Posting TitleUndergraduate (Year-Round) Intern - Utility Rate Database Management

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LocationCO - Golden

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Position TypeIntern (Fixed Term)

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Hours Per Week20

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Working at NRELThe National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

From day one at NREL, you’ll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you’ll have the opportunity to engage through our ten employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes.

NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves.

Our planet needs us! Learn about NREL’s critical objectives, and see how NREL is focused on saving the planet.

We invite all interested candidates to apply for this opportunity. While we recognize that job seekers may hesitate if they don’t meet every requirement, we encourage dedicated individuals who meet all the basic and additional required qualifications of the role to submit an application. We value the opportunity to consider those who believe they have the necessary skills and ambition to succeed at NREL.

Job Description

As part of the Data Engineering group, you will be driving positive change by working with a team that is building, maintaining, and enhancing software applications, data-sharing platforms, and visualization tools for the world to utilize. You will become a valuable member of the team, maintaining a core database that is utilized by many users and applications. You will join developers that use a variety of technologies across many applications and platforms, with ample opportunity to learn from your peers.

NREL’s Utility Rate Database (URDB) is an open source, freely available resource relied upon by renewable energy developers, public and private researchers, and government entities. By making high quality data publicly available, the URDB furthers efforts to increase the deployment of renewable energy resources onto the electric grid.

We are seeking an undergraduate intern to complete rate updates necessary to keep the database up to date. Primary responsibilities of this position will include:

Searching for the appropriate electric tariff sheets and applicable adjustment on each electric utility’s websiteEntering rate updates into the database, ensuring they are comprehensive and accurateWorking with a team to consider appropriate changes to the rate updating process based upon feasibility and the needs of URDB usersWorking with the team to deploy and test novel data engineering methods (e.g., RAG application of LLMs) for collecting the data and maintaining the database

Successful applicants will be self-starters with an eye for detail. Given the diversity of rate structures and electric tariff sheets from different utility companies, attention to detail is a major component of this position. Additionally, strong motivation to learn more about the electricity sector will aid in fulfilling the position’s responsibilities.

Our Team

You will join a team where everyone is striving to improve their knowledge of web technologies, data engineering, and software development best-practices, while caring about creating the best possible user experience for our application users. Our team creates secure, reusable, and efficient code that accelerates the clean energy transition. Accessibility and inclusivity are important to us, and we therefore strive to meet 508 compliance with all of our applications. 

What we can offer:

A collaborative, fast-paced, and fun work environmentEndless opportunities to learn and grow from experienced professionals in web development and the numerous domains relevant to renewable energyWork developing cutting-edge projects and contributing to research in the renewable energy industryExperience that fosters a life-long desire to build better a future through technology and dataA flexible work environment with hybrid remote and onsite work optionsWork full time (or near full time) in the summer, and willingness to stay on the project in a part-time capacity during the school year.

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Basic QualificationsMust be enrolled as a full-time student in a Bachelor's, Master's or PhD degree program, or graduated in the past 12 months from an accredited institution. Internship period cannot exceed 12 months past graduation. Minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.

Please Note:
•You will need to upload official or unofficial school transcripts as part of the application process.
•If selected for position, a letter of recommendation will be required as part of the hiring process.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required QualificationsExcellent attention to detail.Strong ability to work independently and take initiative in solving problems and completing tasks.Ability to clearly communicate findings and collaborate effectively with team members.

Preferred QualificationsFamiliarity with web technologies or interest in learning about web development and user experience design.Interest in work that requires a degree of precision and consistency for completenessExperience in data collection, organization, cleaning, and manipulation.Strong research, written communication, organizational skills.Proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint.Experience in data analytics (e.g. data visualization, business intelligence, etc.).Familiarity with basic programming concepts and tools (e.g., Python, SQL, or equivalent).Knowledge of the electricity sector, especially with regards to electricity rate structuresExperience working in collaborative team environments, especially in technical or engineering projects.

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)Job Profile: / Annual Salary Range: $38,300 - $61,300

NREL takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits SummaryBenefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; and sick leave (where required by law). NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. Internships projected to be less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for medical, dental, or vision benefits.

* Based on eligibility rules

Badging RequirementNREL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation. Intern assignments extending beyond six months will be subject to this requirement.

Drug Free Workplace

NREL is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NREL, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NREL you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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EEO Policy

NREL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

EEO is the Law | Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination | Reasonable Accommodations

E-Verify www.dhs.gov/E-Verify For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.

E-Verify is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce.