Title: Federal Affairs Intern - Year Round
Sacramento, CA, US, 95817-1899
Apply by Date: 11/14/2025
Hourly Minimum Pay Rate: $35.39
Hourly Maximum Pay Rate: $46.87
If the idea of researching federal energy policies, reviewing energy legislation, preparing written summaries, and drafting memos analyzing energy market issues excites you, our team would like to meet you. Reporting to our federal affairs manager, the intern would also attend meetings and conference calls with trade group partners, participate in department team meetings, and assist government affairs staff with policy analysis and advocacy projects.
- Read and analyze daily energy market developments reported in trade and national media sources; conduct research, analyses and provides assessments or recommendations on assigned policy issues. Drafts written summaries and memoranda for presentation to the Board of Directors, executive and senior management, other Board and SMUD committees and outside agencies.
- In consultation with supervising manager, plans, executes, and delivers independent project aligned with SMUD operations and goals.
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) is the nation's sixth largest community-owned electric utility serving 1.4 million people in the greater Sacramento, CA region. Our utility is striving to become carbon-free by 2030. SMUD's Government Affairs team is offering a paid internship opportunity to a motivated graduate student interested in pitching in to make that happen.
About SMUD's College Internship Program
SMUD's College Internship Program provides college interns with an opportunity to contribute their skills and knowledge to SMUD while gaining valuable work experience. Workshops and activities will also be part of the program where interns will have the opportunity to be immersed in SMUD's culture and learn leadership skills as well as develop their professional skills.
SMUD was also recognized by Interns 2 Pros for the 2020 Internship Program of The Year Award in recognition of excellence in internship strategy, implementation, and impact and was one of five finalists for the 2023 Internship Program of the Year from Interns 2 Pros along with Paramount, Fox Corporation, Intuit, and Toyota.
Purpose
Nature and Scope
This classification serves as a resource in a relevant professional discipline and works independently on projects of minor to moderate complexity. Work of this classification calls for regular application of analytical and independent research skills at the graduate level.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Reads, researches, analyzes and provides information or recommendations on operational policies, procedures, and programs and maintains related departmental archives and manuals for staff reference. To enhance department efficiency through consistently informing the department manager of SMUD changes in policies, regulations and programs.
- Troubleshoots existing or potential operational, procedural, or strategic problems, work methods, work flow and paperwork channels; gathers data; analyzes and assesses existing and alternative methods for efficiencies and solutions; compiles results and formulates recommendations; and appraises the findings, alternatives, and recommended solutions for changing operations to improve work efficiency. To promote efficient department organization and functioning and support achievement of department performance objectives and operational goals.
- Researches and prepares materials for presentation to the Board of Directors, executive and senior management, other Board and SMUD committees and outside agencies. To ensure that department reporting of administrative, technical, and analytical information is accurate, timely and meets internal and external communication standards.
- Assists in coordinating, reviewing and conducting work planning and evaluation activities; researches project information associated with department internal/external projects in accordance with established task objectives; and schedules tasks as outlined in the project plan/contract. To support the overall achievement and completion of department projects.
- Performs related duties as required.
Knowledge Of
- Techniques and practices for problem research, statistical analysis, and program management
- Methods and techniques for report preparation and writing
- Methods and techniques for record keeping
- Modern office practices and procedures
- Principles, procedures and practices related to personnel management
- Basic math: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
- Principles and practices for contract management
- Public and business administrative practices
- Safety policies, practices and procedures
- Standard operating procedures for modern office equipment including a computer and applicable software
- English grammar, punctuation and vocabulary standards.
Skills To
- Utilize a personal computer and/or computer terminal, systems and software relevant to the job
- Communicate effectively orally and in writing internally/externally
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships internally/externally
- Develop and implement new and revised policies and procedures
- Read and understand complex and/or technical data
- Compile and prepare technical, statistical and/or analytical reports and presentations
- Analyze problems and make recommendations for resolution
- Analyze situations, documents and data for conformance to established policy and procedures
- Gather data from appropriate sources and identify relevant factors
- Interpret, clarify, understand and analyze verbal/written information and ideas
- Follow and ensure that others follow safety policies, practices and procedures
- Establish priorities and coordinate activities
- Schedule and prioritize own work assignments to meet expected timeframes
Required Education
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A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; enrollment in a relevant graduate program; completion of at least one academic year in an accredited graduate program.
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Required Experience Qualifications
Two years of increasingly responsible relevant work experience involved in analysis, evaluation, planning and preparation of reports, project management, studies or other business duties.
Desirable Qualifications
- In-person data gathering skills
- Project presentation experience i.e. preparing and delivering PowerPoint presentation
- Completed courses in political science, public policy, economics business strategy and/or energy systems
- Graduate level or above reading and writing skills
Physical Requirements
Application Deadline: It is guaranteed that the online system will accept applications until 5 PM by the apply by date. It is highly encouraged that applications are submitted well before the due date and time mentioned to make sure that it is submitted successfully.
Official SMUD Title: Graduate Intern
- Students must be able to commute to the SMUD Offices in Sacramento, CA when requested to come in.
- To have a student position at SMUD, you must not have any relatives working at SMUD.
- Intern must be enrolled in 8 graduate units, and receive at least a 2.0 GPA.
- Graduate intern can work up to 130 hours per month.
- Currently, SMUD is not hiring candidates for its student internship positions who require sponsorship from an employer either now or in the future. Such sponsorship is not needed for citizens, a U.S. National, a permanent resident, or one granted refuge or asylum status by the U.S. government. Visa holders typically require sponsorship in one form or another at some point in time.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) are a part of who we are and how we do things. Supporting efforts that promote pay equality is part of that. Salary placement for the selected candidate will be determined in alignment with the California Equal Pay Act or the applicable MOU. Determination for salary placement of internal candidates will be made without respect to current classification or compensation, and will be based upon the candidate's qualifications as compared to those performing substantially similar work. In the event there is a guaranteed pay progression outlined in an applicable MOU, the MOU takes precedence.