Sustainable Development Intern

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Community Development Department (CDD) is the planning agency for the City of Cambridge. Our mission is to foster a livable, sustainable, just, and equitable community. CDD has three programmatic divisions – Economic Opportunity & Development, Community Planning & Design, and Zoning & Development – and also encompasses the Housing Department and the Arts Council. Together, we engage and collaborate with community partners, other government agencies, businesses, and residents to make Cambridge a desirable place to live, work, learn, play, and innovate.

The Zoning and Development Division is a team of urban planners performing work in the areas of land use planning and urban development. The division has a Director, a Senior Manager, two Project Planners, two Associate Planners, an Administrative Coordinator, and interns. Specific division work areas include: More information at http://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/zoninganddevelopment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Zoning & Development Division's responsibilities include the administration of sustainability and resiliency requirements set forth in Article 22 of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance. These standards promote sustainable design that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, conserves natural resources, and mitigates urban heat while being resilient to flooding. Examples of standards include a requirement for larger buildings to align with LEED, Passive House, or Enterprise Green Communities rating programs, as well as requirements for all new development to incorporate site cooling features like trees, plantings, and materials that reflect solar heat. As more new developments are built that meet the standards, the City gets closer to meeting its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, as identified in the Net Zero Action Plan.

This is not a time-limited, summer-only internship position. Because it involves training and ongoing assignments, the position is best suited to candidates who intend to stay for around six months to a year or more. Under the supervision of the Zoning Project Planner for Sustainable Development, specific activities of the Sustainable Development Intern could include:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Work involves occasional evening meetings, travelling to and through the city to different locations within Cambridge, walking, and climbing stairs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work involved is primarily indoors in a professional office setting. Some work will involve walking tours to survey different areas of Cambridge as well as public and community meetings held at various locations throughout Cambridge. This position may be eligible for hybrid work under the City's Telework Policy, depending on operational needs.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Please upload the following documents to complete your application: