Colorado State University

Access Sensor Technologies (AST) spun out of research laboratories in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Chemistry at Colorado State University in 2013. AST designs, manufactures, and sells portable air samplers with the aim of revolutionizing the way that personal exposure to air pollution is measured. AST is in the process of launching a new product, called the Home Health Box (HHB), that measures levels of particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon dioxide (CO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in indoor environments.

Responsibilities:

AST is seeking a summer intern to support our goal of collecting 750 air quality samples from 250 homes during 2024. The student intern will be responsible for preparing Home Health Boxes for sample collection (installing clean sample media and programming the correct instrument settings), coordinating shipment of Home Health Boxes to study partners and participants, receiving Home Health Boxes that have been shipped back from study partners and participants, unloading used sample media and delivering them to the appropriate laboratories for analysis, as well as downloading sample data. Depending on the skills and interests of the student, the intern may also help maintain and repair Home Health Boxes as well as analyze sample data for report-back to study partners and participants.

Qualifications:

Students majoring in Mechanical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, and Chemistry are all welcome to apply. Exceptional organizational skills, strong attention to detail, and experience using Microsoft Excel are required.  The student must also be able to handle sampling media and experimental samples in a laboratory environment.  Experience writing R code for data analysis is preferred.

Founded in 2021, AtmosZero is developing drop-in solutions to decarbonize industrial process heat. Accounting for 25% of global energy demand, industrial heat is produced almost exclusively from fossil fuel combustion, resulting in more than 7.5 GT of CO2 emissions per year. As global attention increasingly focuses on the urgency of our climate transition, AtmosZero is focused on solutions that are better for the environment and industrial bottom lines.

This summer, AtmosZero will be undertaking the construction and testing of our prototype first-of-a-kind industrial heat pump. This means we will be extremely busy and are looking for one or two interns who are excited to get their hands dirty learning about and participating in the early stages of taking engineering innovation to market. You should be excited about experimentation and iteration.

Each intern will work under the direction of our staff R&D engineers and will be expected to work their hours (generally 9-5 Monday to Friday). You will be encouraged to provide feedback on your particular areas of interest and we will work with you where possible to provide opportunities for deeper dives. As an early stage startup, we highly value self-driven individuals who are excited to make a major impact in the fight against climate change.

Intern 1: Construction & Testing

Responsibilities:

• Commissioning and operating test facility
• Design of air-coupled test loop
• Construction of air-coupled test loop

Intern 2: Simulation & Instrumentation

Responsibilities:

• Cycle analysis
• Instrument calibration and testing
• Prototype wiring
• Testing control hardware

The City of Fort Collins Utilities Water Conservation Department is seeking an outstanding student intern to contribute to the development of the city’s updated Water Efficiency Plan (WEP). In the last update, the 2015 Water Efficiency Plan outlined a goal of reducing water use to 130 gallons, per capita, per day the year 2030. That deadline is only six years away, and the development of the 2024 Water Efficiency Plan allows us to evaluate current data, update goals, and focus our strategies for achieving those goals. Our community is expected to grow, and climate change is projected to impact our water supplies. Because water is essential to all of us, Fort Collins Utilities is building a plan for resiliency into the future.  

The WEP update process includes developing a new water modeling tool. The tool will look at water demand and potential savings from various efficiency and conservation strategies, considering current and future climate and population predictions. In addition to expected water savings, strategies will be evaluated for equitable outcomes, cost, and other variables. The WEP update process will also incorporate engagement focused on a One Water approach and on diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a Cogen Fellow, your internship will provide a unique opportunity to be involved in this critical work for our community and the state. 

Requirements: 

• CSU student (junior, senior, or graduate student) in environmental and/or water related studies
• Skilled researcher with excellent writing and communication skills
• Data management and analysis experience using Microsoft Excel

Preferred: 

• GIS competency (using and creating geographic information)

Roles and Responsibilities 

• Work with Water Conservation staff to assist with the Water Efficiency Plan
• Identify and evaluate various water conservation and efficiency strategies, such as the cost, water savings estimates, etc. 
• Use existing water use data, professional resources, and phone interviews/emails to other water providers to do this work. 
• Explore greenhouse gas reduction associated with lower water use (less treatment, less water heating) to connect WEP to the Fort Collins Our Climate Future
• Create content for the Water Efficiency Plan – including maps, figures, and graphs.
• Prepare resources, such as written documents and PowerPoint slides, for Natural Resources Advisory Board, Water Commission, and City Council summer work sessions.
• Participate in several public engagement events throughout the summer to support engagement efforts related to water conservation and efficiency, including the WEP. This will include weekend activities once or twice a month.

Throughout your internship, you will be welcomed as part of a high-functioning city government team to learn with and from us. There will be some flexibility in work hours and location, although you will be expected to work at the office at 222 LaPorte Avenue at least three days per week to join team meetings, meet with your mentor, and participate fully in the planned public outreach events that will include occasional weekend times.  Additionally, you will also have the opportunity to join the Public Engagement Team to network more broadly throughout Fort Collins Utilities in order to gain additional career insights. This is a great opportunity for a community-minded, resource conservation-focused student! 

Questions? Please reach out to Mariel Miller, Water Conservation Manager, City of Fort Collins Utilities at [email protected].

The CSU Institute for Entrepreneurship (I4E) and CSU STRATA are jointly seeking two interns to assist the entrepreneurial efforts of I4E and CSU STRATA working together to launch companies and prepare them for financing, early sales, growth, research, and business development. This position works with inventors, experienced executives, and in various technologies to launch and build companies. Currently there are 2 companies in the sustainability space.

Position Summary

The CSU Institute for Entrepreneurship (I4E) and CSU STRATA are jointly supporting CSU-affiliated cleantech startup companies through a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Technology Transitions-funded accelerator program. Within CSU STRATA’s pioneering Lab to Life (L2L) Venture Studio this position is an internship referred to as “Entrepreneurs-In-Training” or EITs. This temporary position works with cleantech startups conducting and managing a wide range of business activities related to launching and incubating startup companies including:

• conducting customer discovery/sales calls;
• performing market analysis research to further the development and trajectory of startups;
• assisting in various activities to support daily operations of startups; and
• supporting fundraising efforts by developing and editing one-page info sheets, pitch decks, proposals, financials, and other marketing materials for a variety of uses.

One EITs will be the lead intern working with Aqua-SaaS. This company is a water-infrastructure software company spin out from One Water Solutions Institute (in formation) to improve resilience, water efficiency, and fairness in water management for urban planning and agricultural uses.

Another EITs will be the lead intern working with NitroCat. This company makes green fertilizers (Urea/Ammonia) from wastewater, targeting dairy farms as suppliers, and the multi-billion dollar fertilizer industry as buyers.

Qualifications

Required – CSU graduate student in business, engineering, science, or a related field.

Strongly preferred skills/experience:

• Experience with customers, conducting research, and working independently.
• Experience in business operations, project management, customer discovery or marketing.
• Exceptional communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to anticipate company needs and take initiative on task execution.

Expectations:

• Able to work with university faculty, industry executives, investors, and students.
• Occasional travel to conduct customer site visits and engage in business development activities.
• High degree of professionalism, ethics, integrity, confidentiality, and discretion.
• Excellent communication skills to express ideas clearly and concisely and demonstrate strong presentation skills.
• Good judgment in analyzing situations, making decisions by interpreting, and applying applicable rules, methods, protocols, and processes with diligence and detail.
• Work independently to effectively manage time, projects, and deadlines; use critical thinking, curiosity, and pride in every project.
• Innovate for optimal efficiency, employ methods of continuous process improvement.

Engineering Technician Intern

Czero is looking for an exceptional student to hire into our intern program as an “Engineering Technician Intern” to support research and development technology projects. In this role, you will work in a collaborative team environment to develop and test designs for cutting-edge technologies in a wide range of industries, including clean energy, advanced automotive, transportation, and aerospace. Through this challenging program you will hone your engineering technician skillset while working as a part of our interdisciplinary team.

