About this role
Strategic Program Intern - 2 positions
Job Description: EMERALD CITIES COLLABORATIVE BACKGROUND The Emerald Cities Collaborative (ECC) is a national non-profit organization that partners with labor unions, community organizations, social justice advocates, development intermediaries, research and technical assistance providers, and socially responsible businesses dedicated to building high road – sustainable, just and inclusive – regional economies. ECC envisions a future in which American cities are the greenest and most equitable in the world, leading the way to head off global climate change while creating a vital new economic sector with historically under-represented communities as central actors and beneficiaries in this new economy. Visit our website for more information: http://www.emeraldcities.org/
OVERVIEW OF POSITION ECC is developing two city-level assessment tools to help identify strategic opportunities and measure progress toward becoming an “Emerald City.” Both tools are entering the beta-testing phase.
ECC is seeking two graduate research interns to support the beta testing, refinement, and development of these tools. Interns will contribute to evaluating and finalizing the assessment frameworks, conducting pilot data collection and analysis, testing scoring methodologies, identifying data gaps, and documenting recommendations and methodology decisions.
The internship will focus initially on completing the beta test of the internal assessment tool, followed by refinement and development of the external assessment tool. The goal is to complete the beta testing process by early November, incorporate feedback and revisions, and support the development of a polished visual product for presentation in early December. During the final phase of the internship, interns will help develop guidance and documentation for future users of the tools.
This position will report to the Director of Strategic Programs and Partnerships and provides an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in research, data analysis, program evaluation, and climate-focused strategic planning while supporting ECC’s work with cities and communities.
Location: Remote. Job Type: Internship, Non-Exempt; Part-Time (15-25 hours per week) Salary: $24 - $35 per hour Duration of internship: September 8 – December 18, 2026.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Research, Data Collection and Analysis • Support structured data collection and scoring using established evaluation criteria — first to prioritize and screen initial beta-test cities, then to assess and track progress in engaged ECC regional cities. • Conduct research to help resolve data-dependent methodology questions, such as scoring rollups and threshold-setting. • Assist in identifying reliable data sources or instruments for indicators that currently lack an existing, reliable data source.
Assessment Tool Testing and Quality Assurance • Contribute to testing and evaluating the feasibility of the tools, including the measurement framework and data collection assumptions. • Apply evaluation frameworks to a working list of cities and indicators, identifying data gaps, barriers, inconsistencies, and edge cases for review; clearly documenting methodology decisions and identifying beta or placeholder items. • Assist with quality assurance of scoring inputs, including items that rely on structured, narrative-based scoring guidance rather than raw counts. • Help test and document data-verification processes using real pilot data to confirm that inputs are accurate and well-sourced.
Documentation and Process Development • Contribute to supporting documentation and data-tracking materials, including formula and data-validation checks in shared workbooks. • Document how outputs from the internal tool inform the scope and content of the external tool, including the transition between the two tools. • Contribute to the development and documentation of operational guidance explaining how future users can work through the framework and how the two tools work together.
Visual Deliverables and Presentation • Support visual and functional review of deliverables, such as reviewing rendered documents or recalculated workbooks, before they are finalized. • Support the design of visual deliverables and presentations for the assessment beta-test findings.
Collaboration and Continuous Improvement • Provide written feedback on the beta-test process and recommendations for future improvements. • Participate in regular team check-ins to raise structural questions and identify redundancies, inconsistencies, or conflicts before changes are made to either tool.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Certificates/Security Clearances/Other: Emerald Cities Collaborative strongly encourages candidates from communities that have been historically underrepresented in the environmental and energy efficiency sectors to apply. We are committed to expanding access to opportunity and fostering an inclusive workplace environment. Emerald Cities Collaborative is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family responsibilities, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, veteran status, matriculation, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Required Experience: Required • Currently enrolled in a graduate program in urban planning, public policy, sustainability, environmental studies, data science, or a related field. • Strong research, analytical, and quantitative skills, with the ability to work with structured data and interpret findings. • Interest in or coursework related to climate equity, community development, environmental justice, sustainability, or economic inclusion. • Strong attention to detail and the ability to identify inconsistencies, gaps, and issues in data and documentation. • Highly organized and able to manage multiple assignments and deadlines independently. • Ability to clearly document research findings, methodology decisions, and recommendations. • Strong written and verbal communication skills. • Ability to work independently while also contributing effectively as part of a collaborative team. • Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, including Teams, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, including working with formulas, structured workbooks, and data validation.
Preferred Experience: Preferred • Working remotely with structured spreadsheets and document-based deliverables, including formulas, data validation, and version tracking. • Prior exposure to scorecard, index, or rubric-based assessment framework. • An entrepreneurial and problem-solving approach to research and product development.