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Job opening: California Public Utilities Commission, Energy Division Student Internships

Schatz Center
4 hours ago

Applications are due by Friday, April 17th, at 11:59 pm (Pacific)

Download the full job announcement

The Schatz Energy Research Center has partnered with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to support the hiring of three undergraduate or graduate students at Cal Poly Humboldt for a Summer 2026 research internship at the CPUC. This is a full-time, paid summer internship position expected to start on or near May 18, 2026 and continue through the end of the summer. There is potential for the internship to continue into the fall at a reduced rate of up to 20 hours per week.  This position is supported by CPUC funding.

Eligible applicants must be undergraduate or graduate students in good academic standing and must be currently registered at Cal Poly Humboldt (i.e. during Spring 2026 and Fall 2026). The applicant must also demonstrate interest and enthusiasm for issues related to energy and environmental policy. 

Who we are

Schatz Center

Since 1989, the Schatz Center has been a leader in applied research and project development for clean and renewable energy. Our current portfolio includes microgrid development, sustainable transportation design, carbon life cycle analysis, solar product testing, offshore wind feasibility studies, and planning and policy for clean energy access around the globe.

As residents of a rural coastal community, we are keenly aware of our social and environmental responsibilities. We are committed to increasing energy access and resilience for communities worldwide — and do so through clean and renewable design that reduces climate change and restores environmental and human health.

California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)

The CPUC’s Energy Division develops and administers energy policy and programs to serve the public interest, advise the Commission, and ensure compliance with the Commission’s decisions and statutory mandates. The Energy Division provides objective and expert analyses that promote reliable, safe, and environmentally sound energy services at the lowest reasonable rates for the people of California.

The Energy Division provides technical support to the Commissioners and their offices, and the Administrative Law Judges. The Energy Division drafts resolutions for formal consideration by the Commission. Resolutions generally result from informal utility requests called Advice Letters, which are submitted by utilities to request rate and tariff adjustments.

The Energy Division through its Federal Policy and Ratemaking Section represents the Commission in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and court proceedings.

The Energy Division assists the Commission in its regulation of four types of Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs): Electric, Natural Gas, Steam and Petroleum Pipeline Companies. Commission-approved tariffs (official rates and terms of service) for these four types of IOUs are maintained by the Energy Division.

Internship Summaries

Internship 1: Demand Response 

The Student Intern will work directly under the supervision of the CPUC’s Demand Response (DR) team, which provides the primary learning experience and project direction. The Student Intern will support the DR Section with policy analysis, program evaluation, oversight, and enforcement; research issues and policies related to Demand Response/Flexibility; brief CPUC staff and management on requested topics; and create systems and documentation to advance the DR team’s mission. 

Internship 2: Renewables Procurement

The Student Intern will be tasked with responsibilities that require them to research and gain proficiency over the CPUC’s current energy policies and processes. At the conclusion of the internship, the intern will be expected to produce a formal analysis that synthesizes their research and analysis of Senate Bill (SB) 1174 data on delayed transmission projects and its impacts on the California Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS). The intern will need to perform heavy data management and analysis while assisting with the Energy Division’s annual SB 1174 systemwide assessment on transmission delays and impacts on renewable energy and storage resource deliveries. 

Internship 3: Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) 

The Student Intern will work directly under the supervision of the CPUC’s Integrated Resource Planning (IPR) program and the Transmission & Interconnection team. Example projects include identifying opportunities to improve the CPUC’s IRP resource-to-busbar mapping process and how it factors in emerging trends.

The Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) group’s Transmission & Interconnection section is in search of dynamic, creative team members to lead implementation of critical state policy development and research on electricity grid planning, particularly for transmission and interconnection issues. The section values strong analytical, policy, and communication skills and seeks individuals that have experience and interest in decarbonization problem solving. If energy or environmental sustainability is your passion, and you endeavor to contribute to California’s clean energy future, we encourage you to apply for our positions. 

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience

  • Eligible applicants must be undergraduate or graduate students in good academic standing and must be currently registered at Cal Poly Humboldt (i.e. during Spring 2026 and for Fall 2026).

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities

  • Strong interest in energy, climate change, and policy.
  • Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint). 
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Excellent analytical skills and critical judgment.
  • Excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritize work.
  • Renewables Procurement Internship only: Excellent data management and analysis skills.

Desirable qualifications 

The following are welcome, but they are not required to be eligible for the position.

  • Demand Response
    • General knowledge of the California energy ecosystem and California policies related to decarbonization of the energy sector. 
    • Familiarity with Distributed Energy Resources, Demand Flexibility, Demand Response and CAISO energy markets is a plus.
  • Renewables Procurement
    • Prior work experience that relates to research, writing, and data analysis. 
    • Prior project management experience.
  • Integrated Resource Planning 
    • Current/recent studies or research related to planning to planning in the electric sector

Important note: This vacancy announcement includes both (a) minimum qualifications as well as (b) desirable qualifications. Research shows that many women and people of color, in particular, feel that they have to have 100% of both required and desired skills and experience before applying for a new job. We want to reiterate that the desirable qualifications listed above are not required to apply for a position on our team. If you meet the minimum qualifications, we encourage you to apply.

Compensation

Interns will be paid an hourly rate between $16.50-$25.00 depending on experience, plus up to $5,000 in tuition/fee support, travel and/or professional development. It is anticipated that interns will work up to 40 hours per week during the summer with potential continuation into the fall for up to 20 hours per week. 

Note: Tuition/fees support depends on other financial assistance you may receive or be eligible for. We recommend contacting Student Financial Services for guidance.

How to apply

Deadline 

All application materials must be received by 11:59pm Pacific Time (US) on Friday, April 17th.

Please apply via the google form Schatz–CPUC Energy Division Internship Application

The application form will ask you to:

  • Provide basic information and your availability
  • Upload your resume (PDF)
  • Indicate your areas of interest within the CPUC Energy Division
  • Respond to a small number of short questions about your experience, interests, and learning goals

Please note:

  • A cover letter is not required.
  • Your responses in the application form will be used as a writing sample.
  • You do not need prior experience in all listed areas to apply.

Note on qualifying experience 

You may demonstrate your qualifications through any combination of the following. Please include brief examples or a short list in your materials as appropriate:

  • Paid employment and internships
  • Volunteer service and community engagement
  • Leadership or participation in clubs, student organizations, or other extracurriculars
  • Independent or course-based projects, research, or fieldwork
  • Pertinent college/university coursework successfully completed or in progress

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