CLIMATE PROGRAMS INTERN
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Trust for Governors Island is seeking a Climate Programs Intern to support the Living Lab, part of the Center for Climate Solutions on Governors Island.
The Living Lab offers a platform for partnerships and programs that advance climate action in New York City by making Governors Island available as a site to test and demonstrate urban climate solutions for cities and their diverse communities; offering field trips that inspire NYC students with hopeful solutions to the global climate crisis; and providing an inclusive convening space to engage in meaningful dialogue about climate change.
The Intern will support the Director of Climate Programs in implementing two key initiatives:
- Climate Solutions Piloting Program and Public Engagement: In the past year, the Trust has welcomed nearly a dozen early-stage companies and nonprofits to pilot innovative and equitable climate solutions on Governors Island, including through its new annual Climate Solutions Challenge. These include the six winners of the 2023 Water Abundance Challenge that will be installing their projects this summer and fall, as well as other climate tech pilots focused on air quality, ecologically responsible carbon removal, and off-grid solar power. This summer, the Trust will produce a family-friendly “Demo Day” in mid-July and conduct outreach for the 2024 Climate Solutions Challenge. The Graduate Intern will support both efforts, with a particular focus on identifying and synthesizing best practices and metrics for equitable public engagement in climate tech.
- Sustainability Planning: The Trust for Governors Island is establishing the island’s first-ever Climate Action Framework to guide the Island’s development as a public, physical example of a sustainable and adaptive urban environment – a beacon in New York Harbor inspiring cities around the world. With support from the Director of Climate Programs, the Graduate Intern will implement one of the plan’s first action items: developing a baseline sustainability and greenhouse gas inventory, establishing a critical benchmark to measure and prioritize future climate action.
Responsibilities will include:
Climate Solutions Piloting Program and Public Engagement
- Research and synthesize best practices for equitable public engagement for early-stage climate tech pilots to inform a future piloting playbook.
- Support planning and production of public events, including Demo Days and site tours with key stakeholders, including investors, customers, City agencies, students, founders, and nonprofit leaders.
- Support marketing and promotion of active piloting projects, including coordinating with the Public Affairs team on pilot data communication, physical signage, case studies, and other storytelling platforms.
- Other research, operations, planning, and support tasks as needed.
Sustainability Planning
- Identify major emissions sources and climate impacts on island, as guided by the Trust’s Climate Action Framework, and assemble available data and indicators to track over time, including and not limited to electricity and gas demand, renewable energy use, potable water use, diversion rate to landfill, plant and wildlife audits, etc.
- Research and synthesize best practices for ongoing benchmarking.
- Deliver dataset and key findings to senior staff.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree is required. Partial completion of a master’s degreein business, environmental science, public policy, architecture, engineering, urban planning, or related field preferred.
Experience:
- Minimum 2 years of experience in urban planning, sustainable development, economic development, business development, public administration, or related field is preferred.
- Experience in managing GHG inventories and/or real estate projects in the built environment preferred.
Skills and Abilities:
- Success in leading inter-departmental teams on collaborative, place-based projects
- Strong attention to detail in managing a project portfolio
- Creative, optimistic problem-solver who anticipates challenges and is successful in navigating uncertainty
- Keen to work with diverse stakeholders across the innovation and policy ecosystem, including in business and government as well as community-based and nonprofit organizations
- Effective communicator in oral, written, analytical, and visual formats
- Entrepreneurialand results-oriented
- Valid driver’s license
Salary Range: $20 to $25 per hour
Location and Schedule: All positions are located on Governors Island. The position is in-person four days a week and remote one day a week.
TO APPLY
Please send a cover letter and resume as a singlePDF document to jobs@govisland.org with “Climate Programs Intern” in the subject line. No phone calls please.
The Trust for Governors Island does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, genetic information, marital status, membership in an employee organization, military service, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including gender identity), sexual orientation, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, or other non-merit factor.
ABOUT THE TRUST FOR GOVERNORS ISLAND
The Trust for Governors Island (The Trust) is a nonprofit corporation created by the City of New York. It is responsible for the redevelopment and operation of 150 acres of Governors Island. The Trust's mission is to realize the full potential of Governors Island, demonstrating a bold vision for public space. For more information, visit www.govisland.org