Intern Energy Efficiency Program Jobs in California

About the Opportunity 

Start Date: September 1st, 2026

Length of Fellowship: 10 months

Location Type: Hybrid (3 days/week on-site)

Are you passionate about tackling climate challenges and driving sustainability solutions? As an Energy Efficiency Fellow in the Climate Corps Fellowship program, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to impactful sustainability initiatives with California State University Channel Islands. This is a hybrid position with the expectation of onsite work 3 days per week.

The Energy Efficiency Fellow at CSUCI will provide campus support in three main areas:

• Green Revolving Fund Promotion and Management:
  • CSUCI recently started an internal Green Revolving Fund (GRF) to invest in utility efficiency projects with a quick return on investment. The GRF provides an opportunity for any campus students or employees to propose water and energy efficiency projects that will benefit the campus. This position will lead the promotion and management of the GRF, producing and disseminating promotional materials, identifying eligible projects, and assisting with tracking and management of GRF-funded projects.
• Energy Efficiency Projects:
  • The university is in the process of implementing a suite of energy efficiency projects, including campus lighting retrofits, building controls upgrades, HVAC replacements, and more. This position will provide support to the project managers overseeing these projects to ensure timely implementation of projects and to help collect energy data and estimate resource savings.
• Energy Efficiency Program Implementation:
  • In addition to the suite of funded lighting and energy projects mentioned above, the campus is also participating in a utility incentive program to identify energy efficiency measures. This position will support the university's participation in the program and assist with coordinating the implementation of energy efficiency measures.

Through these activities, this position will provide the opportunity to practice and learn skills related to campus stakeholder engagement, project management, communication, collaboration, funding strategies, and energy efficiency. This position offers a unique opportunity to develop your professional skills, grow your network, and contribute to CSU Channel Islands' sustainability goals.

About Our Partner: California State University Channel Islands

California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) is Ventura County's only public university and opened in 2002 as the 23rd campus in the CSU system serving the regions of Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties, as well as the entire state. CSUCI is located between Camarillo and the Oxnard Plain, midway between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, and 25 miles north of Malibu. The campus is nestled against the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains and is a 10-minute drive from the Pacific Ocean. With more than 5,600 students, 24,500 alumni, and 1,000 employees, CSUCI is poised to grow in size and distinction, while maintaining one of the most student-focused learning environments in public higher education, with more than 90 academic degrees, teaching credentials, certificates, and professional and community programs.

The university maintains a focus on sustainability and diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. In recent years, the campus has adopted its inaugural Climate Action Plan, outlining goals to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. In alignment with this plan, CSUCI is investing heavily in energy efficiency throughout the next few years, including several lighting projects, controls upgrades, and other energy efficiency measures.

What You'll Do

• Develop presentations or reports.
• Produce, track, manage, analyze, and communicate data.
• Engage internal and external clients and stakeholders.
• Design, implement, evaluate, and improve initiatives.
• Assist with project planning and implementation.

What We Provide

• A fixed, monthly stipend of $3450.
• $1000 end-of-program financial award.
• Health care coverage with 100% of health care insurance premiums covered by SEI.
• 10 Personal Days (for a standard 10-month Fellowship), in addition to all holidays off that are observed as closure days by the partner placement site.
• Comprehensive career-readiness training, including interview prep, salary negotiation, and resume building.
• Panels, workshops, and networking with climate resilience industry professionals.
• Professional networking and learning opportunities.
• The University of California Climate Stewards Certification equips you to lead community and ecosystem resilience initiatives.

What We're Looking For

• Marketing and outreach experience - designing and disseminating outreach material.
• Project management experience - communicating with various stakeholders, viewing and understanding data, creating presentations, and presenting to stakeholders on campus.
• Strong skills in Microsoft Excel with the ability to create pivot tables.
• Experience in energy efficiency, renewable energy, data analysis, program administration, project management, or related fields.
• Ability to work in teams as well as independently, carrying out assignments, making independent judgments and/or decisions, and discerning when deferring action to a higher level is required.
• Must be able to effectively manage multiple projects and maintain an organized and well-communicated workflow.
• The ability to work onsite on a hybrid basis (3 days per week). Only candidates currently residing within commuting distance of the site address will be considered.
• Commitment to a fair workplace that honors the experiences, voices, viewpoints, and values of all individuals.
• Authorization to work in the United States for the duration of the fellowship (SEI is unable to sponsor visas).
• May require occasional moving about to accomplish tasks, moving from one worksite to another, or adjusting or moving objects under 25-50 pounds in all directions.
• Must be 18 years or older to apply.

Nice-to-haves

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience highly desired. Coursework in engineering, energy systems, or similar experience is preferred.
• Graphic design skills and experience with design software (e.g., Canva).

We encourage everyone interested in this position to apply, even if you don't meet every qualification. We value all perspectives and believe that a unique background can bring significant strengths to this role, even if some qualifications are not fully met.

Climate Corps Fellowships are classified under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as temporary, educational internships that emphasize training and career development, and thus no employment relationship exists, nor is compensation required. However, while not considered traditional employment, Fellows receive a living stipend and professional development support throughout the program.

Recruiting Timeline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage early submissions, as we may stop accepting new applications once a sufficient pool of qualified candidates is identified.