Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) 1-year Schneider Fellowships (2) 2023-24

Schneider Sustainable Energy 1-Year Fellowships (2023-2024)

The Schneider Fellowships were created for current Stanford students or recent graduates to promote the awareness of environmental issues resulting from our past and present energy use. The Fellowship program supports the efforts of non-governmental organizations, such as the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), that are chosen based on their efforts to identify and solve the challenges of developing a more equitable and sustainable energy future.

NRDC is a non-profit international environmental advocacy organization with 3.1 million members and online activists. They use law, policy, and science to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and now has a staff of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others working across the United States and internationally from offices in New York; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Santa Monica; San Francisco; Bozeman, Montana; and Beijing.

The Climate and Clean Energy Program focuses on fighting climate change by designing equitable policies with community partners to cut carbon pollution and expand the contribution of energy efficiency and renewable energy to ensure clean, reliable, and affordable energy services that a healthy and sustainable economy needs. NRDC is currently looking for passionate individuals who are willing to learn; want to take advantage of a rich, interdisciplinary work environment; and can bring their unique skills and perspective to help develop smart and equitable environmental policies.

The Fellow will gain skills in research and analysis, written advocacy, oral advocacy, legislative and/or regulatory processes, and inclusive and equitable policy development. The Fellow will be an integral part of NRDC’s team and will gain exposure to a variety of activities including attending policy meetings, working with private sector stakeholders, engaging in joint advocacy with other partners, conducting policy analysis and development, and doing legislative and regulatory research and drafting.

We particularly encourage candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement. You should apply if you are eager to be part of a cross-cutting team; learn about clean energy and equity; gain valuable policy, writing, speaking, and analytic skills; and to be an active team member tackling climate, equity, and policy issues. Eligible candidates include those with undergraduate or graduate level experience in energy, science, engineering, economics, public policy and/or law, including candidates with multi-disciplinary experience and/or joint degrees. You must be a current student to apply.

Compensation will be based on a nonprofit scale and will include consideration of degrees held, professional training, and years of relevant experience.

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming a diversity of voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. No phone calls, please.

Available Positions:

NRDC is currently seeking two Schneider Fellows to work on climate and clean energy topics including, but not limited to: the power sector, transportation, equitable building electrification, and related analysis. Fellows will work primarily in our Chicago or New York office, with potential opportunities to work with NRDC colleagues across the country. The Fellow in the Chicago office will focus on developing and implementing a set of climate and clean energy policies in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Missouri, and working with key partners and other stakeholders in the region. The fellow in the New York office will become an integral member of various teams across the east, including working with clean transportation and building decarbonization experts and regional advocates across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, and other Northeastern states.

The Fellow will be critical to help develop necessary policies to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving air quality and outcomes for historically underserved communities. In particular, NRDC’s advocacy focuses on increasing large scale deployment of clean energy, including electrifying buildings and ensuring low emission and electrified transportation options. The Fellow will be involved directly in the development of advocacy strategies, collaboration with key stakeholders, and in the preparation of NRDC materials designed to influence equitable public policy decisions to support our climate and environmental goals. Depending on the advocacy need and the Fellow’s skillset, the Fellow may also work on critical analytics to support NRDC’s advocacy, which includes analyzing the economic, environmental, and public health impacts of proposed state and federal policies.

Past fellow projects include: developing a plan to phase out fossil gas use from buildings; reforming policies for rooftop solar; implementing a multi-state campaign to increase renewable portfolio standards, developing campaign materials to promote clean trucks; developing and implementing strategies to advance specific policy objectives in state and city legislatures; helping to advance equitable clean transportation and building decarbonization policies through efficiency and electrification; writing comments for regulatory agencies; generating and testing proposals and rationales for different audiences; providing integral analysis and materials development in support of federal policies around green hydrogen development and funding; and providing technical analysis on EPA regulatory rules and  federal  clean energy legislation.