Utility Operations & Project Management Intern - MN at Xcel Energy

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) is a leading energy provider and Fortune 500 company, dedicated to serving millions of electricity and natural gas customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas. We make energy work better for our customers, helping them thrive every day. That means always raising the bar - delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy.

Xcel Energy is a place where you’ll have opportunities to grow, expand your skills, and help lead the clean energy transition. We offer meaningful rewards, recognition, and support to help you build your career and make an impact - both on the job and beyond. Most importantly, it means you’ll be joining a company that knows employees are the driving force behind its success and is committed to helping you be your best.

Xcel Energy supports a hybrid work model to enable collaboration and flexibility. Many roles are expected to work onsite three days per week (Tuesday–Thursday); however, work location expectations vary based on role, team, and business needs.

At Xcel Energy, our employees are the driving force behind our success. So we make sure that, here, you can be your best. Doing work that makes a difference for neighbors and communities. Working with a team you can count on to push you. Expanding skills, staying ready for change, and capturing opportunities to grow. All with the support, rewards and recognition you need to thrive – during your internship and beyond.

The Outdoor Lighting team manages all aspects of outdoor customer lighting, including new installation requests, design, construction, project management, maintenance, and billing. As an Outdoor Lighting Intern, you will gain hands-on experience supporting these operations while learning about utility infrastructure, customer service, and project coordination. This role offers exposure to both technical and business processes within a dynamic team environment.

About the Team: Our team ensures safe, reliable, and aesthetically pleasing outdoor lighting solutions for residential, commercial, and municipal customers. We collaborate across design, construction, regulatory, and customer service to deliver high-quality projects from concept to completion.

Typical intern responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

Assist with updating project tracking systems, file cleanup and organization.
Support design and layout preparation for lighting projects using internal tools and standards.
Coordinate with internal teams and external contractors to gather project requirements and documentation.
Prepare reports and summaries for project status, billing, and customer communications.
Contribute to process improvement initiatives by analyzing workflows and suggesting enhancements.

This position is for a May 24, 2027 start date. This position may have the possibility to extend beyond the internship’s initial term based on the candidate’s successful performance and Xcel Energy’s business needs.

Minimum Requirements:

Current student, Freshman or higher
Enrolled in an accredited college or university and pursuing a degree in Construction Management, Project Management, Engineering, Engineering Technology, Business Administration, Operations Management, GIS, or a related field
Able to work full-time during the summer (up to 40 hours a week)/ part time during the school year (up to 20 hours a week) and commuting to the designated work location in-person, per our hybrid work policy.

Preferred Qualifications:

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook).
Familiarity with AutoCAD or GIS tools is a plus.
Basic understanding of project management principles.
Analytical and problem-solving skills.
Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
Strong interest in utility operations, infrastructure projects, or outdoor lighting systems.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Our culture is grounded in shared values and employee commitments that guide how we work, support one another, and grow together.

Our Values

Connected, Committed, Trustworthy, Safe

Our Employee Commitments

Work that makes a difference
A team you can count of
Opportunities to grow
Rewards that help you thrive

Xcel Energy provides job applicants reasonable accommodations for disabilities throughout the application process. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form.

Non-Bargaining

The anticipated starting base pay for this position is: $15.60 to $24.50 per hour

This position is eligible for the following benefits: Pension, 401(k) plan, Paid time off (PTO), Holidays

Benefit plans are subject to change and Xcel Energy has the right to end, suspend, or amend any of its plans, at any time, in whole or in part.

In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information including but not limited to dates of school attendance and graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Deadline to Apply: 11/08/26

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Accessibility Statement

Xcel Energy endeavors to make https://www.xcelenergy.com and https://jobs.xcelenergy.com accessible to any and all users. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form. For any other application related questions, including application follow-ups or technical issues, please use our Recruiting Assistance, Electra, for assistance. Electra can be found in the lower right-hand corner of our Xcel Energy Careers site.