Climate Internship Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $21.14 - $31.22 Hourly
Location : San Jose Metropolitan Area
Job Type: Part-Time
Job Number: 202601707
DEPART: Energy Department
Opening Date: 08/13/2026
Closing Date: 8/27/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.
The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY), or via email at CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov.
About the Department
San José Clean Energy, or SJCE, is San José's local, not-for-profit electricity supplier operated by the City of San José's Energy Department. Since 2019, our dedicated and motivated team has provided clean energy for residents and businesses at competitive rates, while also offering community programs, local benefits, and increased transparency and accessibility. SJCE serves more than 350,000 customer accounts, and has contracted for more than 1 GW of power.
Joining our team means that you will be making a big impact on the fight against climate change. SJCE plays an important role in meeting San José's ambitious goal to be carbon neutral by 2030 and in implementing the City's climate action plan, Climate Smart San José. Thanks to SJCE, San Jose has one of the cleanest energy mixes of any large city and offers a 60% renewable product and a 100% renewable product.
Serving our community with respect and integrity is at the core of what we do. We center equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging in our work. The department also hosts active staff-led Culture and Racial Equity committees, and has won awards for its education and outreach work with Spanish and Vietnamese-speaking communities.
For more information about San José Clean Energy, please visit:
**Please note, in order to be considered for this recruitment, candidates are required to upload a copy of their current school schedule with the accredited college or university's name**
Position Duties
The Energy Department is looking to fill one (1) Power Resources Specialist Graduate Student Intern (Unclassified) (Part-time) position.
The Power Resources Specialist Intern's primary responsibility will be to assist SJCE with the analysis of energy markets and renewable energy technologies. Projects could include:

• Evaluating California's wholesale energy markets.
• Evaluating renewable energy technologies, market performance, availability and commercial viability.
• Assisting with the development of internal tools to process and evaluate large amounts of market data, such as CAISO system demand, market clearing prices, and grid outages.
• Assisting with the development of internal dashboards and reports to present data, research findings, and market insights.
• Researching and attending market events to increase awareness of market trends, technology innovations, and product availability. Preparing summary materials and presenting findings to internal teams.
• Researching analytical tools, software, and other market data resources to inform internal system or process enhancements. These tools may include open-source resources.
• Assisting with scenario analysis and back-testing.
• Assisting with primary research related to Power Purchase Agreements, resource performance and industry standard provisions.

Additionally, this intern will support SJCE's ongoing business operations and general office processes. Responsibilities may include attending internal and external meetings, preparing and organizing materials, drafting and editing correspondence, proofreading documents, maintaining records, and providing other general administrative and business support as needed.
Pay: Graduate Student Intern: $21.14 - $31.22 per hour (unclassified, unbenefited)
This salary range includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation. The actual salary will be determined based on the final candidate's qualifications and experience.
Work Schedule: During the academic year, interns are recommended to work 24-40 hours per week, with schedules determined collaboratively between the hiring manager and the intern based on student availability and project needs. During summer and winter breaks, interns may work up to 40 hours per week.
Minimum Qualifications
Training and Experience:
Any combination of training and experience equivalent to completion of a Bachelor's Degree and current enrollment in a Masters degree program from an accredited college or university in business or public administration or closely related field.
Licenses and Certificates
Possession of a valid driver's license authorizing operation of a motor vehicle in the state of California may be required in performing job duties.
Desired skills:

• Experience conducting primary and secondary research from credible sources
• Experience attaining, processing, and cleaning data (preferably energy data)
• Experience/knowledge of programming languages such as Python or R
• Experience with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint)
• (Bonus) Knowledge or familiarity with: CAISO or any other ISO/RTO, wholesale energy market mechanics, resource technologies, resource scheduling, and or Power Purchase Agreements.

Desired Education:

• Data Science / Data Analytics
• Computer Science
• Statistics / Applied Mathematics
• Sustainable Energy Systems

Other Qualifications
Selection Process
The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions. Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews.
If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact Adrienne Barreto at
Additional Information:
Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.
You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.
Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.
This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.
Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email and we will research the status of your application.
AI and the Hiring Process
We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.
Part-time positions(less than 40 hours per week) are required to participate in the City's PTC 457 Deferred Compensation Plan per Federal regulations. Employees are required to contribute 3.75% of gross earning and the City contributes a matching amount of 3.75%. The funds contributed by the City are 100% vested upon initial deferral and will be held in a stability of principal investment. This plan is in lieu of social security and does not include any healthcare benefits or contributions.
Part-time employees may elect to contribute additional retirement savings through the City's Voluntary 457 Deferred Compensation Plan. Additional Information on both plans can be found on the
01
Are you currently enrolled in a Master's degree or higher from an accredited college or university?
02
If you answered "yes" to question number 1, please list the name of the accredited college or university in which you are currently enrolled in, as well as the field of study which you are pursuing in your Masters degree program.
03
Per the job posting, in order to be considered for this recruitment, candidates are required to upload a copy of their current school schedule with the accredited college or university's name.

• Yes, I have uploaded a copy of my current school schedule with the accredited college/university's name
• No, I have not uploaded a copy of my current school schedule with the accredited college/university's name

04
This position may require a State of California Driver's License. Please select the applicable option that best describes your driver's license, or your ability to possess a valid driver's license.

• State of CA, Class A Driver's License
• State of CA, Class B Driver's License
• State of CA, Class C Driver's License
• I do not possess a State of California Driver's License but, I can obtain one.
• I do not possess a State of California Driver's License and I cannot obtain one

05
What specific skills or domain knowledge are you most excited to gain from this internship, and how does working in the Energy sector align with your long-term career goals?
06
This role deals closely with wholesale energy markets. Please briefly explain your familiarity with CAISO (or another ISO/RTO), power purchase agreements (PPAs), or different resource technologies (such as solar, wind, or fossil fuels). If you haven't worked with these, how would you approach researching them in your first month?
07
Data science in the energy sector is ultimately used to drive business decisions and manage portfolio risk. Think of a technical project or analysis you completed recently. How would you explain its business value, financial impact, or strategic purpose to a non-technical manager?
Required Question