International Energy Development and Gender Equity: Summer Research Assistant

Details

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Background and Responsibilities

For two years, the Kleinman Center has placed a Penn graduate student with Energia, an International Network focused on Gender and Sustainable Energy, for a 12-week summer fellowship based in the Hague, Netherlands. Energia’s core mission is centered around ensuring equal opportunities for women in the domains of universal energy access and a climate-just energy transition. This is achieved through various avenues such as supporting women-led micro and small energy service businesses, providing technical support to energy policies, advocating for gender equality in energy investment, conducting evidence-based research, and raising awareness about energy and gender-related issues. 

Efforts are under way to continue expand this collaboration by sending a Penn student to Kenya to work directly with one of Energia’s Core Partner Organizations, Solar Sister in Kenya. The intern selected for this summer will not travel internationally but will rather be working remotely with partners in the Hague and Kenya to finalize plans for this fellowship program to continue in the summer of 2025.

Solar Sister, to date, has recruited, trained, and supported over 10,000 women entrepreneurs who have collectively mitigated more than 1.4 million CO2e, impacting the lives of over 4.3 million beneficiaries across Nigeria, Tanzania, and Kenya. This internship will also offer a unique opportunity to contribute to Solar Sister’s mission in real-time. As a remote partner working from the Kleinman Center, this intern will play a crucial role in supporting Solar Sister in various tasks, including project proposal development for donor-funded projects, assistance with grant applications and reporting, supporting the dissemination of Solar Sister’s work through various channels, and researching and identifying potential funding opportunities. 

Qualifications

This position is open to undergraduate and graduate students, however graduate student applicants are preferred. Ideal candidates will demonstrate a strong background in energy and/or economic issues, particularly in the context of the off-grid energy sector, social development, equity, and justice. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, the ability to work independently and collaboratively, attention to detail, organizational proficiency, and proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite are desired.

This opportunity is only open to current Penn students.

Application Instructions

Submit your application using this form. Please select “International Energy Development and Gender Equity Research Assistant” from the dropdown menu in the form.