What are the responsibilities and job description for the Energy Benchmarking & Sustainability Intern position at SEI?
Be a part of the Climate Solution!
Start Date: May 18, 2026
Length of Internship: 4 months
Location Type: Hybrid
Are you interested in energy efficiency and sustainability? Do you want to learn about and contribute to your campus’s climate change solutions? SEI’s Energize Colleges Program and CSU East Bay are seeking students for the position of Energy Benchmarking & Sustainability Intern. Join the Energize Colleges Program to gain real-world experience by contributing to a meaningful project related to sustainability and energy efficiency!
This is a paid internship. Note that you must be a student of CSU East Bay to be considered for this position.
The four goals of the Energize Colleges Internship Program are to:
This is a hybrid position, work is conducted on-site and remotely, to be scheduled with the site supervisor.
Position Summary
The Energy Benchmarking & Sustainability Intern will support a collaborative initiative between the Earth, Environmental & Sustainability Sciences Department and the City of Hayward to develop a local energy benchmarking program using the campus as a pilot program for assessing a city wide Building Performance Standards (BPS) ordinance that would require existing buildings over 50,000 square feet to meet minimum targets for energy efficiency, water use, and/or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over time. This role offers hands-on experience in building benchmarking and campus/municipal sustainability planning, data analysis, and policy support. The intern will assist in establishing benchmarking frameworks, analyzing building energy data, and contributing to strategies that improve building efficiency across campus, with relevance to the broader community.
Key Responsibilities
SEI is a nonprofit environmental consultancy that builds leaders to drive and accelerate sustainability solutions. For over 25 years, SEI has partnered with schools, communities, and businesses to develop a sustainability leadership pathway from elementary school to early career. The Energize Colleges program helps build a highly qualified energy and sustainability workforce through paid, hands-on internships and fellowships, and academic learning experiences for students to explore sustainability career opportunities.
Our Hiring Values
SEI is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to uplifting the experiences, voices, viewpoints, and values of all individuals. We believe that a wide array of perspectives contributes to creative climate solutions where all communities can thrive. We strive for a workforce that reflects the communities we partner with and serve, especially those most impacted by climate change and environmental, social, and economic injustice. We welcome candidates who share SEI’s commitment to cultivating a people-centered work environment. Individuals from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Start Date: May 18, 2026
Length of Internship: 4 months
Location Type: Hybrid
Are you interested in energy efficiency and sustainability? Do you want to learn about and contribute to your campus’s climate change solutions? SEI’s Energize Colleges Program and CSU East Bay are seeking students for the position of Energy Benchmarking & Sustainability Intern. Join the Energize Colleges Program to gain real-world experience by contributing to a meaningful project related to sustainability and energy efficiency!
This is a paid internship. Note that you must be a student of CSU East Bay to be considered for this position.
The four goals of the Energize Colleges Internship Program are to:
- Develop intern awareness, knowledge, and behavior associated with energy efficiency concepts, including energy efficiency, demand side management, and electrification.
- Develop interns’ technical skills and career readiness by providing training, hands-on experience, and work and/or internship experiences.
- Provide resources and mentoring to increase interns’ knowledge of sustainability and energy careers.
- Develop interns’ skills in the coordination of energy, education, and workforce development projects.
This is a hybrid position, work is conducted on-site and remotely, to be scheduled with the site supervisor.
Position Summary
The Energy Benchmarking & Sustainability Intern will support a collaborative initiative between the Earth, Environmental & Sustainability Sciences Department and the City of Hayward to develop a local energy benchmarking program using the campus as a pilot program for assessing a city wide Building Performance Standards (BPS) ordinance that would require existing buildings over 50,000 square feet to meet minimum targets for energy efficiency, water use, and/or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over time. This role offers hands-on experience in building benchmarking and campus/municipal sustainability planning, data analysis, and policy support. The intern will assist in establishing benchmarking frameworks, analyzing building energy data, and contributing to strategies that improve building efficiency across campus, with relevance to the broader community.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the development of a campus/community energy benchmarking program in partnership with the City of Hayward
- Assist in collecting, organizing, and analyzing building energy-use data on the Hayward campus and comparing it to similar buildings within the City of Hayward (e.g., electricity, gas, and water, where applicable)
- Conduct research on benchmarking policies, best practices, and comparable municipal programs, and how they apply to the East Bay campus
- Help design program frameworks, metrics, and reporting tools for tracking building performance at East Bay and in the City of Hayward
- Collaborate with city staff, faculty, and stakeholders to align the City of Hayward energy benchmarking program goals and implementation strategies with Hayward campus building management practices
- Prepare reports, summaries, and presentations for both academic and municipal audiences on benchmarking at the East Bay campus and more broadly in the City of Hayward
- Assist with outreach materials and stakeholder engagement efforts that could be used for the campus community (faculty, staff, students) and City of Hayward stakeholders (e.g., property owners, community members)
- Support documentation for promoting energy efficiency, including guidelines, timelines, and recommendations
- Contribute to sustainability planning efforts and identify opportunities for energy efficiency improvements on the CSUEB Hayward campus and the City of Hayward
- Be a currently enrolled graduate or undergraduate student at CSU East Bay
- Be interested in energy efficiency and sustainability.
- Foundational knowledge in the energy sector or energy-adjacent building sciences (e.g., energy efficiency, HVAC, or green construction), gained through coursework, hands-on volunteer projects, or professional experience.
- Be an organized self-starter with excellent time management skills.
- Knowledge, familiarity, and/or a strong interest in climate change and energy efficiency.
- Project management or campus organization experience is a bonus, but not required (volunteer work and coursework may count).
- Strong communication and workplace skills, such as accountability, self-motivation, the ability to work both independently and on teams, respect, openness to giving and receiving feedback, organization, and timeliness.
- The ability to commit to a schedule of 12-15 hours per week for the duration of the internship.
- Be able to provide a valid Federal W-9 form, required identification, and employment authorization.
- Must be 18 years or older to apply.
SEI is a nonprofit environmental consultancy that builds leaders to drive and accelerate sustainability solutions. For over 25 years, SEI has partnered with schools, communities, and businesses to develop a sustainability leadership pathway from elementary school to early career. The Energize Colleges program helps build a highly qualified energy and sustainability workforce through paid, hands-on internships and fellowships, and academic learning experiences for students to explore sustainability career opportunities.
Our Hiring Values
SEI is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to uplifting the experiences, voices, viewpoints, and values of all individuals. We believe that a wide array of perspectives contributes to creative climate solutions where all communities can thrive. We strive for a workforce that reflects the communities we partner with and serve, especially those most impacted by climate change and environmental, social, and economic injustice. We welcome candidates who share SEI’s commitment to cultivating a people-centered work environment. Individuals from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Salary : $20