Graduate Student Assistant - Clean Energy Unit- Hybrid (West Sacramento, CA)

The Department of General Services (DGS) Core Values and Employee Expectations are key to the success of the Department’s Mission. That mission is to “Deliver results by providing timely, cost-effective services and products that support our customers.” DGS employees are to adhere to the Core Values and Employee Expectations, and to perform their duties in a way that exhibits and promotes those values and expectations.

The Clean Energy Unit supports state departments interested in onsite renewable energy generation through site license agreements (SLA) and power purchase agreements (PPA). This service includes site and energy assessments to determine viability and recommendations for the appropriate size and location of a potential solar or wind energy project for a facility. This service also includes project development and management and Request for Proposal (RFP) development. Clean Energy Unit manages each project from conception, system design and construction until the system is fully operational. Contracts for these projects run for 20-25 years and all energy produced by the system is consumed onsite by the state facility. These contracts do not require any capital outlay from the facility.

For more information, please visit the DGS website .

The Department of General Services (DGS) Clean Energy Unit is seeking to hire a Graduate Student Assistant (GSA) to work under close supervision of the Supervisor II, and in a leaning capacity, the Graduate Student Assistant (GSA) will assist in performing analytical duties in supporting the implementation, coordination, and monitoring of projects for various statewide building initiatives in accordance with the principles and guidelines of DGS.

This position is for Graduates Students only.

Conditions of

Employment

This is a part-time, temporary, non-benefited, student position. Employment in all positions with University Enterprises, Inc. is dependent upon the mutual consent of University Enterprises, Inc. and the employee. This means that either University Enterprises, Inc. or the employee can, at any time, terminate the employment relationship at will, with or without cause.

Depending on the type of position you are applying for, a pre-employment background check consisting of one or more of the following may be conducted: employment history, professional references, criminal check: educational verification (degree, license, or official transcript) or DMV clearance. Applicants will be required to pass required pre-employment checks to the satisfaction of University Enterprises, Inc. (UEI) and the hiring Agency or Department.

UEI does not allow students to hold more than one UEI Job at a time, or work in more than one account per pay period. UEI employees who are considering leaving their current UEI student assistant position for a different UEI student assistant position should inform their supervisor in writing and provide at least a week’s notice.

UEI is not a multi-state employer. UEI only employs candidates who live and work in the state of California. If selected for the position you must reside in California and all work must be performed in the state of California.

Prerequisites

Must be a graduate student attending classes during the regular term (Fall, Spring and Winter, if applicable), at one of the accredited colleges or universities on our affiliation list. To view our current affiliation list please paste the following URL into your browser: http://www.calinterns.org/wp-content/uploads/Affiliation\_List.pdf

Graduate students must be enrolled in at least four-semester units or six quarter units.

Students declared major must match the major(s) listed in the job posting.

Majors/Fields of Study

Business Administration (all concentrations), Communications (all concentrations), Economics (all concentrations), Engineering/Computer Science (all concentrations), Information Technology, Environmental Studies, Government, Mathematics/Statistics, Public Policy Administration, Social Science, or Statistics.

Work Schedule

F lexible workdays and work hours, Monday – Friday, between 8 AM – 5 PM. The final work schedule will be determined by the supervisor.

Additional Work Schedule

Graduate Student Assistant employees work a minimum of 24 hours per week and up to 40 hours full time when school is not in session, in a trainee capacity, to assist in the delivery of clean energy projects and program development activities.

Compensation

$21.49 to $30.57 per hour.

Minimum Qualifications

• Must be enrolled as a Graduate Student.

• Must complete each term with minimum unit requirements for Undergraduate and Graduate student classifications. Proof will be collected at the end of each Spring and Fall term.

• Excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritize work.

• Strong organizational and analytical skills with the ability to complete analysis of high-level complex problems and recommendations for effective courses of action through research and assessment.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Communicate effectively with people at various levels of responsibility within state government.

• Consistently exercise good judgment.
  Advanced knowledge with Microsoft (MS) Office (MS Excel and MS PowerPoint, in particular).

Preferred Qualifications

Individuals who are, or have been, a dependent child in foster care, a homeless youth or a formerly incarcerated youth as defined by Government Code section 18220 are encouraged to apply and will be given priority. Please note that prior to appointment, individuals claiming preference under one of these categories will be required to furnish documentation establishing their eligibility.

Duties and Responsibilities

• In a learning capacity, the Graduate Student Assistant (GSA) will assist in the gathering, collecting, and analyzing information of various Clean Energy projects in development, Architects and Engineers (A&E), construction which includes maintenance, repair, and miscellaneous needs and performance monitoring by collecting and analyzing various data reports on project statuses utilizing Microsoft Office Suite in order to submit to management. This may include load analysis, interval data, billing verification, and related functions.
• This position will analyze and address routine project challenges and provide recommendations to management for effective courses of action through research and assessment.
• Assist the Clean Energy Unit by researching and evaluating grid impact data related to state facilities.
• Assist in identifying ways to optimize and monetize on-site systems for both the facility and the grid.
• Create documentation and recommendations using various presentation media (PowerPoint, videos, charts, graphs) to present to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), California Independent Systems Operator (CAISO), utilities, and California Energy Commission (CEC).
• Assist the Clean Energy Unit researching efforts for distributed energy sources, storage options, micro-grid, and energy management technologies by using Web based research, printed reference materials, interviews, web portals, site visits, and standard software. Primarily on the facility's side of the meter but may include the utility grid impacts related to interconnections with the utilities.
• Provides information management and reporting using Microsoft products (Power Point, Word and Excel) and Adobe products (PDF).
• Communicates verbally and produces written communication and document formatting at a professional level with team members and others as directed.
  Assist with additional tasks and special projects, including preparing meeting materials, event planning and coordination, organizing project files, and performing other administrative duties.

Physical Requirements

Sit for extended periods; frequently stand and walk; manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination; corrected hearing and vision to normal range; verbal communication; use of office equipment including computer workstations, telephones, calculators, phone, copiers, printers, and scanners with or without reasonable accommodation.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in a hybrid environment, and requires at least one (1) day of work in the office per week and to wear business attire and present self professionally.

Telework is in accordance with DGS’s Telework Policy, and will be required to report to the office as needed/required.

Students/Employees will be required to work according to the current UEI remote workplace policy and sign a UEI Work from Home Agreement. The decision to permit an employee to work from home is at the discretion of the supervisor or employer and may, at any time and with or without cause, unilaterally terminate the option to work from home.

Application Instructions

Please complete all fields of the employment application. Include your educational history in the “Educational Experience” section and any employment history in the “Employment Experience” section of our application.

Please upload your resume to the application.

Apply by: July 26, 2026

This position is for Graduates Students only.