Czero specializes in early-stage research and development of innovative technologies in the energy sector, in particular those that reduce energy consumption and/or harmful emissions. At any given time, our projects may include wave energy, compressed air storage, hydrogen infrastructure, automotive powertrains and valvetrains, fuel cells, and hydraulic power systems, to name a few. If you join us, you will be immediately contributing to a project team of other motivated and passionate problem solvers as we strive to deliver the best designs for our customers and positively impact the environment.

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment – women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Representative Tasks: Engineering Technician Intern

• Support engineers in assembly and testing of hardware/systems
• Machine and fabricate parts and assemblies (mill/lathe/welding)
• Prototype wiring
•  Instrument calibration and testing

Essential for this position

• Strong verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills
• A passionate interest, shared with everyone on the Czero team, in developing cutting-
  edge innovations that make a positive global impact
• Commitment to Czero’s goals and a desire for continuous improvement
• Strong desire to learn fabrication, assembly, and testing skills. Prior experience with
  these skills is helpful but not essential for this internship.

Residency requirements

• Must be U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident (Green Card)

Program Details

• Students work full time (40 hours per week) during summer

Preferred candidate is taking Junior or Senior courses in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering during the upcoming 2024 Fall Semester and has:

• experience with hands on assembly, building, testing and shop work
• Familiar with Solidworks

In collaboration with the She’s in Power Power Up program to advance women in the clean energy field and the COGEN internship program, we are encouraging female students to apply. If a female applicant is selected, she will have the opportunity to participate in the She’s in Power program from May – September which includes mentoring, professional development, and networking activities among participants. Please read through the She’s in Power Program Guide for more details.

The Energy Institute is moving forward with our initiative focused on STEM education and outreach. This internship will directly work with the Energy Institute STEM coordinator to develop education and outreach materials for K-12 students. There are two projects that the intern can choose to support. This role will focus on the following:

Mobile STEM Truck

Develop energy and carbon solution-based learning labs that can travel in the mobile classroom to various outreach events. This would expand our K-12 offerings to schools and other groups. Creating activities, designing and perfecting activities, and acquiring materials for these labs would be among internship duties.

Lobby Display

Develop, curate and execute an engaging lobby display to be deployed in the Powerhouse main lobby. The intent of the display is to educate and inspire visitors around energy, sustainability and innovation. This project would involve collaborating with stakeholders, help to design the layout and execute to ensure an engaging visitor experience.

In collaboration with the She’s in Power Power Up program to advance women in the clean energy field and the COGEN internship program, we are encouraging female students to apply. If a female applicant is selected, she will participate in the She’s in Power program from May – September which includes mentoring, professional development, and networking activities among our participants. Please read through the She’s in Power Program Guide.

Prieto Battery is looking for a highly motivated candidate to support our 3D battery research. The candidate will work in a dynamic R&D setting developing the next generation of battery technology. Areas of focus will include cathode materials and formulations, separator and electrode deposition, and electrolyte formulation and analysis. Additionally, materials analysis will include viscosity, density, and particle size measurements. The candidate will also be responsible for analyzing the data and creating presentations. Hands-on lab experience and familiarity with laboratory safety procedures is required.

Preferred Field of Study: Chemistry, Material Science, Chemical Engineering, Physics

Year of Education: Sophomore, Junior, Senior

Experience: Hands-on lab experience, analytical chemistry 

In collaboration with the She’s in Power Power Up program to advance women in the clean energy field and the COGEN internship program, we are encouraging female students to apply. If a female applicant is selected, she will participate in the She’s in Power program from May – September which includes mentoring, professional development, and networking activities among our participants. Please read through the She’s in Power Program Guide.

Solas Energy provides commercial advisory consulting services to the renewable energy industry. We specialize in project development and project management consulting services, climate change policy analysis, and asset acquisition/divestiture services for utility scale wind and solar power projects. With experience in renewable energy and climate change dating to the late 1990’s, Solas Energy provides consulting on a variety of projects in the U.S. and Canada to utilities, developers, contractors, and equipment manufacturers.

