High School Senior Experience Intern (2024-2025)

Sustainable Westchester delivers climate solutions to the governments, businesses, organizations, and people of Westchester County.  Through its innovative programming, extensive relationships, and effective advocacy, Sustainable Westchester has been at the forefront of regional and statewide efforts to achieve a clean energy transition, conserve natural resources, promote environmental justice, and help member communities become more prosperous, healthy, resilient, and equitable.  For more about the organization and its activities, please visit https://sustainablewestchester.org/.

Sustainable Westchester aims to educate and train the next generation of environmental advocates in Westchester County. Sustainable Westchester seeks to work with Seniors who have the skills, passion, intelligence and maturity to take on significant responsibility. Our high school senior interns take an active role leading on climate, building safe and healthy communities. Throughout the duration of the internship, SW interns can expect to work with elected officials, municipal leaders, community members, subject matter experts and consultants to gain a one-of-a-kind experience.

Eligibility: Students participating in their high school senior experience program

This position reports to the EnergySmart Homes Program Director and will assist with EnergySmart Homes, aimed at transitioning Westchester residents toward fossil fuel free, clean heating and cooling and energy efficiency upgrades to reduce carbon emissions and help residents save money, energy and live morecomfortably. This work is a critical piece of accelerating the decarbonization of our energy system because the building sector is the largest source of GHG emissions, responsible for 32% of emissions in New York State. Successful candidates will be excellent communicators, have a strong interest in environmental movement and will work with the team across program areas, such as communications, administration, research. This position supports SW’s goal of reducing the energy burden and addressing emission reduction through energy efficiency.

A sample of responsibilities:

• Community Outreach: Represent EnergySmart Homes at local community events/online webinars, engage community members in conversation and provide program information and help on virtual webinars

• Case Studies: Collect homeowner utility information and energy upgrade details to write, photograph and assemble case studies.

• Homeowner Assistance: Participate in contacting homeowners via phone and email, monitor progress, create newsletters and meet reporting requirements

• Data Analysis: Perform database updates and assessments, interact with stakeholders to collect lead information and organize follow-up

• Graphic Design and Video Editing: Optional assignments focused on content creation

• Self-Directed Project: Have a skill you want to improve or build upon? Past interns have designed their own responsibilities and tasks based on their interests and skills.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Must be highly organized
• A self-starter with a high energy level and a strong work ethic
• A person of sound judgment who is innovative and strategic in their thinking

At Sustainable Westchester, we don’t just accept differences of background, identity, or point of view – we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our work, and our community. Sustainable Westchester is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, ideology, sex, sexual orientation, gender, age, religion, national origin, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws. All aspects of employment are decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and organizational need.