Intern - Africa Program, Global South

Application Deadline:  Sunday, March 15th at 11:59pm ET.

About the Organization 

RMI is an independent nonprofit organization founded in 1982 that transforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions to align with a 1.5°C future. RMI works with governments, development institutions, businesses, and communities to accelerate the energy transition and strengthen climate resilience globally. 

Within RMI, the Africa Energy Program partners with governments, development partners, utilities, and the private sector in sub-Saharan Africa to drive deployment of affordable, efficient, reliable, and resilient energy systems that incorporate distributed energy resources to rapidly provide energy access and support economic development. 

Project Specifics 

Advancing Distributed Energy Resources (DER) key analytics and adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa 

The Africa Energy Program is seeking a highly motivated DER Data Analytics Intern to support our growing portfolio of distributed energy initiatives across Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, and beyond. This is not a passive research role. You will contribute directly to shaping real-world energy projects, including interconnected minigrids (IMGs), DER aggregation models/platforms (such as VPPs), and other energy-related efforts that are actively influencing policy, investment, and deployment in the region. 

You will work at the intersection of: 

• Energy access and grid integration (a.k.a. utility-enabled DERs) 

• Data analytics and techno-economic modeling 

• Improving and optimizing existing dashboards and processes for data automation on existing projects and the project pipeline to derive meaningful insights 

• Electric utilities, DER developers, and other stakeholders that are driving the energy transition 

Your work will inform decisions that affect gigawatts of DER deployment and the future of power systems in emerging African markets. 

The project will support the Africa Energy Program in: 

• Updating the database and analysis of existing and future DER projects across geographies, critically analyzing trends in CAPEX/OPEX costs, revenue models, and financing gaps, and collaboration between utilities and DER developers  

• Strengthening the project pipeline understanding and visibility to support a GW-deployment of DERs in the region  

• Advancing the utility-enabled DER thought leadership of the program 

• Help explore additional value services and revenue models of DERs into the grid from a local, national, and regional perspective  

• Support the current engagement with national, international and regional organizations the program closely works with (utilities, system operators, DER developers, philanthropies, multilateral agencies).  

This intern will contribute to high-impact analytical and applied outputs that directly support the advancement of DERs and energy transitions across key geographies, as well as have the opportunity for institutional capacity building in the Africa Program context.  

Job/Research Responsibilities 

This intern will:

Interconnected Minigrids & DER Analytics 

• Conduct the update of RMI’s techno-economic analysis of interconnected minigrids (IMGs), building on a Nigerian portfolio (~200MW pipeline) and multi-year data points from 4 existing operational IMGs. 

• Analyze trends in CAPEX, OPEX, revenue models, financing structures, subsidy evolution/requirements, and utility–developer collaboration on energy flows and operational arrangements.  

• Support pipeline mapping to strengthen visibility toward gigawatt-scale DER deployment. 

• Lead the refresh and enhancement of the internal DER/IMG analytics dashboard. 

• Collate, clean, and analyze datasets from remote monitoring platforms, developers, and utilities. 

• Synthesize insights from data analytics for thought leadership reports/articles.  

• Contribute to IMG-related reports and articles to increase adoption. 

 DER Aggregation & Utility-Enabled DER Models  

• Identify emerging value streams and grid services opportunities for DER integration. 

• Support research on virtual power plants (VPPs) and DER aggregation models in African markets. 

• Contribute to thought leadership on utility-enabled DER integration. 

• Conduct comparative global benchmarking (including country case studies) and adapt insights to African contexts. 

The intern will gain exposure to real-world energy projects and other advisory work that is shaping Africa’s future energy systems. 

Qualifications  

The role is well-suited for candidates with strong quantitative skills and an interest in using data to inform real-world energy transition solutions. 

Required 

• Strong quantitative and analytical skills (Excel required; experience with Python/R/Power BI/Tableau is a plus) 

• Ability to clean, structure, and analyze complex datasets independently 

• Interest in distributed energy, power systems, or energy access 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills 

• Ability to translate technical insights into clear, actionable recommendations 

• Comfort working across international teams and time zones 

Preferred 

• Background in energy systems, engineering, economics, public policy, or international development 

• Familiarity with DER technologies (solar PV, storage, microgrids, grid integration) 

• Experience in emerging markets, particularly Africa 

• Interest in capacity building and training design 

Application Requirements – Please upload both documents in the attachment section.  

Resume (Required)   

We suggest a 1–2-page resume that includes information about your academic background and work experience. Feel free to add additional sections that highlight any technical skills, relevant coursework, or academic projects that you’ve completed.  

Cover Letter (Required)  

Answer the following in your cover letter: Please share which country or region you are from and describe how your background and experiences from your home country or region have shaped your perspective on energy, sustainability, or climate issues. 

Location

This position is open to candidates who can work remotely within the United States.

Hours

Full time, 30 – 40 hours per week  

Summer 2026 Start and End Dates

June 2 - August 21

Compensation

We offer an hourly compensation rate of $20.00/hour.

