Energy Benchmarking & Sustainability Intern

Energize Colleges•Hayward, CA

2d•$20•Hybrid

About The Position

Be a part of the Climate Solution! This is a paid internship for a student of CSU East Bay. The internship focuses on energy efficiency and sustainability, contributing to campus climate change solutions through the SEI’s Energize Colleges Program and CSU East Bay. The program aims to develop interns' knowledge of energy efficiency concepts, technical skills, career readiness, and understanding of sustainability careers. Interns will also develop skills in coordinating energy, education, and workforce development projects. The internship requires a commitment of 12-15 hours per week for a total of 150 hours from May 2026 to August 2026, with compensation at $20 per hour. Interns will assist with energy efficiency projects, create campus education and outreach resources, and integrate energy efficiency concepts into course materials. This is a hybrid position, with work conducted on-site and remotely, to be scheduled with the site supervisor. The Energy Benchmarking & Sustainability Intern will support a collaborative initiative between the Earth, Environmental & Sustainability Sciences Department and the City of Hayward to develop a local energy benchmarking program using the campus as a pilot program for assessing a city wide Building Performance Standards (BPS) ordinance. This role offers hands-on experience in building benchmarking, campus/municipal sustainability planning, data analysis, and policy support. The intern will assist in establishing benchmarking frameworks, analyzing building energy data, and contributing to strategies that improve building efficiency across campus, with relevance to the broader community.

Requirements

Be a currently enrolled graduate or undergraduate student at CSU East Bay
Be interested in energy efficiency and sustainability.
Foundational knowledge in the energy sector or energy-adjacent building sciences (e.g., energy efficiency, HVAC, or green construction), gained through coursework, hands-on volunteer projects, or professional experience.
Be an organized self-starter with excellent time management skills.
Knowledge, familiarity, and/or a strong interest in climate change and energy efficiency.
Strong communication and workplace skills, such as accountability, self-motivation, the ability to work both independently and on teams, respect, openness to giving and receiving feedback, organization, and timeliness.
The ability to commit to a schedule of 12-15 hours per week for the duration of the internship.
Be able to provide a valid Federal W-9 form, required identification, and employment authorization.
Must be 18 years or older to apply.

Nice To Haves

Project management or campus organization experience is a bonus, but not required (volunteer work and coursework may count).

Responsibilities

Support the development of a campus/community energy benchmarking program in partnership with the City of Hayward
Assist in collecting, organizing, and analyzing building energy-use data on the Hayward campus and comparing it to similar buildings within the City of Hayward (e.g., electricity, gas, and water, where applicable)
Conduct research on benchmarking policies, best practices, and comparable municipal programs, and how they apply to the East Bay campus
Help design program frameworks, metrics, and reporting tools for tracking building performance at East Bay and in the City of Hayward
Collaborate with city staff, faculty, and stakeholders to align the City of Hayward energy benchmarking program goals and implementation strategies with Hayward campus building management practices
Prepare reports, summaries, and presentations for both academic and municipal audiences on benchmarking at the East Bay campus and more broadly in the City of Hayward
Assist with outreach materials and stakeholder engagement efforts that could be used for the campus community (faculty, staff, students) and City of Hayward stakeholders (e.g., property owners, community members)
Support documentation for promoting energy efficiency, including guidelines, timelines, and recommendations
Contribute to sustainability planning efforts and identify opportunities for energy efficiency improvements on the CSUEB Hayward campus and the City of Hayward