AASHE STARS Gap Analysis Internship, Research Assistant, Summer 2026

Anticipated Start Date: ASAP

Number of Jobs Available: 3

Schedule: 10 weeks - Estimated 28 hours/week (flexible)

Pay: $5,000 stipend

Location: Newark, DE (In person)

Role Description:

The University of Delaware’s Climate Change Hub, in collaboration with the Office of Sustainability, is seeking student interns for a summer 2026 project focused on sustainability benchmarking and strategic analysis.

Interns will conduct research, data collection, and analysis to identify the highest-impact opportunities for UD to improve its AASHE STARS performance and advance broader sustainability goals. Students will benchmark UD against peer East Coast public universities with Gold AASHE STARS ratings, evaluate institutional gaps, research best practices, and develop prioritized recommendations.

Students will work independently and as a team with weekly guidance and oversight from the Climate Change Hub and will present final findings and recommendations to the Presidential Committee on Sustainability (PCS) and the Office of Sustainability.

Primary Responsibilities:

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct peer benchmarking and STARS gap analysis
• Research sustainability best practices
• Analyze scoring impact, feasibility, and strategic alignment
• Develop recommendations and presentation materials
• Present findings to university leadership

 Deliverables

• Executive summary and presentation (10–15 pages)
• Prioritized recommendations for improving STARS performance
• Supporting analysis and implementation considerations

Qualifications:  

• A proven ability to take initiative, work independently, and manage time efficiently to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse group of students, faculty, and staff. Ability to take directions, follow instructions, and constructive feedback.
• Ability to analyze situations, think creatively, and propose innovative solutions to sustainability challenges. Familiarity with collecting and interpreting data on sustainability efforts, environmental policies, and trends is a plus.
• Ability to positively engage with all aspects of the campus community, particularly students.
• Detail-oriented, with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Prompt, thorough, and concise communication.
• Keen interest in environmental issues and a desire to help foster positive change within the University of Delaware. No specific academic major is required; however, a basic understanding of sustainability concepts and current environmental challenges is essential.

Applicants must be undergraduate students at the University of Delaware. Work study eligibility can be found here. Applicants who are not enrolled as undergraduate students at the University will not be considered for this position. Employment Limitations and Exceptions