Environmental/Sustainability

, Iowa

Internship Length: 45 hrs
Office Hours: 8am-4pm, M-F

City of Cedar Rapids Utilities Department Intern Requirements

Cedar Rapids is a Certified 4-STAR Community. STAR is the national framework for measuring community sustainability. The City Manager sums up his perspective on the role the program plays in the environment saying, “Building a sustainable city requires a commitment from City government as well as every business, organization, and individual. When public and private organizations become better stewards of the environment, they create positive economic benefits for themselves and the entire community.”

The City of Cedar Rapids provides up to 60 million gallons per day of clean, safe drinking water to a combination of industrial, residential and commercial customers. City facilities include two water treatment facilities and the water pollution control facility. Supporting drinking water distribution and collection system lines comprise nearly 700 miles each. Due to the high proportion of food and grain processing industries in Cedar Rapids as well as other industries such as a large cardboard recycling facility, the City produces a very high strength wastewater stream, with the same organic strength as a community of over 1.5 million people! To protect the environment, this wastewater has to be treated using a unique treatment plant that operates 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. The water treatment and distribution system and the water pollution control facility require constant maintenance and improvement in order to continue to meet current and future water and air regulations and to ensure the protection of public health and the environment.
Depending on the intern’s areas of interest, they will gain insights into the work that various professionals do to design, support, maintain, and operate the systems and facilities necessary to serve the needs of the community as well as sustaining the environment and important resources. The student will ride in city vehicles to sites with city employees who have clearance to drive, as appropriate.

Environmental/Sustainability Track- This program would focus on aspects of operational, environmental, and community sustainability.

Utilities Environmental Manager
Utilities Laboratory Manager (or Supervisor)
Utilities Environmental Specialist (energy management)
Utilities Water Quality Specialist (watershed focus)
Utilities Environmental Specialist (emissions and beneficial reuse program management)
Utilities Environmental Specialist (industrial pretreatment management)
Utilities Environmental Specialist (storm water management)
Operations Manager (Water Pollution Control and/or Water Treatment)
Sustainability Coordinator

Student requirements

- Involvement in STEM course work and an interest in specific track (i.e. construction, engineering, process, operations, maintenance/mechanical, laboratory, sustainability)

- Ability to follow instructions, take directions, and work as part of a group

- Must be detail oriented, flexible, courteous and professional

- Must have strong organizational and communication skills

- Must be a high school student in good standing.

- Intern must be properly attired for the work on a given day. The host will let the intern know what to expect for each day. Depending on the plan of study developed, the student may need to dress in business casual wear for office work, or may be required to dress for work on a laboratory or construction site (no hanging jewelry, clothes without holes, full length jeans, closed toe shoes, and dressed for work in outdoor weather). Personal protective equipment will be provided, but candidates should be aware that in order to work with construction management staff and participate in site inspections, the intern will need steel-toed safety boots or shoes, which are not provided by the City. If the cost of safety footwear is prohibitive for the student, the City can provide steel shoe covers.

THIS DESCRIPTION DOES NOT LIST ALL DUTIES. INTERN MAY BE ASKED TO PERFORM OTHER DUTIES BY THE STAFF OR SUPERVISOR. INTERN WILL BE EVALUATED ON PERFORMANCE OF THE PROJECTS LISTED AS WELL AS INTERACTION WITH EMPLOYEES AND CLIENTS. ON-SITE HOURS WILL BE NEGOTIATED WITH EACH CANDIDATE.

SAFETY EXPECTATIONS, INCLUDING HARASSMENT, SHOULD BE REVIEWED WITH THE HOST.

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