Company Description
The California ISO is currently taking general applications for university or graduate students majoring in Computer Science or related fields for internship positions in the summer of 2025.
There are several groups inside the organization where you could further develop and utilize your skill set in this area! The selection process (with more details on the 2025 summer assignments) will begin shortly.
The California Independent System Operator (ISO) manages the flow of electricity across the high-voltage, long-distance power lines that make up 80 percent of California's power grid. We safeguard the economy and well-being of 30 million Californians by operating the grid reliably 24/7.
As the impartial grid operator, the California ISO opens access to the wholesale power market that is designed to diversify resources and lower prices. It also grants equal access to 25,865 circuit-miles of power lines and reduces barriers to diverse resources competing to bring power to customers.
The California ISO's function is often compared to that of air traffic controllers. It would be grossly unfair for air traffic controllers to represent one airline and profit from allowing that company's planes to go through before others. In the same way, the California ISO operates independently—managing the electron traffic on a power grid we do not own—making sure electricity is safely delivered to utilities and consumers on time and reliably.
Job Description
What's In it for You
Our purpose is to lead the way to tomorrow's energy network. Your work as an intern can impact millions of people who depend on electricity for their everyday lives.
- You will get "real world" experience to begin or further your career pursuits in the energy industry. This is a paid intern position for 10 -12 weeks during summer 2025.
- You get to work on interesting and challenging assignments that will help grow your skill set.
- Opportunities to interact with the CEO and the Executive team of the ISO.
- Invitations to seminars on the latest energy industry topics such as renewables, electric cars and micro grids.
- Social activities with other interns.
- You have the opportunity to work at our "green" LEED certified Folsom, California campus with some of the brightest people in the industry if you are local.
What You Will Be Doing
Past Assignments have included work such as:
- Building new software tools in support of the reliable operation of the Grid and the energy markets we facilitate. You will learn more about smart grid technology, renewable resources, forecasting and the latest developments in energy industry. You will see how the work you do this summer contributes directly to the success of the California Grid.
- Data validation and user acceptance testing (UAT), schedule and monitor processes necessary for calculation and publication of energy market settlement statements and invoices.
- Development of enterprise-wide systems integration mapping, with database that links to interface specification. Interface with IT Architects, UML Modelers, and QA Leads to understand how to best depict these system-to-system interfaces to meet specific use cases.
- Provide technical content and sample code for the ISO's developer.caiso.com website.
- Document archiving solutions for new technologies as well as development of automation solutions.
- Oracle Database/Storage task queue maintenance, documentation, create automation scripts for Oracle database admin tasks/storage procurement and document, create automated reports of daily DBA/Storage procedures, create standard monitoring scripts, generate capacity reports.
- Projects to develop work products that will reduce processing time, enhance transparency or enhance capabilities in departments across the organization.
Qualifications
Level of Education and Discipline
- Currently in a Bachelor's degree (BS) or Masters degree (MS) program in Computer Science, MIS or related field.
- Graduating December of 2025 or later.
Amount of Experience
- Previous internships, research or work experience using economic analysis is desired.
- Research and or studies in energy industry highly desired.
Type of Experience
- Proficient in Microsoft office suite.
- Good presentation, oral and written communication skills highly desirable.
- Must be able to work effectively in a team environment.
- Excellent analytical and problems solving skills required.
Additional skills and abilities
- Strong quantitative skills.
- Competence in software such as R, Python, SQL, and Java desired but not required.
Additional Information
The pay range for computer science interns at the CAISO is $27 - $32 per hour.
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What We Do
The California Independent System Operator (ISO) manages the flow of electricity across the high-voltage, long-distance power lines that make up 80 percent of California's power grid. We safeguard the economy and well-being of 30 million Californians by "keeping the lights on" 24/7.
As the impartial grid operator, the California ISO opens access to the wholesale power market that is designed to diversify resources and lower prices. It also grants equal access to 25,865 circuit-miles of power lines and reduces barriers to diverse resources competing to bring power to customers.
The California ISO's function is often compared to that of air traffic controllers. It would be grossly unfair for air traffic controllers to represent one airline and profit from allowing that company's planes to go through before others. In the same way, the California ISO operates independently—managing the electron traffic on a power grid we do not own—making sure electricity is safely delivered to utilities and consumers on time and reliably.
