UNM Facilitated Internship: SW EFC - Drinking Water Financial Intern
SW EFC Drinking Water Financial Intern - Summer 2026
***Please note that student-athletes and international student-athletes who are currently receiving a full athletic scholarship are not eligible to participate in the facilitated internship program. This policy ensures compliance with institutional, athletic, and visa regulations***
Internship Title: Drinking Water and Wastewater System Financial Assistance
Company/Organization Information: Southwest Environmental Finance Center (SW EFC) at the University of New Mexico. The SW EFC is a public service entity at the University that serves drinking water and wastewater systems across the country. In this internship, we are only talking about water and wastewater systems in New Mexico.
Description: When you think about turning on your tap in the morning to brush your teeth or flushing your toilet, you may not be aware that there are a lot of financial components to that water delivery and wastewater collection. Every system needs a budget, has to set a rate, has to have financial policies and procedures in place, has to provide financial reporting, and many other things. An internship with our group, the SW EFC, allows the intern to make a real world impact on the lives of everyday New Mexicans and keep our communities strong.
Intern Job Responsibilities:
- Develop an understanding of the financial aspects of drinking water and wastewater systems.
- Develop approaches to help very small, low capability water systems address financial aspects. For example, create a very simple budget template or a financial report template.
- Assist small drinking water and wastewater systems with their financials (developing or reviewing budgets, developing a financial report, reviewing a water rate, looking at reserve accounts for a system, answering financial questions.
- Organize financial records.
- Review financial policies and practices.
- Visit water systems to meet with financial and managerial personnel.
- Write a short report describing the actions taken.
- Work relatively independently but under the direction of staff at the SW EFC.
Work Hours & Benefits
This opportunity is real world experience in finances. Water utilities will always need this type of help, so it is a great future job market. We are a team of 21/22 staff members with individuals who are brand new all the way to individuals with over 20 to 30 years of experience. You will be making a difference in our home state of New Mexico. The working hours are a bit flexible with an expectation of 20 hours per week in the summer semester.
Intern Qualifications / Skills:
- Verbal communication
- Organization
- Scheduling
- Professionalism
- Customer focus
- Confidentiality
- Ability to work independently for part of the work
- Ability to travel by car within the State of New Mexico
Education, Experience, and Licensing Requirements:
- Finance majors would be well-suited to this but other business majors are also acceptable.
- Any experience in water is highly desirable, but not a requirement.
- Most likely the best candidate will be sophomore or higher but anyone is welcome to apply.
- Graduate or undergraduates are eligible.
[Call to Action] Please put together an application packet via the job listing.