Regional Transmission Organization (RTO)/Independent System Operator (ISO) wholesale electricity markets and other electric rate matters related to wholesale energy sales and transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce.
The intern will learn about the fundamentals of wholesale electricity markets from FERC experts, participate in interdisciplinary teams analyzing regulatory filings, and work with a mentor to define an independent research project at the intersection of engineering, economics, and policy. At the conclusion of the internship, the intern will present their research findings to the Office of Energy Market Regulation’s senior leadership. Past research topics include: (1) participation rules for new energy technologies, including renewables, demand response, and storage resources in electricity markets; (2) transmission expansion required to achieve decarbonization goals; and (3) electricity market reforms necessary to integrate distributed energy resources. Primary supervisor name and title: Doug Roe, Manager
Background Required: Enrolled in a bachelor’s program in engineering, economics, or related field. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated interest in electricity markets and previous energy-related coursework, research, or work experience. Must be a U.S. citizen.
Duration: 10 weeks (flexible start and end dates), 40 hours per week.
Location: This position is hybrid in Washington, D.C. Interns are expected to come in person at least once per week (typically, Wednesdays).
Application Materials: Cover letter and resume. The internship is contingent upon a successful completion of a background investigation.
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If you are passionate about water issues, public health and environmental equity, please consider joining our Moonshot Missions team! Moonshot Missions is led by George Hawkins, a visionary leader in the water sector and well-known for transforming DC Water into an innovative, customer-driven enterprise. We are a rapidly growing non-profit with 31 employees currently and are working directly to improve drinking water quality and wastewater services, as well as affordability and resiliency for under resourced communities nationwide. Whether you are just launching your career or looking to broaden your experience in the water industry, becoming part of the Moonshot Missions team will enable you to work alongside veteran water leaders, and make a direct impact on our sector, while helping to ensure safe and clean water is delivered to the people who need it most! To learn more about us, visit: https://www.moonshotmissions.org.
Moonshot Missions seeks an intern to serve as a technical and research resource for the organization, reporting to a Senior Utility Advisor and/or a Managing Director, to support the research team. The intern will apply research and knowledge to address the challenges facing drinking water and wastewater utilities, particularly in economically distressed communities. Moonshot Missions is currently working on topics related to environmental equity, such as drinking water and wastewater operational optimization and affordability, providing access to clean water in communities across the U.S. Our work aims to level the playing field in the water sector, so every American has access to clean and affordable drinking water and sanitation services. Primary supervisor: Andy Koester, Managing Director
Job Duties: – Conduct research on water and wastewater utilities using publicly available information.
– Review and interpret documents highlighting the operational, managerial, and financial characteristics of prospective and current utility clients.
– Identify economic, social, and environmental characteristics of the communities served by utilities.
– Research and participate in learning about field-tested and innovative water and wastewater utility solutions that can improve service delivery and reduce costs for Moonshot Missions utility clients.
– Develop Moonshot Missions modules, and standard guidance documents that provide solutions and steps to implementation for specific water and wastewater utility issues that can be applied by and among utility clients.
-Support the Moonshot Missions team in engaging with prospective and current utility clients, including the evaluation and identification of potential utility challenges and recommendations of effective and field-tested solutions.
– Research potential funding sources and opportunities to support the implementation of client utility projects.
– Support Moonshot Mission’s partnerships with various organizations that align with the Moonshot Missions’ vision and mission.
– Engage with utility sector experts to provide field-tested solutions to Moonshot Missions utility clients.
– Collaborate with the Moonshot Missions team to deliver optimal services to utility clients.
– Conduct additional research of publicly available information as required and prepare written reports
Background Required: Strong interest in the water and wastewater utility sector, specifically related to the engineering, operations, and maintenance of these systems. Ability to identify and review technical studies, interpreting and extracting relevant information. Effective written and verbal communication skills, ability to present technical information in clear, easy-to-understand language. Ability to interact positively in an evolving, fast-paced team environment.
Duration: 10 weeks
Location: This position is remote.
Application Materials: Cover letter and resume included with your application in SAFE.
application instructions
Applications must be submitted via SAFE.
Activity Type: Undergraduate Internships
Time Period: Summer Break
Opportunity: Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment Undergraduate Summer Internships
- For internships with faculty members chosen from the list of available projects, include with the application: a copy of your transcript and a copy of your resume/CV. Though it is not required, we recommend contacting the faculty member whose internship you plan to apply for to let them know you are interested and find out additional details about the project. **Please carefully review the application requirements–some of these opportunities also require a cover letter and/or a writing sample.**
- For self-initiated, internships with faculty members, include with the application: a project description of no more than two pages, a note from the faculty member who has agreed to supervise your project, a budget for project materials if needed, a copy of your transcript and a copy of your resume/CV. Indicate whether the project will be worked on in person or remotely.
- For internships with non-profit organizations, include with the application: a copy of your transcript and a copy of your resume/CV. If the internship is located outside of Princeton, include your anticipated travel expenses in the budget section. Applications for internships with these non-profits and government agencies are reviewed by the host organization in addition to Princeton faculty and program coordinators in order to determine the most suitable candidates for each position. The host organization may contact the student to arrange a telephone or Zoom interview. **Please carefully review the application requirements–some of these opportunities also require a cover letter and/or writing sample.**
Important things to note about the SAFE application form:
- In the Budget section, put $1.00 if you do not have travel expenses or project materials to include. The stipend is a set amount meant to help cover your summer living expenses, so there is no need to estimate your summer lodging or food costs, but the form cannot be submitted without a dollar amount.
- In the “Project Details” section, under “Internship Title” put the specific title of the internship for which you are applying.
- Be sure to complete the “Undergraduate Internships Questions” section. If a “Supervisor of Internship” is not listed in the internship description on our site, you do not need to fill this out.
Check that your application is submitted and locked before the January 13, 2025 final deadline. Incomplete and/or draft applications will not be considered.
If you have any questions about the application process, contact Moira Selinka, Program Manager, Education and Outreach, at mselinka@princeton.edu.