Information for Applicants

Information for Applicants

Applications are accepted from recent graduates and early career energy professionals. Review the applicant information and program details below for more information and contact ORISE with any additional questions.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office (GDO), Office of Indian Policy and Programs (IE), and Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) are seeking candidates for the Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship program who have an interest in the clean energy transition. Innovator Fellows will have a hands-on learning experience participating on projects that the Host Institutions identify as critical to enhancing grid resilience and/or advancing decarbonization while ensuring energy affordability and grid reliability. Innovator Fellows can spend up to two years participating in the program.

Additional Information

  • Eligibility

    The Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship program is an educational and training program open to recent Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral graduates.

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    Fellowship candidates must have an interest in areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and/or sustainable transportation technology and policy; electric grid resilience and modernization; Puerto Rico grid recovery and modernization; and Tribal energy resilience.

    Eligible Candidates must be:

    • Recent Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral graduates, as well as applicants with technical or research post-degree experience in a field related to the advancement of clean energy.
    • U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident at the time of application.
    • At least 18 years old by the time the appointment begins.
  • Application Requirements

    Required Application Materials for Applicants

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    A Complete Application Consists of:

    1. Complete Zintellect profile and responses to opportunity specific application questions.
    2. Up to 5 of your most preferred Host Institution projects. If required by the Host Institution, you must be willing to relocate to the Host Institution's area.
    3. Transcripts/Academic Records - Recent unofficial transcripts or copies of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institutional systems may be submitted to complete the application, if a copy of the official transcript is not available at the time of application. Transcripts/Academic Records must include the name of the academic institution, name of the student, completed/in progress coursework and grades. If you are selected, you will be required to provide a copy of your most recent official transcript showing proof of degree before the appointment can start.
    4. Current Resume/CV (two-page limit), including academic history, employment history, and relevant experiences.
    5. One Academic or Professional Recommendation: The recommendation should address a candidate's academic record and potential for success as a fellow, as indicated by communication, motivation, and collaboration skills, and must be submitted through Zintellect. Although only one recommendation is required, you are encouraged to enter more than one contact to request a recommendation since you need at least one recommendation in the system to count as part of the completed application. Applications without a recommendation will not be reviewed.

    NOTE: All documents must be submitted through Zintellect, and must be in English or include an official English translation. Documents must have all social security numbers, student identification numbers, and/or dates of birth removed (blanked out, blackened out, made illegible, etc.) prior to uploading into the application system. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Supporting materials must be uploaded as PDF files to ensure the document can be searched by Zintellect’s search engine. Documents sent by email, postal mail, or fax will not be considered.

  • Current Research Opportunities

    A list of all current opportunities with The Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship.

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  • Host Institutions

    Recent graduates gain hands-on experience supporting critical energy organizations at one of the Host Institutions listed below.

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    In the application, you will select up to 5 of your most preferred Host Institution projects. If required by the Host Institution, you must be willing to relocate to the Host Institution's area.

  • Frequently Asked Questions

    Answers to the questions most commonly asked by applicants.

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    • If you are currently a student, but will graduate by the start date of the appointment with an advanced degree, you may apply as long as you show proof of your degree progress (unofficial transcript or copy of the student academic record printed by the applicant or by the academic advisors from the internal institutional system) during the application process before being selected. If selected you will need to follow up with the copy of the official transcript and/or degree certificate before beginning the appointment.

    • The candidate must be a U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) at the time of application. Evidence of this status must be submitted to ORISE at the time an appointment offer is accepted.

    • Any degrees in progress must be completed prior to the start of the fellowship. Check the requirements listed on the opportunity posting.

    • One recommendation is required. Use your discretion as to whether additional recommendations will strengthen your application by highlighting aspects of your background that were not addressed elsewhere.

    • The person providing your reference should be in a position to speak to your ability to contribute to the program. This may be a professional reference or an academic reference, as you choose.

      Note that candidates are asked to provide the name and contact information for their reference person in their application; candidates may submit their application independently of the reference being complete.

    • Participants are selected by the program coordinator. ORISE staff will prescreen applications to ensure that all required materials have been received and that the participant has attained the required educational level, but are not otherwise involved in the selection process.

    • If you have applied for a specific project, the mentor for that project will determine how long applications will be accepted and how long the review process will take. Once the mentor has selected a candidate, there are several steps that must be completed before the candidate can receive an appointment letter.

    • Please ensure that all of the necessary application materials have been received and that you have obtained the necessary educational qualifications. Successful applicants generally apply for a specific project. Please review the current opportunities that are available.

    • All ORISE appointments must be approved by the program coordinator. ORISE will send an appointment letter once this approval is received and the funding for the appointment is in place.

    • We strongly discourage this. Only ORISE is authorized to offer you an appointment and you should not relocate or resign from your current position until you have received an appointment offer from ORISE.

  • Diversity Inclusion/Culture

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    Diversity in STEM refers to increasing the representation and cultivating the talents of people from all backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and math fields, especially underrepresented students of color and those from low-income and first-generation to college backgrounds to enter clean energy industries. Diversity in STEM is important because diverse teams bring a variety of perspectives and experiences, which can often lead to more innovative solutions and increased success and competitiveness. Applicants may explore the EERE website to learn more about diversity in STEM program. Applicants may also explore the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government issued January 20, 2021.

    ORISE administers STEM internship and fellowship programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy and other federal agencies. The diversity of these programs enables individuals—whether undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral, or faculty—to conduct collaborative research at national laboratories or one of more than a dozen federal agency partners nationwide. Interested applicants can review and apply to hundreds of postings for paid internships and fellowships that best meet their individual career interests and educational advancement needs on Zintellect. Recruiting/Outreach events, including a focus on enhancing connections and recruitment for underrepresented groups, are offered regularly by ORISE to provide candidates the opportunity to speak with program staff, mentors, and current/alumni participants to learn more.

    ORISE champions diversity, promotes creativity, rewards excellence, and encourages respect and an acceptance of differences. To support this commitment, ORISE operates a strong diversity program that includes training, educational programs, and awareness events for its employees and the community and is dedicated to recruiting and preparing the next generation of our nation’s scientific workforce.


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