Electric Utility Substation Design Intern- CO

About the job

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.

Xcel Energy is seeking one engineering intern to support the Substation Engineering & Design team in Denver, CO. The role supports transmission and distribution substation projects and includes design support, documentation, and coordination across engineering disciplines. The internship provides hands-on experience applying academic knowledge to real-world grid infrastructure projects. Intern will work with engineers, designers, and cross-functional teams.

Typical intern responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Support substation design tasks (one-line diagrams, layouts, basic calculations)
• Assist with drawing updates, design packages, and standards documentation
• Perform basic engineering calculations and data validation
• Participate in design reviews and coordination meetings
• Support site visit preparation and documentation (limited field exposure)
• Organize and analyze project data and engineering records

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, Sophomore or higher (as of Fall 2027)
• Enrolled in an ABET accredited college or university and pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering (preferred); Civil or Mechanical (acceptable)
• 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:

• Coursework in power systems or electrical engineering fundamentals (e.g., AC circuits)
• Exposure to engineering drawings or CAD tools (not required)
• Interest in electric utility infrastructure or substation engineering
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Prior internship, co-op, or relevant academic project experience
• GPA of 3.0 or higher preferred
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow established standards and guidance
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and communicate clearly

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: $21.20 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: 10/21/26

EEO is the Law (PDF) | Equal Opportunity Statement (PDF) | Employee Rights (PDF)

All Xcel Energy employees and contractors share responsibility for protecting the company's information and systems by adhering to cybersecurity policies, standards, and best practices, recognizing that cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility.

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.