Undergraduate Summer Internship: Climate Ready Boston

The Boston University Initiative on Cities seeks an outstanding undergraduate student for a summer internship with the City of Boston’s Environment Department in City Hall. The intern will spend the summer working with the Climate Ready Boston team on heat resilience projects and communications and community engagement work. The intern will have the opportunity to work in Boston City Hall and “on-the-ground” work in many of Boston’s neighborhoods.

Climate Ready Boston is the City’s initiative to prepare for climate change’s impacts. The Climate Ready Boston team works to implement the City’s 2022 “heat plan,” Heat Resilience Solutions for Boston, which identifies strategies to address existing and future impacts of extreme heat.

Page Overview

Summer 2023 Internship Information

The intern will be paid approximately $4,500 for a full-time internship (35 hours per week), which will run for 8 weeks between June and August 2023. The exact start date will be determined by the Environment Department as the summer approaches. 

Work may be conducted in person both at Boston City Hall and throughout the neighborhoods of Boston. There may be optional remote work days. 

Qualifications

  • Strong work ethic and initiative
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • A passion for issues of sustainability, climate resiliency, and environmental justice
  • Enthusiasm for public service and local government
  • Familiarity with Google Workspace
  • Experience with media communications, including newsletter/blog writing, website design, or social media platforms, is preferred.

How to Apply & Timeline

Application Deadline: Sunday, February 26, 2023, at 11:59 PM ET

We expect to notify applicants in early April 2023.

Please note that your completed application must contain all of the following in a single PDF:

  • Cover Letter including a description of your interests, skills, and knowledge you expect to apply or expand in this position. 
  • Resume
  • Short essay of no more than 500 words about your perspectives on climate preparedness in Boston. 
  • A list of two references, either academic or professional. Please include their title, organization, phone number, and email (no letters of recommendation).
  • Unofficial copy of your academic transcript
    • Your BU unofficial academic transcript can be obtained free of charge on student link. You may use the preview transcript page (print -> save as PDF) on the transcript ordering page on student link without completing your order of an official transcript. If you have questions regarding obtaining an unofficial BU transcript without ordering one, please contact the registrar or your academic advisor.

    Eligibility Details

    Only current Boston University undergraduate students who meet the following conditions are eligible:

    • Applicants must be in good standing at Boston University
    • Applicants must be enrolled in classes as part of a degree-seeking program at Boston University for the current semester. They must continue in either the same or a new degree-seeking program at Boston University in the 2023 fall semester or the 2023 summer 2 term.
      • Graduating seniors are eligible if they enter a graduate degree program at Boston University and meet the above requirements.
      • Undergraduate students continuing at BU in Fall 2023 or in the summer 2 terms are eligible. However, students working on an incomplete to finish a graduation requirement are not considered enrolled, according to the Student Employment Office, and are therefore ineligible.
      • Students may enroll in summer 1 courses but must also meet the above requirements.

    Responsibilities/Terms of Award

      • The intern will work 35 hours per week for the entire eight weeks.
      • The intern must be responsive to requests from the Initiative on Cities during the internship and may be asked to submit content for web and/or social media.
      • Interns must complete a reflection piece by August 31, 2023, reflecting on their work in the office and the project(s) they worked on throughout the summer. This piece should emphasize the Intern’s core focus for the summer, their project’s impact, as well as lessons learned. They are encouraged to incorporate interactive elements, including video and photography. This reflection will be shared on the IOC website.
      • The intern may participate in a roundtable discussion held in Fall 2023 to share their experience working in city government.

      Questions

      If you have any questions, please contact David Gross, MetroBridge Program Manager, at davgross@bu.edu.