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The Program

The Cal Energy Corps is an undergraduate summer internship program engaging top UC Berkeley undergraduate students in the design, development and delivery of sustainable energy and climate solutions. All placements are challenging, full-time assignments with leading organizations in the private and public sector, enabling students to gain professional experience working on the technical solutions of social issues in a cohesive learning environment.

During the internship, all participants are expected to keep a blog with regular updates on the progress of their work. Students go on to participate in the annual Cal Energy Corps Symposium in the fall semester to present their research projects to the university community and guests.

 

The Students

All current undergraduate students at UC Berkeley are eligible to apply for the Cal Energy Corps program. Students from all disciplines and majors are encouraged to apply. Some internship hosts may have specific major preferences, as indicated in their respective position descriptions. 

Selected students are expected to commit to working full-time for a minimum of 8 weeks over the summer and will be paid a competitive hourly salary for the duration of the internship. Students will have the opportunity to address energy and climate issues by conducting hands-on research in areas such as renewable energy, carbon policy, buildings efficiency, and sustainable design.

Watch the video below to hear past Cal Energy Corps students describing the research they performed during their program.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to apply to the Cal Energy Corps program?

Eligible applicants to the Cal Energy Corps are currently enrolled as UC Berkeley undergraduate students in good academic standing, from a wide range of disciplines and majors. See internship descriptions for host specific preferences.

Internship placements take place over the summer (between mid-May to mid-August) and are anywhere from 8-12 weeks long (minimum duration is 8 weeks and the maximum duration is 12 weeks). See internship descriptions for host specific time frames. If a specific time frame is not mentioned, students will be placed into contact with their respective host organizations to determine internship dates upon acceptance to the program.

All placements are full-time and interns are expected to work 40 hours per week for their host organizations. You will have a direct supervisor/mentor to report to and meet with regularly to support your development. We partner with a variety of host organizations that have different needs and may determine your specific internship requirements while working with them.

Yes. During the internship, participants must provide regular blog updates on the progress of their work and pictures of research activities to Cal Energy Corps. End-of-program requirements include a final blog abstract, as well as poster/presentation deliverables. Following the internship, students participate in the Cal Energy Corps Symposium to share their experiences and present the results of their work – this is mandatory and takes place in the late summer or early fall.

Any requested time off is at the discretion of the host organization and must be negotiated and approved in writing by your supervisor with notice provided to Cal Energy Corps.

All internships may need to be done remotely. Host organizations have agreed to remote internships if necessary.

Yes! Cal Energy Corps participants are paid a competitive hourly salary for the duration of their internship.

No. We encourage anyone with a passion for energy and climate issues from any discipline to apply. Past participants have come from a wide range of academic backgrounds. However, some hosts may have specific preferences for certain majors. See individual placement descriptions for details.

No. All placements are challenging, full-time assignments and interns are expected to work 40 hours per week during the course of their internship.

No. All placements are challenging, full-time assignments and interns are expected to work 40 hours per week during the course of their internship.

Submit a completed application here before the deadline. A completed application to Cal Energy Corps consists of:
  • 3-page Statement of Purpose 
  • Copy of your academic transcript (unofficial is okay) 
  • Resume (1-2 pages) 
  • Identification of your top 3 placement preferences 

A Letter of Recommendation must also be submitted directly from a UC Berkeley faculty member (or approved substitution) here before the deadline. You may not do so on their behalf.

We require a letter of recommendation from a UC Berkeley faculty member for every application. If you have a specific question about your situation, please send an inquiry tocalenergycorps@berkeley.edu.

Student interns will be selected on a rolling basis. An interdisciplinary selection committee reviews all eligible applications to identify top student candidates on the basis of merit and matches each internship opportunity with qualified applicants. Cal Energy Corps will notify students of selection into the program and connect them with the host organization for interviews. Hosts have final approval and are under no obligation to proceed with hiring candidates.

Upon agreement with respective host organizations, Cal Energy Corps will notify selected students via email.

No. While we have an excellent record of matching those selected into the program with host organizations, selection into the program is not a guarantee of hire and is subject to completing an interview with and final acceptance from the host organization.

Have another question?  Please contact us at calenergycorps@berkeley.edu. If you would like to help support the program, please donate here. 

 

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