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2027 - Sustainability Program Intern (2 Positions)
WHO WE ARE
The Wastewater Planning and Community Programs team provides coordinated planning for regional wastewater service with cities in the Twin Cities. This work includes wastewater system planning studies, development of regional policy, and implementation of plan review and permitting programs. This team also coordinates the sustainability reporting to the State Office of Enterprise Sustainability for Environmental Services (ES) operations, as well as development and implementation of energy programs.
The intern will be helping to develop with mentorship a solid waste tracking program through data collection. It is the intent to foster a holistic approach to utilize reporting to inform decision making and then coordinate implementation of best practices by establishing standards and/or guidelines to integrating into department workflows.
Other responsibilities include reviewing, monitoring, and maintaining the EnergyCap database, including billing abnormalities, processing errors, maintaining data and tracking energy management projects to measure and verify impact.
Salary $25.20 Hourly
Internship Information:
- Length: Summer, may be extended past August
- Hours: Full-time summer and Part-time during school year
- Start Date: 05/17/2027
- Location: Saint Paul, MN
What you would do in this job
- Utility Bill Audit and Service Evaluation
- Perform utility bill audits to review rates and itemized expenses
- Inventory of waste
- Where and how are waste streams generated (process flow map)
- Where and how is waste collected (facility map)
What are the challenges of this facility or waste stream
- Baseline and Benchmark
- Create inventory of solid waste streams in Environmental Services (ES)
- Track poor performing facilities based on contamination fees and incorporate into education resources
Survey and Information Gather
- Track poor performing facilities based on contamination fees and incorporate into education resources
- Coordinate waste audits to measure and quantify waste streams
Coordinate water audits to measure and quantify opportunities for conservation (facilities) and reuse (process)
- Create inventory of solid waste streams in Environmental Services (ES)
- Waste Education for Continuous Improvement
- Establish an implementation schedule to reduce waste
- ES Update – The Wire newsletter
- Lunch and Learns
- Signage at receptacles and news board
- Coordinate implementation support with facilities and third-party consultants
Report on solid waste to OES
- Establish an implementation schedule to reduce waste
- Energy Cap
- Liaison between Environmental Services and public utility providers for electricity, natural gas,
community solar gardens and municipal storm and water - Review and correct flagged abnormalities of spend /use
- Upload new / missing bill statements into ECAP for timely processing of utility bills
- Review and reconcile community solar garden use (kWh) and credits ($) monthly
- Interval Data interconnection and analysis
- Tracking cost avoidance and reporting impact of energy projects
- Liaison between Environmental Services and public utility providers for electricity, natural gas,
- Utility Bill Audit and Service Evaluation
What education and experience are required for this job (minimum qualifications)
- Must be enrolled in an accredited institution, a degree seeking program (Associate, Bachelor, Master, or Doctorate), OR be a recent graduate (within 12 months from posting date) from a degree program.
- Candidate's residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin during the internship.
- An UNOFFICIAL transcript is required to be attached to application.
- Valid MN/WI driver's license.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Ability to work in database systems, data analysis, and mathematical aptitude
- Ability to communicate with people in a variety of roles, including wastewater operators as well as planners and policy makers
Demonstrated understanding of topics related to sustainability, including solid waste management, greenhouse gas mitigation, and energy efficiency
DEGREE PROGRAM/AREA OF STUDY PREFERRED
- Environmental studies, environmental science, engineering, and sustainability studies
Job Number 2026-00397
