Urban Government Intern II - Limited Service (benchmarking)

Urban Government Intern II - Limited Service (Benchmarking)

Salary: $18.00 - $22.00 Hourly

Location: Michigan, MI

Job Type: Temporary Special Service Staff

Job Number: 20253830320GSDMGDB

Department: General Services Division Office of Sustainability

Opening Date: 01/07/2026

Closing Date: 1/23/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Bargaining Unit: 0500

About the Energy Division

The Energy Division is committed to advancing Detroit's energy efficiency and renewable energy adoption. We work to create a more sustainable future by adopting and administering an energy benchmarking ordinance, powering the City with solar energy generated in our own neighborhoods, and helping businesses and multifamily properties reduce their energy consumption. Through collaboration with community partners, we empower Detroiters to embrace clean energy solutions that benefit both the environment and the local economy.

Internship Opportunity Description

The Office of Sustainability is seeking one (1) Benchmarking Intern. This intern will have the opportunity to work with the Director, Deputy Director and the Senior Energy analyst to learn and develop an understanding of our role in the industry.

Benchmarking Intern

Are you inspired by working with individuals and agencies to help them minimize their environmental footprint? Are you interested in helping people better understand the importance of measuring their building's energy use for them to better manage and develop sustainable energy conservation strategies? We are seeking a college junior or senior who is studying engineering, energy management or sustainability to join our facilities team as a part-time intern.

Examples of Duties

What you will do:

• Track the energy usage in our buildings and use a database to benchmark energy consumption. This includes data entry in our databases and data analysis (qualitative and quantitative).
• Work on the Strategic Energy Plan and educate others about energy management principles.
• Review the Municipal portfolio's Energy Consumption and develop an energy efficiency plan for a group of City buildings.
• Benchmark other cities' municipal and citywide energy strategies and create a draft of the Detroit Energy Strategy.
• Help with an energy awareness campaign, including the creation of a training program for city employees.
• Assist in producing engaging content for our newsletter, website, external media sites, etc.

What You Will Learn

• How to gather large data and glean meaningful information to determine deficiencies in building energy consumption.

• How to work with a variety of stakeholders, including City of Detroit employees from various departments and external partners from various disciplines.

• How to create informational and instructional materials.

What We'd Like To See In Our Interns

Note: Not all qualities are required to be considered, however if you do have them, let us know. An eagerness to acquire these skills is a must!

• Creativity, imagination, and the ability to take initiative and bring fresh ideas to the OoS Team.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to effectively work in teams and independently.
• Excellent organizational skills- prioritize tasks, follow timelines, and meet project deadlines.
• Ability to research projects and present conclusions to the team.
• Ability to problem-solve and make decisions – critical appraisal skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft platforms, such as SharePoint, Teams, Word, etc.
• Advanced Excel skills.
• Ability to use web conferencing services such as Zoom or MS Teams.
• Knowledge of ArcGIS or QGIS software and/or principles and practices of GIS and geographic analysis, various geographic databases, and mapping would be useful.
• Experience using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager would be useful.
• Knowledge about energy engineering principles and calculations, such as heat transfer, power and efficiency would be useful.

Minimum Qualifications

Education/Experience: A minimum of 2-3 years of completed undergraduate course work is preferred. Recent graduates are also encouraged to apply. The City of Detroit will work with an educational institution's cooperative education office to enable students to obtain college credit upon request.

Estimated Project Duration and Work Schedule

This is a one (1) semester (15 week) internship program, with a 10-15 hours weekly commitment. This position is hybrid flexible, with options to be entirely remote. There is available office space for interns.

Note: We invite members of all diverse communities to join our workforce as we endeavor to best serve Detroiters from every background. We believe that by welcoming differences, encouraging new ideas and views, listening to and learning from each other, and providing opportunities for professional enrichment we are better able to serve those around us.

To Apply: Along with your resume, please submit a brief cover letter stating your preferred number of hours, weeks available to commit to this internship and hourly rate.

**NO BENEFITS ARE OFFERED WITH THIS POSITION**

Employer: City of Detroit

Address: Coleman A. Young Municipal Center 2 Woodward Ave ste 316 Detroit, Michigan, 48226

Website: http://www.detroitmi.gov/Detroit-Opportunities/Find-A-Job