STUDENT INTERNS - ENGINEERING

Central San is an award-winning special district of the State of California that provides wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal services; recycled water production and distribution; and household hazardous waste collection. Our fall internships are six-month commitments, typically July through December, and are onsite in Martinez, California for 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday. These assignments provide an opportunity for students to apply their academic preparation to practical work experience in a wastewater utility environment.

To be eligible, candidates must be an enrolled college junior (60 or more semester units), senior, or graduate student, or have graduated within the past 12 months;  and must be eligible to work in the United States. Interested students can submit a cover letter, resume, and unofficial transcript(s) to intern@centralsan.org.

Asset Management & Geographic Information System (GIS)

This position will assist with GIS and asset management projects. Duties may include editing and maintaining GIS datasets, reading and extracting data from record drawings, performing field work, creating and updating various maps, publishing map services, and supporting the asset management system. Candidates should have completed or be enrolled in a GIS class, or have experience with Esri ArcMap and/or ArcGIS Pro. An interest in GIS and/or majoring in GIS, geography, or geospatial science is preferred. Please include work availability and total class units with the application for this position if interested in a reduced schedule.

Process Innovations and Efficiency

This position will assist with nutrient removal, odor control and secondary clarifier projects, other process optimization efforts, and treatment plant preliminary design and planning projects. Typical work includes engineering assistance with data collection, reviewing past project drawings and technical reports, literature review, developing presentations, and data analysis. Candidates should have knowledge of spreadsheet development, word processing, and basic physics and chemistry; be able to organize work assignments and learn to use industry specific software; design and perform project specific tasks; write clear, concise reports; aid personnel in any field work; work independently; and be self-motivated, patient, and respectful. Please include work availability and total class units with the application for this position if interested in a reduced schedule.  Preferred Qualifications: Pursuit of a degree in environmental, civil, chemical, or mechanical engineering. 

Planning and Development Services Division (3 positions)

Treatment Plant Planning

This position will assist with treatment plant planning and applied research projects. Typical work includes engineering assistance with pilot and bench scale studies, technical and economic evaluations of treatment plant processes and optimization opportunities, researching innovative technologies, cost estimating, writing technical memoranda, reviewing past technical reports and literature, developing presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint, data management and analysis using Microsoft Excel, and providing day-to-day project support. Applicants should have the ability to organize work assignments; learn to use industry specific software; design and perform project specific tasks; write clear, concise reports; aid personnel in any field work; work independently; and be self-motivated, patient, and respectful. Please include work availability and total class units with the application for this position if interested in a reduced schedule. Preferred qualifications: Pursuit of a degree in environmental, civil, chemical, mechanical, or related engineering majors. Knowledge of computer spreadsheet development, word processing, and basic physics and chemistry. 

Recycled Water

This position will assist with implementation of Central San's commercial, residential, and recycled water distribution programs and assist staff in the planning and evaluation of recycled water projects. Typical work includes routine customer interaction, assisting with recycled water distribution system operations and maintenance engineering support tasks, interdepartmental coordination, report writing, literature review, internet research, recycled water usage tracking and billing, regulation tracking, and assistance in developing program guidelines, documents, and manuals. Applicants should have the ability to organize work assignments; learn to use industry specific software; design and perform project specific tasks; write clear, concise reports; aid personnel in any field work; work independently; and be self-motivated, patient, and respectful. Please include work availability and total class units with the application for this position if interested in a reduced schedule .Preferred qualifications: Pursuit of a degree in environmental, civil, chemical, mechanical, or related engineering majors. Knowledge of computer spreadsheet development, word processing, and basic physics and chemistry. 

Development Services

This position will assist with a variety of tasks associated with the design, permitting, and construction of sewers for new land development. Typical work includes assisting the permit counter with administrative duties and processing of sewer service applications and reviewing engineering plans submitted by developers, contractors, and/or consultants for conformance with Central San’s standards and ordinances. Other duties include interacting with contractors and the public at both the Permit counter and in the field for construction projects; assisting the construction inspection group to ensure contractual compliance with plans, specifications, codes, and safety requirements including checking cut sheets for line and grade, and verifying that materials being incorporated into a project are per specification. Applicants should have the ability to organize work assignments; learn to use industry specific software; design and perform project specific tasks; write clear, concise reports; aid personnel in any field work; work independently; and be self-motivated, patient, and respectful. Please include work availability and total class units with the application for this position if interested in a reduced schedule. Preferred qualifications: Pursuit of a degree in environmental, civil, chemical, mechanical, or related engineering majors. Knowledge of computer spreadsheet development, word processing, and basic physics and chemistry. 

Capital Projects Division (4 positions)

Survey Support Section

This position is seeking civil engineering majors to assist the Capital Projects Division with design and construction projects. The position supports the Collection System Group sewer renovation program, Treatment Plant Group, Right-of-Way, and development review projects. Duties will include performing both office and field land surveying. Typical work includes managing small consulting tasks, calculating survey maps, using CAD systems, planning and researching projects, reviewing plans and land records, reviewing legal descriptions and plats, assisting with CAD drafting, and assisting with GPS and conventional surveys.?Preferred qualifications: Completion of a survey course.

Collection System Program

This position is seeking environmental, civil, mechanical, or related engineering majors to assist with collection system design and construction projects. This position will work with engineering and survey staff to replace and improve critical infrastructure in the various surrounding cities utilizing trenchless technologies, such as cured-in-place lining, pipe bursting, and horizontal directional drilling. Typical work includes determining and verifying field conditions, engineering calculations, data analysis, field surveying, researching equipment and construction methods, writing project documents and memoranda, preparing design details for project drawings, and assisting design and construction management teams. Projects currently under design and construction involve replacement and rehabilitation of sewer pipelines, maintenance access hole structures, and various improvements in the collection system and at pumping stations. Please include work availability and total class units with the application for this position if interested in a reduced schedule.

Treatment Plant Program

This position is seeking environmental, civil, chemical, mechanical, or related engineering majors to assist the Capital Projects Treatment Plant Group on treatment plant design and construction projects. This position will work with engineering and treatment plant operations staff to replace and improve critical infrastructure in an active wastewater treatment plant. Typical work includes determining and verifying field conditions, engineering calculations, data analysis, field surveying, researching equipment and construction methods, writing project documents and memoranda, preparing design details for project drawings, and assisting design and construction management teams.?Projects currently underway include process, structural, and mechanical system rehabilitation; solids handling facilities planning and design; equipment and piping rehabilitation; energy management; recycled water; safety enhancements; electrical instrumentation and controls upgrades; fire and security alarm systems; and similar projects. Please include work availability and total class units with application for this position if interested in a reduced schedule.

Environmental and Regulatory Compliance Division (1 position)

Laboratory Assistant

This position will be assigned to perform chemical, physical, biological, and microbiological analyses of wastewater and its byproducts. Duties include assisting staff with projects, sample collection, sample analysis, and operating simple laboratory instruments and associated computers. Duties may require research and assistance with project management and development. This position may also perform literature searches, compile scientific data, perform data analysis and reduction, and write reports and presentations. Preferred qualifications: Prior lab experience and in pursuit of a degree in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, or engineering.