2026 Summer Internship - Process Improvement

Summary

As a Process Improvement Intern, you will gain valuable, hands-on experience working alongside Arizona Public Service’s Lean Sigma Center of Excellence (LSCoE) to support enterprise-wide process improvement efforts. The LSCoE enables and sustains improvement across diverse business units rather than directly owning all improvement work. This internship provides meaningful exposure to how Lean Sigma methods are applied across APS to improve processes, strengthen problem-solving capabilities, and support a culture of continuous improvement aligned with APS priorities. Throughout the summer, the intern will collaborate with LSCoE practitioners and business partners to support real improvement initiatives using Lean Sigma concepts and DMAIC methodology. The experience emphasizes practical application, data-driven decision making, and learning how to influence and support change in a complex operating environment. As part of the internship, the intern will complete a defined improvement or program-support project aligned to LSCoE objectives and report out to leadership of their findings and implemented solutions to their project. 

Intern duties may include but are not limited to:

• Participate in process discovery, current-state analysis, and data-driven problem solving
• Assist with defining problems, identifying waste, and developing improvement recommendations
• Document processes and support the development of standard work
• Create visual management tools, process maps, and communication materials to support Lean adoption
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and business partners across APS
• Support LSCoE practitioners with improvement activities aligned to enterprise priorities

This paid, temporary full-time internship spans 10 weeks during the summer. Interns receive mentorship, professional development, opportunities for site visits, networking, and more.

Minimum Requirements

• Enrolled in an accredited college or university undergraduate or graduate degree program.
• Must show ongoing achievement in areas of study and training.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3.0 GPA or higher.

Major Accountabilities

1) Performs simple to intermediate analysis and designs. May assist in preparing business/engineering plans, designs, specifications, cost estimates, evaluations and studies.
2) Assists in research, business documentation, studies or technical reviews. Conducts analyses, investigations, verifications and summarizes results or findings in written reports or oral presentations.
3) Utilizes internal resources to learn business/engineering operations/functions and apply learning in completion of work assignments.
4) Coordinates efforts with other disciplines, and/or departments in achieving project goals and task assignments.
5) Performs other related duties as required.

Export Compliance / EEO Statement

This position may require access to and/or use of information subject to control under the Department of Energy's Part 810 Regulations (10 CFR Part 810), the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 CFR Parts 730 through 774), or the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) (22 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter M Part 120) (collectively, 'U.S. Export Control Laws'). Therefore, some positions may require applicants to be a U.S. person, which is defined as a U.S. Citizen, a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident (i.e. 'Green Card Holder'), a Political Asylee, or a Refugee under the U.S. Export Control Laws. All applicants will be required to confirm their U.S. person or non-US person status. All information collected in this regard will only be used to ensure compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws, and will be used in full compliance with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of national origin and other factors. For positions at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Stations (PVNGS) all openings will require applicants to be a U.S. person.

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and its subsidiaries and affiliates ('Pinnacle West') maintain a continuing policy of nondiscrimination in employment. It is our policy to provide equal opportunity in all phases of the employment process and in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. This policy of nondiscrimination shall include, but not be limited to, recruiting, hiring, promoting, compensating, reassigning, demoting, transferring, laying off, recalling, terminating employment, and training for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, disability, age, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, protected veteran status, or any other classification or characteristic protected by law.

For more information on applicable equal employment regulations, please refer to EEO is the Law poster. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of every person hired to work in the United States, refer to E-Verify poster. View the employee rights and responsibilities under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Arizona Public Service is a smoke free workplace.