Summer Internship in Grants, Compliance, and Claims Management Unit Grants & Research

Summer Internship in Grants, Compliance, and Claims Management Unit Grants & Research

Valley Water

Salary: $28.27 Hourly

Job Type: Internship/Temporary Worker

Job Number: 00272-SI

Location: CA, CA

Department: CEO Summer Internship Program

Closing: 2/15/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Description

SUMMER INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY!

Summer Internship in Grants, Compliance, and Claims Management Unit - Grants & Research

Location: Valley Water Headquarters (5700 Almaden Expy. San Jose, CA)

1 Internship Available!

OVERVIEW

Do you want to make a difference in your community while also gaining priceless career experience? Do you want to expand your network and build your resume while learning about the water industry? If so, a summer internship with Valley Water may be the best choice for you! Join us and use your talents to help maintain safe and clean water for a healthy environment.

Our Commitment:

We are committed to building and sustaining a working environment where all individuals are respected and valued. We believe every member of our team brings unique perspectives that enhance our ability to serve the public effectively. By fostering a workplace with employees from the communities we serve, we broaden our collective understanding of the world around us and strengthen our mission to equitably provide safe, clean water, natural flood protection, and environmental stewardship.

About Valley Water:

Valley Water is a public agency with an operating and capital budget of $964 million, and over 900 employees. With headquarters in San Jose, Valley Water provides water supply, enhances streams and watersheds through creek restoration and habitat protection, provides flood protection for homes, schools, businesses and roadways, and partners with other agencies to provide trails and open space for the community.

About Next Gen Career Pathway's Summer Internships:

The 2026 College Summer Internship Program offers students nationwide a chance to gain practical experience while exploring careers in the water industry. Each intern will have a Valley Water staff mentor and will receive professional development training, participate in networking events, and prepare a capstone presentation at the end of the program. Although some positions in the program will follow a hybrid format, with a mix of in-office and remote work based on business needs, other roles may require interns to work on-site full-time in a lab, office, or field setting, as specified in the job postings.

About The Grants, Compliance, and Claims Management Unit:

The Grants, Compliance, and Claims Management (GCCM) Unit supports Valley Water by guiding projects through the full grant lifecycle, from identifying funding opportunities to ensuring post-award compliance and reporting. External funding is key to Valley Water's long-term water infrastructure and reliability needs.

The GCCM Unit is comprised of highly skilled staff in grant development and post-award monitoring to ensure that grant-funded projects meet all federal and state requirements. By collaborating closely with project teams and leadership, GCCM helps prepare competitive grant applications while ensuring transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of public funds. The GCCM Unit plays a critical role in navigating complex grant requirements and safeguarding compliance throughout project delivery. The selected intern will gain hands-on experience supporting Valley Water's mission by working closely with a Senior Management Analyst to research public funding opportunities, assist with grant application development, track and report grant activity, support compliance with federal and state grant requirements, and contribute to grant communications. Opportunities to learn the fundamentals of related finance functions at Valley Water may be available during this internship, as well.

INTERNSHIP LOCATION STATUS: This internship position is eligible for a hybrid telework schedule, typically working 20% remote and 80% onsite. For hybrid work, intern must perform their work in the state of California within 150 miles of their primary physical work location located in (San Jose, California) by their start date.

Required License or Certificate

DESIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

- Students pursuing a degree in public administration, business administration, political science, pre-law, accounting, finance, or a related field.

- Coursework completed, in progress, or interest in learning about finance, grant writing, technical writing, public-sector programs, legislation, or administrative processes.

- Interest in developing strong written communication skills, including drafting, editing, and organizing clear and accurate documents such as reports, grant materials, project narratives, or program summaries.

- Experience with or interest in learning common office and collaboration tools such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Smartsheet, DocuSign, or similar software. Interest in understanding financial or grants management systems is a plus.

- Ability or interest in working both independently and as part of a team, including organizing information, analyzing findings, and sharing updates or summaries with supervisors or project teams.

- Proficiency in oral and written communication in English.

- Comfortable in working with spreadsheets and financial records.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND INTERNSHIP TASKS (Representative duties include, but are not limited to):

- Support administrative, program, or grant-related projects by assisting staff with research, data gathering, and documentation under guidance.

- Help prepare, update, and maintain reports, spreadsheets, summaries, documents, graphics, manuals, presentations, or tracking tools related to assigned projects or programs.

- Conduct background research on policies, procedures, regulations, or best practices and summarize findings for staff review.

- Participate in meetings and project discussions and assist with notetaking or follow-up items.

- Assist with maintaining project files, records, databases, or other documentation in accordance with unit procedures.

- Collaborate with staff across the GCCM Unit to support both pre-award and post-award activities as needed.

- Maintain motivation to work with minimal supervision while working remotely or independently for short periods of time.

- Perform other related tasks that support program, project, and organizational goals.

Selection Process

ELIGIBILITY:

- Undergraduate applicants must be enrolled in an accredited community college or college/university and have completed at least two full-time years of study (i.e., entering their third/rising third or fourth year) by Fall 2026, or have graduated within the past six months.

- Graduate applicants must be enrolled in an accredited graduate program at a college or university in Fall 2026 or have completed their degree within the past six months.

- Proof of enrollment will be required prior to the start of the assignment.

- Applicants must be able to work full-time (40 hours/week) during the College Summer Internship Program.

- Only applicants who have not participated in a Valley Water College Summer Internship Program before will be considered.

- Valley Water requires interns to work within 150 miles of the Valley Water office they are to report to by their start date. The intern must perform their work in the State of California, not more than 150 miles from Valley Water's Headquarters' (5700 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, CA, or Valley Water's Sacramento Office: 1121 L Street, Suite 1000, Sacramento, CA) for the duration of their internship.

- Selected candidates must pass a pre-employment screening process, which includes reference and background/criminal checks.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Applications will be accepted February 2 through February 15, 2026.

To apply, applicants must submit the following through the online application system:

- A fully completed online Employment Application with all required questions answered. We encourage applicants to share details about relevant work experience, academic projects, volunteer activities, and/or extracurricular involvement.

- Complete the supplemental questions in the job application with detail and honesty. These questions help us better understand your interests and experiences. If you are applying to multiple internships, please tailor your answer to every internship you are applying for. Please ensure your supplemental responses are specific to each internship job posting. Do not indicate "see resume" as a response to any of the questions.

- Resumes and cover letters are optional but are helpful and appreciated by the Mentors reviewing the applications. Please label and include these documents in the "Attachments" section.

- Former participants in Valley Water's Summer Internship or Water Works Program are not eligible to apply.

To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/scvwd/jobs/5207294/summer-internship-in-grants-compliance-and-claims-management-unit-grants-re

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