Start Date: 9/2/25
End Date: 12/15/25
Rate: $29.25/hr
Offshore Wind Permitting Student Researcher, Fall 2025
The Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE) seeks a UC Berkeley School of Law student to conduct legal research during the fall of 2025. The position is for a 15% (6 hours/week) appointment, depending on the student’s availability, with the possibility of extension. This is a fully remote position. This position is contingent upon the candidate’s meeting the requirements for this academic appointment, as indicated in the eligibility requirements, below.
CLEE has studied offshore wind development in California since 2019 focusing on early goal setting, stakeholder engagement, and, most recently, community benefits in executed leases. This research will support the State’s permitting process by analyzing the jurisdictions of various State agencies to evaluate potential pathways for adaptive management. The work will be conducted in coordination with the Environmental Law Institute, who will analyze federal jurisdiction, and the Ocean Science Trust. The researcher will draft a memo with an initial legal analysis of adaptive management opportunities including clarification of when adaptive management opportunities do not exist or are not possible using existing permitting or regulatory mechanisms. The project may also involve limited case studies on adaptive management practices from the East Coast.
Desired qualifications:
- Completed coursework in administrative law, legislation and statutory interpretation, environmental law, environmental justice law, and/or energy law
Required qualifications:
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and legal databases
- Proven legal research skills, including skill at prioritizing research approaches
You will report to Katherine Hoff, Research Fellow at CLEE, and Louise Bedsworth, CLEE Executive Director. If you are interested inapplying, please send a cover letter and resume to khoff@berkeley.edu by COB on September 13, 2025. Please reference “Offshore Wind Legal Researcher” in the email subject.