Application Deadline:  Sunday, March 15th at 11:59pm ET.

About the Organization 

RMI is an independent nonprofit organization founded in 1982 that transforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions to align with a 1.5°C future. RMI works with governments, development institutions, businesses, and communities to accelerate the energy transition and strengthen climate resilience globally. 

Within RMI, the Africa Energy Program partners with governments, development partners, utilities, and the private sector in sub-Saharan Africa to drive deployment of affordable, efficient, reliable, and resilient energy systems that incorporate distributed energy resources to rapidly provide energy access and support economic development. 

Project Specifics 

Advancing Distributed Energy Resources (DER) key analytics and adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa 

The Africa Energy Program is seeking a highly motivated DER Data Analytics Intern to support our growing portfolio of distributed energy initiatives across Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, and beyond. This is not a passive research role. You will contribute directly to shaping real-world energy projects, including interconnected minigrids (IMGs), DER aggregation models/platforms (such as VPPs), and other energy-related efforts that are actively influencing policy, investment, and deployment in the region. 

You will work at the intersection of: 

• Energy access and grid integration (a.k.a. utility-enabled DERs) 

• Data analytics and techno-economic modeling 

• Improving and optimizing existing dashboards and processes for data automation on existing projects and the project pipeline to derive meaningful insights 

• Electric utilities, DER developers, and other stakeholders that are driving the energy transition 

Your work will inform decisions that affect gigawatts of DER deployment and the future of power systems in emerging African markets. 

The project will support the Africa Energy Program in: 

• Updating the database and analysis of existing and future DER projects across geographies, critically analyzing trends in CAPEX/OPEX costs, revenue models, and financing gaps, and collaboration between utilities and DER developers  

• Strengthening the project pipeline understanding and visibility to support a GW-deployment of DERs in the region  

• Advancing the utility-enabled DER thought leadership of the program 

• Help explore additional value services and revenue models of DERs into the grid from a local, national, and regional perspective  

• Support the current engagement with national, international and regional organizations the program closely works with (utilities, system operators, DER developers, philanthropies, multilateral agencies).  

This intern will contribute to high-impact analytical and applied outputs that directly support the advancement of DERs and energy transitions across key geographies, as well as have the opportunity for institutional capacity building in the Africa Program context.  

Job/Research Responsibilities 

This intern will:

Interconnected Minigrids & DER Analytics 

• Conduct the update of RMI’s techno-economic analysis of interconnected minigrids (IMGs), building on a Nigerian portfolio (~200MW pipeline) and multi-year data points from 4 existing operational IMGs. 

• Analyze trends in CAPEX, OPEX, revenue models, financing structures, subsidy evolution/requirements, and utility–developer collaboration on energy flows and operational arrangements.  

• Support pipeline mapping to strengthen visibility toward gigawatt-scale DER deployment. 

• Lead the refresh and enhancement of the internal DER/IMG analytics dashboard. 

• Collate, clean, and analyze datasets from remote monitoring platforms, developers, and utilities. 

• Synthesize insights from data analytics for thought leadership reports/articles.  

• Contribute to IMG-related reports and articles to increase adoption. 

 DER Aggregation & Utility-Enabled DER Models  

• Identify emerging value streams and grid services opportunities for DER integration. 

• Support research on virtual power plants (VPPs) and DER aggregation models in African markets. 

• Contribute to thought leadership on utility-enabled DER integration. 

• Conduct comparative global benchmarking (including country case studies) and adapt insights to African contexts. 

The intern will gain exposure to real-world energy projects and other advisory work that is shaping Africa’s future energy systems. 

Qualifications  

The role is well-suited for candidates with strong quantitative skills and an interest in using data to inform real-world energy transition solutions. 

Required 

• Strong quantitative and analytical skills (Excel required; experience with Python/R/Power BI/Tableau is a plus) 

• Ability to clean, structure, and analyze complex datasets independently 

• Interest in distributed energy, power systems, or energy access 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills 

• Ability to translate technical insights into clear, actionable recommendations 

• Comfort working across international teams and time zones 

Preferred 

• Background in energy systems, engineering, economics, public policy, or international development 

• Familiarity with DER technologies (solar PV, storage, microgrids, grid integration) 

• Experience in emerging markets, particularly Africa 

• Interest in capacity building and training design 

Application Requirements – Please upload both documents in the attachment section.  

Resume (Required)   

We suggest a 1–2-page resume that includes information about your academic background and work experience. Feel free to add additional sections that highlight any technical skills, relevant coursework, or academic projects that you’ve completed.  

Cover Letter (Required)  

Answer the following in your cover letter: Please share which country or region you are from and describe how your background and experiences from your home country or region have shaped your perspective on energy, sustainability, or climate issues. 

Location

This position is open to candidates who can work remotely within the United States.

Hours

Full time, 30 – 40 hours per week  

Summer 2026 Start and End Dates

June 2 - August 21

Compensation

We offer an hourly compensation rate of $20.00/hour.