Graduate Summer Associate, Innovation - Renter Solutions

CONNECTICUT GREEN BANK

GRADUATE SUMMER ASSOCIATE, INNOVATION - RENTER SOLUTIONS

SUMMARY:

The Innovation Team at the Connecticut Green Bank ("Green Bank") is seeking a graduate student intern for summer 2026 to help identify energy efficiency and clean energy solutions for renters across Connecticut.

The Green Bank is a quasi-public authority and the nation's first state-level "Green Bank," leveraging public funds to increase and accelerate private investment in the green economy of Connecticut. Working at the Green Bank means being part of a dynamic team of talented people who are passionate about implementing the Green Bank model, stimulating the growth and development of clean energy and environmental infrastructure investment in Connecticut, and growing our economy, strengthening our communities, and protecting our environment.

Here's the opportunity: Connecticut has nearly 1.4 million housing units, and over 470,000 of them are rentals. About half of those rental properties are in multifamily buildings, and more than 75% of rental units are located in low-to-moderate income census tracts. Most clean energy programs have historically been structured around home ownership, leaving renters-who represent a substantial portion of Connecticut households-underserved.

As our Graduate Summer Associate, you will work directly with the Director of Innovation to examine how the Green Bank can better serve the renter community. You will assess Connecticut's rental housing landscape, review findings from the DEEP renter utilization study, analyze financing and policy models from other states, and identify actionable opportunities-whether financial products, policy approaches, or technical solutions-that could increase participation in rental housing.

This role is well-suited for graduate students interested in energy policy, housing finance, or climate equity who have strong research and analytical capabilities. You will have the latitude to help shape the direction of this work based on your findings.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:

Individual responsibilities will be further defined based on the Graduate Summer Associate's experience and interest, but may include:

• Analyzing Connecticut's rental housing landscape, including the distribution of single-family (1-4 unit) and multifamily (5+ unit) rental properties, income levels, and geographic concentration in LMI census tracts.
• Reviewing and synthesizing findings from the DEEP renter utilization study to identify participation gaps, barriers, and trends;
• Researching financing and programmatic models serving renters in other states/countries, such as:
  • On-bill repayment structures
  • Green rental or "energy-aligned" lease agreements
  • Inclusive utility investment models
  • Landlord-tenant cost-sharing mechanisms
• Assessing regulatory, financial, and operational considerations for adapting these models to Connecticut.
• Exploring technical pathways to serve renters, including plug-in distributed energy resources (DERs), portable storage, community solar participation structures, and other solutions that do not require property ownership;
• Identifying the Total Addressable Market for renter-focused clean energy solutions in Connecticut;
• Evaluating potential roles for the Green Bank, including financing products, credit enhancements, technical assistance, partnerships with property owners, or coordination with state agencies;
• Developing financial concepts or preliminary models for renter-oriented products;
• Preparing research memoranda, briefing materials, and presentations for Green Bank leadership;
• Developing a final set of recommendations outlining near-term and longer-term opportunities to expand renter participation; and,
• Other related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

Applicants must demonstrate:

• Strong interest in clean energy, housing policy, climate equity, or sustainable finance;
• Ability to analyze data and synthesize research into clear, structured findings;
• Strong communication and engagement skills;
• Ability to work independently and engage constructively with senior staff and external stakeholders.

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING:

Highly motivated recent graduate or current matriculant in a Master's or other post-graduate program relevant to public policy, urban planning, energy systems, finance, economics, housing, or a related field.

Experience with housing data, utility programs, or financial modeling is helpful but not required.

EMPLOYMENT DETAILS:

• This position reports directly to the Director of Innovation.
• This is a hybrid role split between a minimum of two (2) days per work week in the Green Bank's Hartford office and remote work.
• Green Bank internships run between 10-12 weeks from May to August.
• This is a 40-hour per week opportunity and paid at $35 per hour.
• Must be eligible to work in the U.S. for the duration of the position.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Frequent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to review and interpret quantitative and qualitative materials.
• Regular computer-based work.

WORK…