University Of New Brunswick - Internship Position

A Mitacs-supported full-time internship position is available in the Faculty of Management in Fredericton beginning as soon as possible. The position details are:

Project Title: National Data Benchmarking – Smart Energy

Academic Supervisor: David Foord

Department: Faculty of Management

Partner Organization: Smart Grid Innovation Network Canada Ltd.

Term of Position: As soon as possible to June 13, 2024

Annual Salary: $50,000

Brief description of the project

In May 2022, Natural Resources Canada awarded the Smart Grid Innovation Network Canada $815,000 to launch the Smart Energy Benchmarking Project. SGIN is working with partners Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors, Siemens, The Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (MITACS) and the University of New Brunswick, to support electric utilities across Canada in preparing for the clean energy transition.

The project involves three phases:

1. Smart Energy Scorecard: Benchmark up to 20 electric utilities’ current smart energy development, including performance relative to peers and best-in-class practices.
2. Capability Maturity Model: Develop a capability model across various dimensions, aligned with the scorecard. Several utilities from phase 1 will be short-listed for further in-depth analysis to build on their strengths and develop their capabilities to improve preparedness and performance.
3. Smart Energy Knowledge Hub: Disseminate knowledge beyond the immediate beneficiaries of the Smart Energy Benchmarking Project. Key insights will be used to establish a Smart Energy Knowledge Hub that allows utilities, regulators, governments, and other stakeholders across the country to learn about emerging trends and best practices.

The goals of this project are to:

1. Articulate the current state of smart energy development, including clean energy supply, grid modernization and clean energy use in Canada.
2. Develop a better understand utilities’ preparedness for required changes.
3. Share findings, conclusions, and recommendations broadly to accelerate the clean energy transition.

Brief description of duties and skills required

The intern will lead in the development of the Smart Energy Knowledge Hub. In execution of this duty the intern will engage with utilities and other users to design a business model and website for the Knowledge Hub, as well as knowledge hub materials, as outlined below.

1. Prepare plans and reports for development of the Knowledge Hub and dissemination of project results.
2. Undertake a comprehensive literature review on the knowledge hubs specific to the Smart Energy Domain.
3. Use qualitative and quantitative market research methods to collect primary documents and conduct interviews with energy system stakeholders to design the Knowledge Hub.
4. Prepare lessons learned, postings and best practices from the project, including written materials, graphics and videos.
5. Present these materials through the identified channels, including the Knowledge Hub.
6. Prepare a final project report and survey for Mitacs.
7. Develop and execute a program to identify, capture, communicate and implement additional data for the Knowledge Hub, including creation of new Knowledge Hub content.
8. Develop a program to deliver priority data analysis and insights based on available data and stakeholder priorities.

In addition to design a business model and website for the Knowledge Hub, the intern may collaborate with other project personnel to prepare peer-reviewed journal articles and conference presentations.

The intern will have at a minimum an undergraduate degree in management, business or a communications-related field. The intern will have outstanding communication skills and experience in research. The intern will ideally also have experience in design and production of videos, data visualization materials and white papers.

Deadline to apply: July 17, 2022

To apply, send a current resume, an unofficial transcript of your marks and writing/video/data visualization samples to Dr. David Foord, UNB Faculty of Management, at [email protected].