Honnold Foundation

OPEN TO RETURNING YALE GRADUATE/PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL AND RETURNING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Internship Opportunity: Financial and Energy Analyst – Adjuntas, Puerto Rico Community Microgrid

About the Honnold Foundation:

The Honnold Foundation (HF) collaborates with grassroots and community-based organizations to enhance solar energy access, mitigate environmental impact, and improve lives globally. Established in 2012 by professional rock climber Alex Honnold, HF focuses on energy resilience, capacity building, and storytelling to drive positive change. To date, HF has impacted over 50 partners worldwide. For further insights, refer to our latest Impact Report and our recently formulated Strategic Plan. We prioritize equity and inclusion, encouraging applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds.

About the Puerto Rico Microgrid:

In partnership with Casa Pueblo, HF initiated the construction of Puerto Rico's inaugural cooperatively managed, community-owned solar microgrid in 2019. Upon completion, the 187kW microgrid will supply clean, dependable power to 13 small businesses in Adjuntas, setting a benchmark for energy access in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Rivian's support includes 1MW of battery storage, ensuring up to 10 days of power in case of outages. Local non-profit ACESA will own and manage the microgrid, charging reduced usage rates and reinvesting fees into community development projects.

The Opportunity:

As the Adjuntas project nears completion, HF seeks an intern to aid in the transition of ownership by supporting the development of ACESA's non-profit management financial plans. The intern will collaborate on:

Key Responsibilities:

• 1.  Financial Modeling:

• Develop detailed financial models to assess the feasibility and profitability of the Adjuntas microgrid.

• Analyze various financial scenarios and provide insights into potential risks and opportunities.

2. Budgeting and Forecasting:

• Collaborate with ACESA and HF program manager to establish accurate budget estimates for microgrid implementation and ongoing operations.

• Create financial forecasts to guide decision-making and resource allocation.

3. Energy Reporting:

• Implement and maintain systems for real-time energy reporting within community microgrid projects.

• Develop standardized reports on energy production, consumption, and efficiency for internal and external stakeholders.

4. Financial Reporting:

• Generate regular financial reports for internal stakeholders, incorporating energy-related financial metrics.

• Communicate financial and energy-related findings to diverse audiences, including non-financial team members and external partners.

The intern will engage closely with HF's program manager, Cynthia Arellano, and key ACESA stakeholders. Travel to Puerto Rico is expected at least once or twice during the internship to engage with community partners.

Additional Responsibilities:

In addition to the main project, the intern will be encouraged to integrate into HF's staff, participating in meetings, co-working sessions, and activities as appropriate.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate is a Master's student or equivalent with expertise in researching and compiling business and financial management plans. Key attributes include collaboration, attention to detail, openness to feedback, and the ability to thrive with minimal oversight. Preferred qualifications include proficiency in Google Drive and Slack, along with a background in community development.

The intern will work closely with HF’s program manager, Cynthia Arellano, and key ACESA stakeholders throughout the project. It is expected that the intern will travel to Puerto Rico at least one to two times over the internship period to speak with community partners.

In addition to the above project, the intern will be encouraged to integrate into the HF staff as much as possible through attending staff meetings, co-working sessions, meeting with individual staff and board members and taking part in other activities as appropriate.

The ideal candidate will be a Master’s student, or someone with similar experience, who is skilled at researching and compiling business and financial management plans. This person is collaborative, detail-oriented, open to feedback, and thrives with minimal oversight. Experience with Google Drive and Slack and a background in community development fields is preferred.  

Additional qualifications include:

• This position is fully remote; Zoom, Google Drive, and Slack are essential tools
• Ability to travel 1 - 2 times for up to 10 days at a time to Puerto Rico
• Ability to collaborate with a diverse set of community partners and stakeholders
• Spanish language capabilities highly preferred

Location:

This will be a remote position with the potential for a visit to the host organization (travel and accommodation costs covered).

How to Apply:

Please submit:

• Your resume
• A cover letter (no more than 2 pages) to include:
  • Your interest in this project
  • Any relevant background/experience
  • Why you believe this work is important
  • Share any important identity or identities you hold. Note that this is completely optional. Examples of identities that may be important to you might include (but are not limited to): gender, race, ethnicity, political affiliation, generation, education level, cultural identity, occupation, sexuality, family structure, housing status, mental health (health status/ability), incarceration status, institution affiliation, primary language, religion, immigration status, medical history, first-generation, income/ socio-economic class, quality of education, occupation, and/or parent’s education.
• Note that additional documents will not be reviewed

Please email the above directly to contact@honnoldfoundation.org with “Yale Planetary Solutions Internship Program in Clean Energy/Honnold” in the subject line. Please also copy cbey@yale.edu. 

Application deadline is 11:59 PM ET on Feb. 19, 2024

Join us in making a lasting impact in energy resilience and community development!