Job Description

Water Infrastructure Planning Internship

The Water Infrastructure Planning(WPN) group at Colorado Springs Utilities is is looking to a bring a summer intern onto the team. This internship will provide a valuable opportunity for a motivated individual to gain hands-on experience in

*This is a summer only internship from May 26th through August 8th/14th depending on school schedule

In this internship, the student will develop a foundational understanding of Colorado Springs Utilities’ water delivery and treatment systems. Gain a high level understanding of how raw water is acquired, conveyed, stored, and treated, including the major infrastructure components and operational steps involved in providing drinking water to the community. Work will be completed alongside and under the guidance of a Water Planning & Network team member.

**Degree tracks that we will focus on for this role are: Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering

Key Areas of Focus:

• Build awareness of Utilities’ organizational structure and cross departmental functions
• Experience the day to day working environment within Colorado Springs Utilities while forming professional connections across departments to better understand how teams collaborate to support the full water system lifecycle
• Gain proficiency with Water Planning & Network (WPN) reports and data formats. Learn the purpose, structure, and key outputs of WPN reports, including how they are generated, how they support decision making, and how other departments rely on this information
• Develop communication and facilitation skills for cross departmental coordination
• Be able to prepare for and lead a meeting with another group or department to effectively communicate WPN findings, share updates, or coordinate work
• The intern will work toward these learning objectives primarily through hands-on project work and field exposure throughout the summer.
  

Key learning activities may include:

• Contribute to the Finished Water System Plan Update. Support data gathering, analysis, and document preparation tasks that feed into the development of the upcoming system plan update, working closely with WPN staff
• Participate in raw water system field visits. Attend site trips to major raw water facilities to observe system components firsthand and gain practical context for how water is conveyed to the treatment process
• Assist with document management and sampling efforts at the SIX pilot study at Tollefson. Help organize project documentation and, when applicable, support sampling or field procedures associated with the pilot study
• Engage in water system modeling, outage evaluation, or reporting activities. Contribute to modeling tasks or outage-related analyses to better understand hydraulic behavior, system constraints, and cross-departmental communication needs

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORKING CONDITIONS:
- Exerts up to 10 lbs. of force occasionally and/or small amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.
- Positions in this class typically require talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions within an office working environment.

*This is an on-site, non-remote/non-telecommuting position
*Hourly rate is dependent on year completed of academic degree, e.g., second year complete, third year complete, etc.
*Candidates MUST be enrolled in a degree seeking program (Associates/Bachelors/Masters) with a 2.5 GPA and be able to provide documentation if requested. Enrollment in a certification program does not qualify.

Who We Are:
Colorado Springs Utilities is the largest community owned, not-for-profit, four-service utility in the nation. For 100 years, we have provided Colorado Springs with safe, reliable and competitively-priced electric, natural gas, water and wastewater services. We care about our community's well-being, support local business and have an interest in all things that help make Colorado Springs a great place to live, work and play

Be a part of a unique, customer-owned and operated four-service utility. With our rare distinction of providing four utility services – natural gas, electricity, water, and wastewater treatment – we offer a varied, fast-paced work culture teeming with potential.

Colorado Springs Utilities infuses corporate responsibility and safety into daily business operations with the foundation of decision-making focused on our community owners, employees, and environment. As an employee, you will have an opportunity to contribute ideas and solutions in an engaging, dynamic team environment.

Our Commitment to Our Employees…
Our people are the heart and soul of Colorado Springs Utilities. They keep the lights on, gas flowing, water coming in, and wastewater leaving. We don't just say people are important – we prove it! That’s why we are honored to invest in protecting the health and financial security of our employees and their families through our rich benefits program.

Time Off to Recharge

• Vacation – Start with 13 days annually, increasing to 24 days with tenure
• Paid Holidays –12 paid holidays per year
• Sick Leave – 12 days per year for personal or family health needs
• Vacation Buy – Option to purchase up to 40 additional hours annually

Health & Wellness – Benefits elected are effective the first of the following month

• Medical Plans: Three comprehensive options, including a $0 premium High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with Health Savings Account (HSA) eligibility
• Zero Health: Access to hundreds of medical services at no cost
• Dental & Vision: Two dental plans and one vision plan
• Family Building-Benefits: Support for fertility, preservation, adoption, and surrogacy
• Wellness Program: A voluntary program that rewards you for prioritizing self-care! If you're enrolled in a our medical plan, you and your spouse can earn up to $600 in HRA or HSA contributions by completing healthy activities
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA): Pre-tax contributions for healthcare and dependent care expenses
• Health Savings Account (HSA): Available with HDHP
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Confidential support for mental health, stress, legal, financial, and work-life balance

Financial & Retirement Security

• Pension Plan: Colorado PERA provides retirement benefits and peace of mind
• Supplemental Retirement Plans: PERAPlus 401(k), MissionSquare Roth IRA, and 457 plans
• Disability Coverage: Short-Term and Long-Term Disability insurance available
• Life Insurance: Employer-paid coverage with optional supplemental plans
• Long-Term Care Insurance: Available for purchase to support extended care needs