San Francisco Public Utilities Summer Student Design Trainee Program

Job Description

College students in Associate, Undergraduate, and Graduate Degree Programs studying Architecture, Engineering (Civil, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical), Landscape Architecture, Planning, Computer Science/Information Services Program, Mathematics, Biology, Natural Resources, Electronics are encouraged to apply.

Interns will gain on‑job experience under the guidance of experienced professional engineers, architects, and surveyors while participating in various activities in their assigned discipline. The internship can last 3–6 months, with the possibility of extension based on exemplary performance and necessity.

Infrastructure Division

The Infrastructure Division oversees the administration, planning, design, and construction of our water, wastewater, and power capital programs and projects, including the Water System Improvement Program (WSIP), Sewer System Improvement Program (SSIP), Hetch Hetchy Improvement Program (HCIP), and the annual Water and Wastewater Renewal and Replacement (R&R) Programs.

• Engineering Management Bureau
• Construction Management Bureau
• Project Management Bureau
• Project Controls
• Environmental Management Group

San Francisco Water Division

Responsible for the operation and maintenance of the water distribution system within the City and County of San Francisco. Activities include operating and maintaining 28 pump stations, 11 reservoirs, 13 storage tanks, 19 regulators, installing and repairing over one thousand miles of water mains, and managing about 1,000 acres of city‑owned property and rights‑of‑ways.

Wastewater Enterprise

Operates and maintains San Francisco’s combined sewer system. Dentistry includes three all‑weather wastewater treatment plants, one wet‑weather facility, 32 pump stations, and 34 combined sewer discharge structures.

• Wastewater Enterprise Engineering – supports operation and maintenance of wastewater infrastructure across civil, mechanical, electrical, and controls projects.
• Wastewater Enterprise Regulatory Compliance Division – coordinates federal, state, and regional Clean Water Act compliance activities.
• Wastewater Enterprise Collection System Division (CSD) – monitors pipeline health, performs maintenance, and develops GIS information systems.
• Wastewater Enterprise Urban Watershed Planning Division (UWPD) – creates long‑range watershed plans, green infrastructure opportunities, and flood resilience projects.
• Wastewater Enterprise Capital Planning – prioritizes capital plans and assists with system planning efforts.

Natural Resources and Lands Management Division (NRLM)

Manages over 61,000 acres of watershed lands and monitors shoreline and coastal environments. Projects involve ecological and cultural resource stewardship, environmental compliance, and public education.

Power Enterprise Distribution Engineering – student design trainee works on DAS and streetlight projects, preparing designs with AutoCAD, Agi
32, and SKM, and performing site visits.

Power Enterprise Asset Management – trainee assists with street lighting and electrical distribution as‑built records, GIS, and AutoCAD data management.

• Invitations to interview will be sent tentatively mid‑March 2026.
• Interviews will be conducted tentatively on April 8 2026.
• Selected candidates will be notified on the same day as the interview. Same‑Day Hiring details:
  Same Day Hiring.
• Hiring Managers may schedule interviews at a later date.

Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited Engineering, Architecture, Planning, Computer Science/Information Services, Mathematics, Biology, Natural Resources, or Electronics program at a university or a related field at a community college. Students must be returning to their undergraduate program or entering/continuing a graduate program in Fall 2026. Graduated students can begin work within six months after graduation.

Class requirements:

• 5380 – No prior internship or work experience required.
• 5381 – Undergraduate candidates need at least one summer internship; graduate candidates need none.
• 5382 – Undergraduate candidates need at least two summer internships; graduate candidates need at least one…