Summer Internship in Hydrology, Hydraulics and Geomorphology Unit Software Engineer
Valley Water
Salary: $28.27 Hourly
Job Type: Internship/Temporary Worker
Job Number: 00275-SI
Location: CA, CA
Department: Watersheds Summer Internship Program
Closing: 2/15/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Description
SUMMER INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY!
Summer Internship in Hydrology, Hydraulics and Geomorphology Unit - Software Engineer
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 Hydrology, Hydraulics and Geomorphology Unit:
The Hydrology, Hydraulics & Geomorphology Unit (HHG) at Valley Water is a core technical unit responsible for collecting, processing, and maintaining the foundational hydrologic data that underpins the District's flood protection and water resources management work. HHG operates and maintains a comprehensive network of surface water monitoring stations including stream, reservoir, precipitation, and related gauges. The HHG unit also ensures that real-time and historical water data are accurately captured, calibrated, and stored in Valley Water's hydrological database. This dataset supports a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, informs water supply and groundwater recharge operations, and feeds into modeling systems used across the agency.
Data from remote gauges and sensors are transmitted in real time via telemetry systems to Valley Water's servers where they are quality-controlled and made available through public facing websites. These telemetered observations such as rainfall intensity, creek stage, and flow are also essential inputs to hydrologic and hydraulic models that forecast watershed response during storms. HHG staff and the systems they support help generate flood flow frequencies, support flood forecasting and early warning systems, and provide the high-quality, timely information needed by operations, emergency management, and planning.
INTERNSHIP LOCATION STATUS: This position is eligible for a hybrid telework schedule, typically working 40% remote and 60% 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 Bachelor's Degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related.
- Expertise in Python (including libraries like Pandas and NumPy) and Java. Proficiency with Python frameworks like Flask/Django. Experience with Golang and React is desirable. Skilled in both relational and non-relational database systems.
- Proficient in using Docker and Git. Strong experience designing and implementing REST APIs.
- Solid understanding of Data Structures and Algorithms. Comprehensive knowledge of Software Engineering principles. Familiarity with Modular Architecture and System Design. Experience with Unit Testing. Knowledge of Machine Learning concepts is desirable.
- AWS certification is highly preferred.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to articulate complex technical ideas clearly. Highly curious, self-motivated, and eager to learn new technologies and methodologies.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND INTERNSHIP TASKS (Representative duties include, but are not limited to):
- Supporting software and database systems related to telemetry data and alert notifications.
- Supporting deployment of machine learning pipelines for real-time flow and storage forecasting.
- Helping build data pipelines to ingest, process, and visualize weather data in real time.
- Helping build workflows related to support data dashboards and digital twin.
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/5204892/summer-internship-in-hydrology-hydraulics-and-geomorphology-unit-software-engi
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