Process Improvement Intern

Job Description

About Arizona Public Service (APS)

Arizona Public Service (APS) is dedicated to generating reliable, affordable, and clean energy for 2.7 million Arizonans. Our expansive service territory spans the entire state, from the vibrant border town of Douglas to the breathtaking vistas of the Grand Canyon, and from the innovative solar fields of Gila Bend to the serene ponderosa pines of Payson.

As Arizona’s largest and longest-serving energy provider, our team of over 6,000 dedicated employees is committed to powering our vision of creating a sustainable energy future for the state.

Since our founding in 1886, APS has built a strong reputation for customer satisfaction, shareholder value, operational excellence, and business integrity, all while serving one of the country’s fastest-growing states.

Our continued success is driven by the creative and dedicated people of our company who embody the principles outlined in the APS Promise: Design for Tomorrow, Empower Each Other, and Succeed Together.

Process Improvement Intern

Summary of the Role

As a Process Improvement Intern, you will gain invaluable, hands-on experience by collaborating with Arizona Public Service’s Lean Sigma Center of Excellence (LSCoE). This role is designed to support enterprise-wide process improvement efforts across various business units.

The LSCoE plays a crucial role in enabling and sustaining improvement initiatives throughout the organization, rather than directly owning all improvement work. This internship offers significant exposure to how Lean Sigma methods are applied at APS to:

• Improve processes
• Strengthen problem-solving capabilities
• Support a culture of continuous improvement aligned with APS priorities

Throughout the 10-week summer program, you will work closely with LSCoE practitioners and business partners to support real improvement initiatives, utilizing Lean Sigma concepts and the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) methodology. The experience emphasizes practical application, data-driven decision-making, and understanding how to influence and support change within a complex operating environment.

As a key component of the internship, you will complete a defined improvement or program-support project aligned with LSCoE objectives and present your findings and implemented solutions to leadership.

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 with enterprise priorities.

Internship Program Details

This is a paid, temporary full-time internship spanning 10 weeks during the summer. Interns receive:

• Mentorship
• Professional development opportunities
• Opportunities for site visits
• Networking events, 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

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

Important Notices

Export Compliance

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.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement

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 the 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 the 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.

Hybrid Work Model

Employees in hybrid roles work both in their home offices (virtually) and alongside their colleagues (in person). To foster strong relationships and promote meaningful in-person interactions, hybrid employees are generally expected to work approximately 40% of their time in-person at an APS or other (non-home office) location.

• Employees are expected to reside in Arizona (or New Mexico for Four Corners-based employees).
• Working from a home office requires adequate technology and an appropriate ergonomic setup.
• Role types are subject to change based on business need.