About this role
Apply by Date: 10/21/2026
Hourly Minimum Pay Rate: $24.58 / hour
Hourly Maximum Pay Rate: $29.95 / hour
About SMUD's College Internship Program
SMUD's College Internship Program provides college interns with an opportunity to contribute their skills and knowledge to SMUD while gaining valuable work experience. Workshops and activities will also be part of the program where interns will have the opportunity to be immersed in SMUD's culture and learn leadership skills as well as develop their professional skills.
SMUD was also recognized by Interns 2 Pros for the 2020 Internship Program of The Year Award in recognition of excellence in internship strategy, implementation, and impact and was one of five finalists for the 2023 Internship Program of the Year from Interns 2 Pros along with Paramount, Fox Corporation, Intuit, and Toyota.
The position reports to the Manager of Program Planning & Development in Distributed Energy Solutions (DES).The DES department develops and implements progressive programs that support SMUD’s Zero Carbon Plan and long-term sustainability goals. This position will support the Planning & Development team by providing data analysis and/or project support for program planning, budgets, reporting, technology, and initiatives related to our portfolio of programs, which may include Electric Transportation, Load Flexibility, Building Electrification, Energy Efficiency, and Green Pricing in both the residential and commercial sectors. The student will gain exposure to program planning and development in the utility industry and contribute to the creation of customer and grid benefit programs that support carbon reduction.
Responsibilities include:
- Assist in the planning and development of new and existing programs.
- Create visual process maps and workflows using Microsoft Visio to support program documentation and communication.
- Conduct research and benchmarking to inform program design and strategic decisions.
- Perform data entry, data cleaning, and data compilation to support program tracking and reporting.
- Analyze program data to identify trends, insights, and opportunities for improvement.
- Support the development of internal reports and presentations for stakeholders.
- Assist in drafting and maintaining procedure documentation.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather information and support project coordination.
- Support the development and maintenance of project timelines, trackers, and planning tools.
- Assist in preparing meeting materials, agendas, and summaries for internal and external stakeholder meetings.
- Review and organize program documentation to ensure version control and accessibility.
- Assist in identifying process improvement opportunities and documenting recommendations.
- Shadow team members during cross-functional meetings to gain exposure to utility planning and program development processes
Purpose
Under staff direction, incumbents in this classification are full-time students in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Math program who perform research and analytical tasks for projects and assignments that utilize specific and acquired academic skills and knowledge in alignment with their educational disciplines.
Nature and Scope
The work performed in this classification calls for regular application of analytical and independent research skills. Work is closely related to the employee’s academic major in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Performs tasks of an analytical or research nature for suitable projects or ongoing assignments which call for specific acquired academic skills and knowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math.
- May locate sources of information; collect and organize data.
- Makes computations and analyzes data for degree of confidence and for alternative courses of action.
- May develop computer programs relating to assignments and may code material for established programs.
- May develop written, graphical and/or oral reports.
- May assist staff analysts and technical personnel by performing elements of their work under close supervision.
Required Education
- Registration as a full-time student (minimum of 12 units) at an accredited college or university in a declared curriculum with a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) emphasis that will provide the specific skills and knowledge that will contribute to available work assignments.
Desirable Qualifications
- Major: Engineering, City Planning, Business Administration, Public Policy or Health, Natural Sciences, Mathematics, Economics, or Environmental Studies.
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint; familiarity with Microsoft Visio is a plus, and willingness to learn new software as needed.
- Demonstrated interest in sustainability, clean energy, or utility program development.
- Self-motivated and able to work independently after receiving guidance and training.
- Strong interest and/or experience in data analysis, research, and process improvement.
- Comfortable working with large datasets; attention to detail and data accuracy is essential.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to work effectively in a professional, team-oriented environment.
- Ability to navigate and learn complex data entry and analysis tools (no coding experience required).
Physical Requirements
Applicants must be able to perform the essential job functions with or without a reasonable accommodation.
Application Deadline: It is guaranteed that the online system will accept applications until 5 PM on the apply by date. It is highly encouraged that applications are submitted well before the due date and time mentioned to make sure that it is submitted successfully.
Official SMUD Title: STEM Student Assistant
Internship Program Requirements:
- Students must be able to commute to the SMUD Offices in Sacramento, CA when requested to come in.
- To have a student position at SMUD, you must not have any relatives working at SMUD.
- Students must be enrolled and maintain enrollment as a full-time student, complete and pass at least 12 undergraduate units OR 8 graduate units, and receive at least a 2.0 GPA the semester/quarter prior to employment and for the duration of the internship. SMUD does not look at cumulative GPAs.
- Currently, SMUD is not hiring candidates for its student internship positions who require sponsorship from an employer either now or in the future. Such sponsorship is not needed for citizens, a U.S. National, a permanent resident, or one granted refuge or asylum status by the U.S. government. Visa holders typically require sponsorship in one form or another at some point in time.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) are a part of who we are and how we do things. Supporting efforts that promote pay equality is part of that. Salary placement for the selected candidate will be determined in alignment with the California Equal Pay Act or the applicable MOU. Determination for salary placement of internal candidates will be made without respect to current classification or compensation and will be based upon the candidate's qualifications as compared to those performing substantially similar work. In the event there is a guaranteed pay progression outlined in an applicable MOU, the MOU takes precedence.