Fall 2025 Graduate Student Research Assistant Internship –Communications and Community Benefits Specialist

Fall 2025 Graduate Student Research Assistant Internship –Communications and Community Benefits Specialist

LOCATION: Fully Remote; Within contiguous United States. Must be available between the hours of 9:00a – 6:00p EST.

DEPART./PROG.: Program – Empowering Health & Sustainability Project

TYPE: Internship; Temporary; Part-time (16 hours/week)

SEMESTER/DURATION: Fall 2025; 16 weeks (Mid-August thru Mid-December)

RATE: $25.00 per hour (Master’s Student); $27.50 per hour (Doctoral Student)

The Project: “Empowering Health and Sustainability: Integrating Black-Owned Solar Solutions in the Healthcare Sector”. Funded by a generous planning grant from the Kresge Foundation, the research will explore the integration of Black-owned solar energy solutions into the healthcare sector to improve energy resilience, sustainability, and equitable access to clean power. The research will focus on the challenges faced by (essential) hospitals serving BIPOC communities. We will first establish institutional relationships with America’s Essential Hospitals and Health Care Without Harm. The goal is to increase B.O.S.S.’ capacity to work alongside hospitals/health systems to build out an infrastructure of renewable generation and sustainable building performance/energy efficiency reduce power outages and operating costs.

Position Overview

B.O.S.S. is seeking a Graduate Student Research Assistant Intern to serve as Communications and Community Benefits Specialist to lead the development of comprehensive case studies documenting the project's approach and findings. This role involves stakeholder interviewing, narrative development, visual storytelling, knowledge product creation, identifying community wealth-building and workforce development aspects of the project, and supporting the implementation planning process.

The B.O.S.S. “Empowering Health and Sustainability: Integrating Black-Owned Solar Solutions in the Healthcare Sector” internship program offers hands-on experience in renewable energy, healthcare sustainability, economic analysis, case study development, and community engagement. Reporting directly to the Special Grant Research Project Consultant, Interns work directly with project leaders, technical consultants, and diverse stakeholders while gaining valuable skills in project management, research, stakeholder engagement, and technical analysis.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop compelling narratives documenting implementation approaches.
• Create visual assets for case study presentation.
• Play a central role in organizing and documenting Working Group workshops.
• Document equity considerations and community benefits, including wealth-building and workforce development.
• Assist in developing knowledge sharing materials for diverse audiences.
• Support metrics framework development for project evaluation.
• Contribute to implementation plan documentation.
• Develop communication materials for final stakeholder convening.
• Assist in case study dissemination strategy development.

The ideal candidate MUST possess the following MINIMUM qualifications:

• Current graduate student in communications, journalism, public health, policy, or related field.
• Excellent storytelling and narrative development skills.
• Experience with interviewing and qualitative research methods.
• Demonstrated exceptional writing, and visual and verbal communications skills and a proven ability to communicate effectively to diverse audiences.
• Understanding of healthcare and/or renewable energy sectors (preferred).
• Commitment to equitable communication practices.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Keen research skills, adept at performing due diligence on content accuracy, excellent fact-checker and proofreader.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, excellent attention to detail, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Commitment to racial equity, social justice, clean energy, environmental sustainability, and climate justice.
• Impeccable integrity, judgment, and discretion; A balance of humor and diligence, humility and mission-driven ambition.
• Advanced proficiency with solid, measurable experience (or trainability) in using a variety of software applications, social media platforms, and other databases (e.g. Microsoft 365; Outlook, MS Office Full Suite; Adobe; Doodle; Survey Monkey; Zoom, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube).
• Fluency in written and oral English (Required); Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) highly desirable.
• Proof of eligibility to work in the US (Required).