We are looking for a bright, motivated, and conscientious university student located in Fort Collins to work on a full-time basis during the CSU 10-week internship program. This position will primarily be working to support senior management on utility scale and small scale solar and wind energy projects in the U.S. and Canada.

The Project Engineering Intern will assist in performing basic administrative and project controls functions to support both the company and the company’s clients. Some of the administrative functions for the company include assisting in preparing proposals and preparation of marketing materials, managing data sites and other duties as required. It is expected that the Project Engineering Intern will be billable to clients approximately 50% of the time and will perform functions such as research on renewable energy policies by State, review of land agreements and documents, document controls, scheduling, cost estimating, reporting, procurement support, contract support, and other duties as needed by clients. The Project Engineering Intern will work from the office in Fort Collins at the CSU Powerhouse.

The Project Engineering Intern will receive on-the-job training and will become highly familiar with utility scale solar and wind energy projects, bidding processes, contractors, development methodologies, and market pricing.

Duties:
• Presentations, marketing, and research – create professional PowerPoint presentation from raw data and text; assist in the development of marketing materials; conduct internet-based research.
• Proposals – assist in responding to requests for proposals and estimating pricing.
• Development assistance – support development of a renewable energy projects as needed.
• Contract review – fact check client contracts against source documents.
• Bid assessment/analysis – assist in the assembly of bid documents for construction contracts; the qualification of contractors, pricing analysis, the application of analytic tools to effectively chart relative capabilities and pricing. Confirm understanding with subcontractors as required.
• Support applications for government small business designations and contracting efforts.
• Other Administrative tasks as assigned.
• Authorized to work in the US.
• Driver’s license required.

Qualifications:
• Passion for renewable energy.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and flexibility in terms of assignments.
• Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills; problem solving techniques; ability to take direction.
• General understanding and ability to use project scheduling software and methodology; Microsoft office suite; and strong Excel/Spreadsheet analysis; Teams.
• Familiarity with contracting procedures, project contracts, engineering practices, construction techniques, wind, and solar plant technologies.
• Strong attention to detail; focus on accuracy, consistency, and quality of work; high degree of integrity & reliability.

Education/Experience:
• Working toward degree in Construction Management, Engineering or other similar degree, or MBA student with technical/energy background.

Required Skills:
• 2nd year or greater Fort Collins based university student enrolled in engineering or construction management. GPA 3.0 or higher.
• Moderate to advanced proficiency with MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Access
• Familiarity with MS Project and/or ability to learn and utilize new software quickly
• Demonstrated analytical skills and attention to detail
• Superb organizational and time management skills
• Professional written and personal presentation communications skills
• Self directed, capable of working on an assigned deliverable result with minimal direction.
• “Can do!” attitude and the ability to work independently effectively
• Reliable transportation to meet with employer and attend client meetings.

Dr. Ciprian Dumitrache has been a member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at CSU since August 2022. His laboratory, the Aerospace Propulsion and Diagnostics Laboratory (APDL), conducts research in the area of combustion and hypersonics at the Energy Institute.

The APDL is looking to add one intern for the summer to work on the development of a numerical model for plasma-assisted combustion inside of a Hydrogen-Air radiant tube burner. Work will include developing a multi-physics model that includes both plasma and combustion chemistry and integrate the model into our existing computational fluid dynamics code.

The desired candidate will be pursuing a graduate degree at Colorado State University (MSc or PhD) in the department of Mechanical Engineering, with an emphasis on computational fluid dynamics and combustion physics.

Dr. Bret Windom has been a member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at CSU since August 2016. At the Powerhouse Energy Campus, he and his team of graduate students and undergraduates perform their research in the Chemical Energy Conversion Laboratory. The Windom Group is looking to add two interns for the summer.

Project 1: Installation of Hydrogen Generator and Refueling Station

Our hydrogen generation and storage installation project is aimed at enabling advancement in the field of sustainable energy. The central effort of this project is the installation of a 120-kW proton exchange membrane (PEM) hydrogen electrolyzer, complemented by a high-pressure compressor, storage tanks, and dispensing equipment. This cutting-edge system is designed to produce hydrogen in bulk to meet the research demands of CSU’s Powerhouse facility. Furthermore, it will serve as a practical test bed for evaluating and refining electrolysis technologies developed in-house. Beyond these primary research functions, this installation will also act as a public-facing hydrogen refueling station within the coming i-25 hydrogen refueling network, marking a significant step towards sustainable transportation solutions in the Front Range region of Colorado.

