Applications due by Monday, December 9 at 8 am (Pacific).

The Schatz Energy Research Center has openings for two undergraduate students for research assistantships related to offshore wind energy. These paid internship positions are expected to start in early February 2025 and continue to the end of the Spring Semester 2025, with the possibility to continue work into a portion of the summer. The position is supported with stipends made possible by funding support from the Philip & Yuriko Anton Climate Endowment.

Position summaries

The student interns will be assigned responsibilities based on background skill sets, project needs, and student interests. A position is available in each of the following projects:

Offshore Wind (OSW) Community Engagement: OSW development in Humboldt County presents unique opportunities and challenges for local Tribes and communities, underscoring the need for continuous, meaningful community engagement. The student intern will assist with outreach tasks related to these developments, including collecting and organizing information resources, developing engagement materials, and supporting engagement activities to help foster public awareness and dialogue around OSW. The intern may also participate in related socioeconomic research related to community perspectives on OSW.
OSW Policy Research: OSW projects will require dozens of permits from multiple federal and state agencies. The number of agencies involved in permitting has the potential to delay the construction and operation of OSW projects, which could impact the State of California’s ability to meet its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets on time. Robust community engagement and Tribal consultation is also necessary to assess and address the potential impacts of OSW projects on host communities, Tribal Nations, and other impacted groups. The student intern will assist in policy research on potential permitting pathways for OSW projects and related projects, such as analyzing examples of coordinated permitting processes for multiple agencies and identifying successful examples of tribal consultation and community engagement processes that could be applied in the OSW context.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications

Education and Experience

Eligible applicants must be undergraduate students in good academic standing at Cal Poly Humboldt who are registered for at least 6.0 units the coming semester (Spring 2025).
For applicants to the OSW Community Engagement position: Prior experience with community engagement, public outreach, or communications, and an interest in renewable energy topics is preferred. Relevant experience could come from academic coursework, volunteer work, or other professional or informal roles. (For applicants to the OSW Community Engagement position)
For applicants to the OSW Policy Research position: Prior experience with policy and/or regulatory analysis, with a preference for interest in renewable energy topics. Relevant experience could come from academic coursework, work experience, and/or other forms of experience.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

Proficiency with word processing and spreadsheet analysis.
Ability and willingness to work with and learn from others effectively in a team setting.
Ability to communicate effectively in written and interpersonal contexts.
Ability to develop clear, accessible written materials and communicate effectively in both written and verbal settings.
For applicants to the OSW Community Engagement position: Ability and interest to engage in qualitative analyses related to the socioeconomic dimensions of offshore wind development (for applicants to the OSW Community Engagement position.
For applicants to the OSW Policy Research position: Ability and interest to analyze policies and permitting requirements relevant to OSW projects.
Ability to self-motivate and follow through on assignments.
Demonstrates interest and enthusiasm for issues related to energy and environmental sustainability.

Compensation

Interns will receive a stipend of $5,000 for contributing to research during Spring and Summer 2025. It is anticipated that interns will contribute an average of 8-10 hours per week during each semester to the Center’s offshore wind research efforts.

How to apply

Deadline

All application materials must be received by 8 am Pacific Time (US) on Monday, December 9, 2024.

Materials

Applicants must submit the following via email to schatzenergy@humboldt.edu:

A formal letter of application that
- Describes your background and what motivates you to apply.
- Specifies the research opportunity to which you are applying. If you wish to apply to both research opportunities, a separate letter of application for each is required.
- Addresses your experience with the qualifications described above and provides examples of experience, including descriptions of relevant work and/or a listing/description of relevant college/university courses successfully completed.
A resume (1 page maximum preferred)

Questions and inquiries

For assistance with the application process, please submit an Accommodation Request Form, which can be at https://forms.humboldt.edu/spf-accomodation-request-form, or contact the campus ADA Coordinator at (707) 826-3626 or confidential fax at (707) 826-3625. For more information regarding accommodation, you may also visit the Cal Poly Humboldt Campus Disability Resource Center at https://disability.humboldt.edu/employee-accommodation. Individuals in need of a telecommunications relay service may contact the California Relay Service at (877) 735-2929 TTY.
Learn more about our employment opportunities at schatzcenter.org/jobs.
For additional information, please email schatzenergy@humboldt.edu or call (707) 826-4345.

Who we are

Since 1989, the Schatz Center has been a leader in applied research and project development for clean and renewable energy. Our current portfolio includes microgrid development, sustainable transportation design, carbon life cycle analysis, solar product testing, offshore wind feasibility studies, and planning and policy for clean energy access around the globe.

As residents of a rural coastal community, we are keenly aware of our social and environmental responsibilities. We are committed to increasing energy access and resilience for communities worldwide — and do so through clean and renewable design that reduces climate change and restores environmental and human health.

About the Philip & Yuriko Anton Climate Endowment

Philip and Yuriko Anton are pleased to support research assistantships at the Schatz Energy Research Center through their Anton Climate Fund. Support will go to undergraduate students pursuing extracurricular work at the Center related to clean energy and climate change, with a preference for supporting student involvement in projects involving renewable energy technologies such as offshore wind energy.
For additional information, please email schatzenergy@humboldt.edu or call (707) 826-4345.

Job opening: student research assistants in offshore wind energy