Information for Applicants
Applications are welcome from all young professionals and current undergraduate and graduate students personally committed to making renewable energy the focus of their future career. We welcome applications from all majors, and from both US and foreign universities.
Where can you intern?
Internships are based in our Washington, DC office. Remote or web-based internships are not currently available.
When can you apply? When do internships take place?
New applications are reviewed three times a year, roughly in line with the academic calendar. Interviews are conducted in the one to two months before each internship term begins. These terms are generally from September to December, January to May and June to August.
Are the Internships full-time or part-time?
Internships are customized to individual interns' schedules. Most internships are 2 or 3 days full days per week for 3 to 4 months. Based on your individual circumstances and availability, full time internships may be available. The internship program is currently unpaid. Many participants who are not currently enrolled in school choose to work part time alongside a part-time internship.
How can you apply?
You are invited to apply for the internship program by submitting a cover letter and resume to 
acore.org
When are the application deadlines?
Deadlines for the ACORE internship program are as follows –
Summer 2008: April 1, 2008
Fall 2008: August 31, 2008
Spring 2009: December 15, 2008
What is expected of you as an ACORE Intern?
As an ACORE intern you expected to work with ACORE staff to identify, define and pursue a project of interest (see previous project examples) that will form the core content of you work at ACORE. Some interns know what project they want to pursue before starting; others define the project after arriving at ACORE. The core project or projects are designed to help you gain specialized knowledge in one area of the renewable energy industry. Most interns will spend 50% of their total time at ACORE focused on their core project.
In addition to the project, you are expected to delve into the information resources provided to you by ACORE staff to gain a broad based understanding of the industry. In the space of networking and industry exploration, you are expected to take advantage of all opportunities to attend lectures, briefing, and conferences and networking events to gain a broader understanding of the numerous organizations and viewpoints in the space.
Keeping your job search in mind, you will be expected to work out a personal informational interviewing plan, identifying individuals working in your areas of career interest, to gain a better understanding of future opportunities. Lastly, as a team player in a fast paced office, we hope you are willing to pitch in with tasks such as stuffing envelopes or working conferences with the rest of the ACORE team, when that kind of work is necessary.
A Current Intern's Perspective on the Program
The philosophy behind the program includes a strong focus on an Individual Research Project with minor emphasis on Renewable Energy education and networking. Each Research Project is determined by the intern themselves and is approved by ACORE staff. After the selection of the Project's subject, ACORE's wide array of resources is available to the intern. Interns are expected to work independently but are encouraged to ask for guidance. Depending on the time of the internship, interns may also have a chance to participate in several different conferences or help with ACORE's wide array of committees. - C.M.
A Day in the Life of an Intern at the ACORE Office
When you first arrive, the office is buzzing. You check your email and discover announcements of hearings, meetings, press conferences, and other events, as well as news stories about the renewable energy industry. As you start working on your individual research project, you hear the ACORE staff discussing the exciting challenges in organizing our next big event. Suddenly, Mike comes out of his office and invites you to a meeting with a cabinet member or CEO in your field of interest. Later that day, Tom might ask you to help with the large membership drive that is approaching. By lunch time, you have already added three events to your calendar for the next week! The doors to all the offices are always open to assist with the development of your project and the staff members understand what you want to do with your career and always send useful information your way. -K.N.
About ACORE Quick-links
Quotes from ACORE Interns
"Whether it be through connections I gained from attending REFF or from people the [ACORE staff] put me on to because of my background, I now feel I have a number of contacts I can look to when I’m in need of a job." – M.B.
"Without question, my success in finding job in the industry can be credited to my experiences gained as an intern at ACORE." - E.G.
"ACORE possesses perfect information about the renewable sector in the US with all its playmakers." – H.T.
"ACORE is a dynamic environment - I felt like I was part of a rapidly expanding organization and industry and it has been an exciting time to be working here." - C.O.
"I was given the chance to interact with and be heard as a person with valuable ideas, instead of being 'the intern', by high profile and influential members of the renewable energy community." – M.R.
"My time at ACORE helped me clarify my own career goals after learning the pros and cons of each sub-section of the Renewable Energy Industry as well as introducing entirely new career options." - M.D.