Given that the installation of this system is not yet complete, students participating in the project will engage in hands-on, experiential learning through a range of manufacturing and commissioning tasks. They will be directly involved in tasks related to the piping of equipment, wiring of high-voltage systems, and general troubleshooting. This involvement offers a unique opportunity for students to apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world applications, enhancing their technical skills and understanding of hydrogen energy systems. By contributing to the setup and operational optimization of this facility, students will gain valuable hands-on experience with the hydrogen technologies that are likely to power our future.

Preferred Field of Study (Project 1): Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Preferred Year of Study (Project 1): No Preference

Desired Skills (Project 1): General mechanical aptitude and willingness to get their hands dirty.

Project 2: Fundamental Study of Reformed Ammonia Combustion

This project is centered on the combustion characteristics of ammonia/hydrogen blends, utilizing a rapid compression machine equipped with advanced instrumentation. Ammonia (NH3) is a promising alternative carbon-free fuel, but one that often requires partial reformation into hydrogen (H2) to achieve balanced combustion characteristics. This project’s main objective is to identify optimized ammonia/hydrogen mixtures that facilitate ideal combustion in conventional spark-ignited internal combustion engines. The collected data will separately be applied as part of a broader initiative to develop a plasma-based ammonia reformer envisioned to be installed on future ammonia-fueled vehicles.

Students involved in this project will have the opportunity to work closely with a graduate researcher in CSU’s rapid compression machine laboratory. Their role will involve conducting fundamental combustion experiments to develop an understanding of the intricate dynamics of ammonia/hydrogen combustion. The student will be responsible for compiling and interpreting complex data sets and will gain invaluable insights into combustion science and its applications in developing sustainable energy solutions.

Preferred Field of Study (Project 2): Mechanical Engineering

Preferred Year of Study (Project 2): Sophomore – Senior

Desired Skills (Project 2): No requirements. General interest in gathering experimental data and automated data processing.

This internship offers the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in finance within the clean technology industry. This role would assist in conducting financial analysis for clean tech projects, evaluating investment opportunities, and preparing financial models in collaboration with the finance team to assess project feasibility, profitability, and return on investment.

Preferred fields of study: finance, business or related field

Preferred year of study: 3rd year

Desired skills:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with financial software
• Passion for clean technology and sustainability, strong written and verbal communication skills

Dr Azer Yalin is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at CSU.  He conducts research at the Powerhouse Energy Campus where he is the director of the Center for Laser Sensing and Diagnostics. He and his team of graduate students and undergraduates perform research in the areas of plasma engineering, propulsion, and laser diagnostics.  The group is looking for one intern to contribute to research in these areas during the summer of 2024.

Responsibilities:

• Support ongoing advanced propulsion research in Yalin’s group.
• Contribute to laser diagnostic testing of advanced propulsion systems, in collaboration with other researchers from CLSD.
• Support other laser diagnostic research at CLSD as needed.

Desired Skills and Qualifications:

• Be a student in the College of Engineering in third year, or higher, of their BSc program
• Hands on experience with at least some of the following: vacuum systems, laser systems, data acquisition systems, electronics and circuits
• Experience with data analysis (data filtering, fitting, plotting etc.) via Matlab

Dr. Jianguo Zhao has been a faculty member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at CSU since August 2015.  He leads a dynamic research team focused on advancing robotic systems. These systems are specially designed for maneuvering through challenging terrains, such as aiding in environmental monitoring tasks. He is looking for one intern for the summer to develop a novel terrestrial robot for locomoting in cluttered indoor environments. This robot will be based on tensegrity structures — a self-tensioning system consisting of rigid bars and cables. The intern is expected to design, fabricate, assemble, and test the robot in indoor environments. 

The preferred student will be a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering with Fusion 360 for CAD, Arduino programming, and 3D printing skills.