Research Associate Intern for Fall 2026

Sustainable Energy Advantage (SEA) has for 25 years been a national leader in development, analysis, and implementation of clean energy policies and markets, particularly throughout the Northeast U.S. As a renewable energy market, policy, strategic, and financial analysis consulting and advisory firm, SEA supports hundreds of clients, including over 40 governmental entities and a diverse range of private sector stakeholders across all clean energy technologies.

About the role

We are seeking an enthusiastic, dedicated, and organized Research Associate intern to contribute to our consulting practice by supporting a diverse set of clients and tasks. This position offers exposure to a wide range of topics and stakeholders in the renewable energy industry, including research and quantitative market, financial, and economic analysis. Interns at SEA participate in varied projects, collaborate with senior staff, and see their work directly impact clients and subscribers.

SEA fosters a collegial, tight-knit team environment with a shared sense of purpose. Interns receive mentorship and support while being given the space to learn and adapt. The internship is based in Framingham, MA, with a hybrid work model (three days in-office: Tuesday–Thursday). We accommodate school schedules and remote work for the right candidates.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and summarize current renewable energy regulatory, legislative, and policy developments.
• Perform detailed research and analysis (qualitative and quantitative) on renewable energy-related policy and business activities, including supply and demand within New England’s Renewable Energy Credit (REC) markets.
• Support the development of new SEA products and services.
• Contribute to projects such as:
  • Writing weekly content for SEA’s Eyes & Ears newsletter, summarizing and analyzing recent legislation, regulations, and studies.
  • Revising SEA’s proprietary Renewable Energy Credit (REC) pricing model, including data scraping (Python), project research, and demand estimation.
  • Conducting qualitative market-entry research for renewable energy programs in specific states.
  • Performing quantitative research on cost drivers for technologies like electric vehicles, green hydrogen, or energy storage.
  • GIS analysis of renewable energy siting potential in given areas.

Requirements

• Pursuing or recently completed a bachelor’s degree in a field related to energy (e.g., public policy, economics, environmental studies, finance, or other business- or energy-related studies).
• Demonstrated interest in and commitment to renewable energy and climate change issues, with the ability to balance passion with objective analysis.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Comfort with analyzing and discussing concepts related to policy, economics, finance, accounting, engineering, or environmental sciences.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple projects efficiently.
• Self-motivated, flexible, and able to work independently or collaboratively in a team environment.
• Proficiency with MS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Enthusiasm for tackling new and unfamiliar topics.

Preferred Qualifications

• Pursuing or recently completed a master’s degree in an energy-related field or 1–2 years of work experience in the renewable energy industry.
• Experience tracking and analyzing legislation and public policy, with a strong understanding of the legislative process.
• Familiarity with electricity markets and renewable energy issues, including solar, renewable energy, and carbon markets policy.
• Skills in MS Access or other database software, including database theory, design, management, and SQL.
• Interest or experience in marketing, particularly within the renewable energy industry.
• Experience with GIS software or web design/programming.

Schedule

Fall 2026 internship (September–December), 40 hours per week. Hybrid work model with three in-office days (Tuesday–Thursday) and flexibility for remote work based on school schedules.