Development Engineer Intern

About Renewable America:

Renewable America is a solar and storage developer focused on delivering local, small utility-scale, and community microgrid projects across California. Our projects provide reliable, dispatchable clean energy and improve local resiliency by supplying emergency power during grid outages. With over 320 MWdc of solar and 680 MWh of storage in development, we work to maximize community and environmental benefits while minimizing land impacts.

We offer comprehensive services spanning engineering, financing, construction, and operations. Our mission is to support communities through economic development and equitable access to renewable energy.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Development Intern to support our project development team. This internship provides hands-on experience across a wide range of responsibilities, including solar + storage design, interconnection, permitting, environmental due diligence, and market research. The ideal candidate is passionate about renewable energy, eager to learn, and ready to contribute to active development efforts.

Responsibilities:

Support preparation of preliminary solar project layouts and single-line diagrams.

Assist with annual solar energy production modeling using simulation tools.

Conduct market research and support competitive pricing and offtake analysis.

Help track interconnection application progress and permitting compliance.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams (land, engineering, finance, environmental) to keep development timelines on track.

Assist in coordinating with environmental consultants and compiling permit documentation.

Support review of permitting requirements and assist in identifying potential risks or delays.

Help monitor the performance of operational solar + storage assets and track system alerts.

·        Participate in due diligence tasks for new site evaluations.

·        Assist with preparation of materials for RFO/RFP responses and stakeholder engagement.

·        Stay up to date with regulatory and technology developments relevant to distributed energy resources.

Qualifications:

·        Current student or recent graduate pursuing a degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, Energy Systems, Business, or a related field.

·        Strong interest in renewable energy, project development, and sustainability.

·        Coursework or prior internship experience in solar energy, permitting, GIS, or engineering is a plus.

·        Familiarity with software tools such as AutoCAD, ArcGIS, PVsyst, or Microsoft Excel is beneficial.

·        Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

·        Organized, proactive, and capable of managing multiple tasks.

·        Comfortable working both independently and in a team setting.

Internship Details:

·         Job Type:

Internship (Full-Time Preferred, Part-Time Considered)

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Location:

Santa Clara, CA (In-Person)

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Summer or Semester-long, with potential for extension