Community Development Intern

Sol systems is seeking a Community Development Intern to support Sol Systems’ Impact team to implement Sol's infrastructure and impact strategy. This will include providing insights to support implementing initiatives around solar project location and community impact investing initiatives, using available tools to conduct environmental and energy justice locality assessment for community impact investing, coordinating the impact team's community engagement series including leading development of the quarterly Sol Purpose newsletter, helping to build out the impact reporting platform for Sol Systems, and consolidating inputs to community impact annual reports, etc.

The intern can expect to be exposed to infrastructure and impact discussions and proposals with some of the largest customers in the world, partnerships, and initiatives to create a greater level of community and ecosystem impact, and how to measure and track project impact over time.

Sol Systems is a leading solar energy firm based in Washington, DC, dedicated to building a more sustainable future. Founded in 2008, the company deploys renewable energy infrastructure across the United States, with a specific focus on ensuring that these projects have a positive economic impact on the communities in which they operate. The company has financed or developed over $2 billion of solar energy assets to date. We work with some of the largest corporations in the world to achieve a carbon-free and sustainable future. Sol has been founder-lead throughout its 15 years of operations, and is backed by KKR, one of the largest private equity firms in the world.

The Community Development Intern will be responsible for:

• Coordinating with Sol’s marketing and communications team on various tasks as assigned to support Sol’s Quarterly Impact Partner Engagement Series. This will include preparing for the quarterly Sol Purpose newsletter, engaging with community partners featured in the newsletter, coordinating with any guest writers for the period, helping to suggest topics for featured article and writing an article if interested.
• Supporting Sol’s impact team to conduct community impact assessments for local community investment opportunities. Research potential community organizations as partners for Sol’s community impact work and prepare relevant presentation materials as needed.
• Working with Sol Systems’ greenfield team to update internal site assessment tool to include applicable energy and environmental justice metrics.
• Supporting community impact engagement meetings to include advisory board, steering committee, and community organization monthly partnership status meetings.
• Working with Sol’s impact team to prepare corporate partner annual reports, consolidate results from community partner quarterly reports and status updates. Review community partner monthly check-in meeting notes and quarterly reports for highlights that can be included in briefings
• Supporting bi-weekly CEO Impact Briefing as needed
• Other tasks as assigned by the team

A successful candidate will possess the following skills and attributes:

• Experience in community impact work or community engagement and outreach
• Understanding of issues impacting under-resourced communities with strong interest in exploring alternatives to support community investments in the areas
• Understanding of UN SDG goals, GRI and community impact desired
• Strong research and writing skills
• Creative problem solver
• Interest in the renewable energy (solar) industry
• Interest in working in a team environment
• Experience with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; PowerBI skills desired but not required

Location & Hours: Candidates local to the DC metro area with the ability to visit the office 2 days/week preferred. The candidate can expect to work 40 hours per week.

Commitment & Compensation: This is a paid internship.

To Apply: Please submit a resume, cover letter and salary requirements.

Sol Systems is an equal-opportunity employer, and does not discriminate based on gender, race, ethnicity, orientation, creed, or other traits. Sol Systems supports and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply.