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Civil Engineering Internship - Design Water and Wastewater

Colorado Springs Utilities is looking for a civil engineering student interested in the water and wastewater utility industry. In this position, you will aid the Design Water Wastewater section in various phases of water distribution system, vertical water and wastewater projects from data analysis to design and construction.

At Colorado Springs Utilities, we have a few approaches on designs for water and wastewater projects based on the specific asset and its need. The Design section is comprised of Standards, Engineering Support, Linear, and Vertical units. Currently, Engineering Support serves Linear’s largely in-house civil design of projects. On Vertical water and wastewater projects, however, a hired engineer (Engineer of Record), encompassing multiple engineering disciplines, completes designs. In those, Vertical serves as project technical lead and is commonly the Colorado Springs Utilities’ engineer.

In this internship, you support and gain experience with water and wastewater assets in the following areas:

Project planning/ Desktop Assessment /Research– Research utility records, GIS information, material information, soil information, as-built construction plans, property, and easement data for water project design
- Review project schedules and budgets
Data Analysis– Evaluate data collected to identify utility and structure conflicts and site conditions necessary for determining design parameters and specifications
Collaboration – Attend meetings with key stakeholders to facilitate holistic design considering other utility infrastructure as well as street improvements
- Work with Engineers, Project Managers, Designers, Operators
- Work with internal sources (e.g., system operations, project and construction management, environmental services, public affairs, operations engineering) to get designs fabricated
- Work with external sources (i.e., consultants, permitting agencies)
Observe and assist in design
- Water Main Design - Assist with the design process for replacing and rehabilitating water distribution mains
- Review contracts, drawings, specifications, technical memoranda and other engineering reports, including supporting calculations or modeling
- Perform civil and environmental engineering quality reviews of Springs Utilities engineers and / or consultants
Observe and assist in construction
- Construction Oversight – Observe on-site inspections of construction work to ensure consistency with design drawings and specifications
- Visit project sites and work with field and construction teams to develop solutions and corresponding designs.

Who You Are: Prospective interns must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate engineering degree program. Preferred candidates will be pursuing a degree in civil or environmental engineering (ABET accredited program). This individual should be a critical thinker, who can extract information from data to make recommendations while maintaining strong attention to quality, detail, and accuracy. Knowledge of AutoCAD is desirable but not required. Other software (modeling) knowledge a plus. Candidates who demonstrate professional demeanor, innovative thinking and educational curiosity will excel within our enterprise.

A valid, unrestricted driver's license is required for this role.

Why should you apply? Working with our section will provide insight into what it takes to deliver quality, timely and accurate information in a collaborative and fast-paced environment, designed to prepare you for a career in civil engineering. This position will afford you the opportunity to work with very dedicated teams of highly skilled technical professionals who are passionate in their service to our community. We are big enough to have a large variety of projects, but small enough where you can be involved in many aspects of the design and construction process.

This internship position will require 40 hours/week from May through August. Additionally, it may be possible for the internship to extend beyond the summer and through the 2025/2026 school year, with more limited hours; a minimum of 10 hours/week and a maximum of 20 hours/week. The position can be designed to support a student’s school schedule. Note, remote option is unavailable.

*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) and be able to provide documentation if requested. Enrollment in a certification program does not qualify.

Who We are...Colorado Springs Utilities, a four-service utility provider with a 100-year reputation of integrity, gives you an experience unmatched by other utility companies. We continuously strive to stay ahead of the business curve with our established priority to update and incorporate state-of-the-art technology and provide a work culture dedicated to innovation, collaboration, and synergy. In fact, we were recently awarded the Diamond Designation from the American Public Power Association (APPA), recognizing our utility for having some of the highest ratings in reliability, safety, workforce development, and system improvements among the more than 2,000 public utilities in the nation.

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 do not 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. As a Temporary employee you will enjoy the following benefits:

Time Off – Because everybody needs time off to recharge
- Vacation –New employees accrue 13 days of paid time off to start, while our more tenured employees accrue 24 days per year
- Paid Holidays –12 paid holidays per year
- Sick Leave – Accrue 12 days of sick leave annually for those days when you or a family member is feeling under the weather
- Vacation Buy – Purchase up to 40 hours of additional vacation time
Pension Plan – Looking forward to a comfortable lifestyle once you’re done working? The Colorado Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA) provides you with retirement benefits and peace of mind when you retire
Medical – Select from three comprehensive medical plans, starting at $0 per month. Employees also enjoy access to a Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA). (effective the 1st of the month following your start date)
Wellness Program – Voluntary wellness program that allows you and your spouse to each earn up to $500 to use towards healthcare expenses, $100 in Visa gift cards, and up to $400 in gym membership reimbursements
Dental – Select from two dental plans, with in-network PPO preventive care covered at 100% and access to orthodontia coverage (effective the 1st of the month following your start date)
Vision – Voluntary plan that covers full vision care services and discounts on LASIK eye surgery (effective the 1st of the month following your start date)
Retirement Saving Programs – Supplement your pension plan with voluntary retirement programs such as the PERAPlus 401(k) and MissionSquare’s Roth IRA and 457 plans
Disability Coverage – Short-Term (STD) and Long-Term Disability (LTD) insurance available for purchase (effective the 1st of the month following your start date)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Makes the going a little easier by aiding with mental health, stress management, work-life balance, financial and legal matters, and much more
Long-Term Care Insurance (LTC) – Whether it's due to an accident or a serious illness, LTC insurance is available for purchase to help you and your loved ones (effective the 1st of the month following your start date)
Life Insurance – Company-paid life insurance and supplemental coverage available (effective the 1st of the month following your start date