Operations Technology Intern - Project Controls Specialist focus

Who We Are:

West Yost is a water resource management and engineering firm focused exclusively on water. Since our founding in 1990, we have partnered with public agencies including cities, counties, utilities, and water districts to plan, design, and deliver water, wastewater, and stormwater solutions that support safe, reliable, and resilient communities.

Our team of more than 267 professionals brings together expertise in groundwater, water supply, treatment, infrastructure, recycled water, stormwater, construction management, and operations technology. We support projects from early planning and permitting through design and construction and complement our engineering services with program management and public outreach to help clients move work forward and engage their communities.

We are proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work®, and to be recognized among Fortune’s® Best Workplaces in Consulting and Professional Services from 2023 to 2025, as well as a top-ranked firm in the AEC Advisors Diversity Index. At West Yost, we are committed to being the water firm of choice for our clients and our team, advancing water resources for future generations through strong partnerships, practical solutions, and a shared commitment to quality.

Pay rate: $22hr.  Based on our Phoenix, AZ office location.  (West Yost uses geographic salary differentials that would apply for candidates in other regions). 

Status: Variable hour, Non-Exempt

Location(s): Phoenix, AZ  (https://www.westyost.com/locations/ ).

**This role requires an in-office presence for all hours worked.**

Operations Technology Intern (OTCR Group - Project Controls Specialist focus)

Position Overview

West Yost is seeking a Project Controls Intern interested in project management, financial management, scheduling, data analysis, and consulting within the water and wastewater industry. Working alongside Project Managers, engineers, technical staff, and accounting personnel, this role supports the planning, financial tracking, scheduling, invoicing, progress monitoring, and reporting needed for successful project delivery. The internship provides hands-on experience on active engineering and technology projects while developing practical project controls and project management skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with project setup, including budgets, phases, tasks, labor allocations, work breakdown structures, and project controls requirements.
• Maintain and analyze project financial information, including budgets, expenditures, labor hours, revenue, forecasts, accruals, and resource needs; identify variances or emerging concerns for Project Manager review.
• Coordinate monthly invoicing by reviewing labor, expenses, subconsultant costs, contract requirements, project progress, and other billing information; prepare draft invoices and supporting documentation with accounting.
• Support development and maintenance of project schedules, milestones, and short-term work plans; track planned versus actual progress, dependencies, and upcoming activities.
• Collect project information and prepare recurring status reports, dashboards, charts, and other tools that clearly communicate financial, schedule, progress, and resource performance.
• Track project changes, risks, decisions, action items, deliverables, and commitments; update budgets, forecasts, schedules, and documentation following approved changes.
• Coordinate recurring project controls activities with Project Managers, technical leads, project staff, and accounting, including project initiation, management reviews, and closeout.
• Support continuous improvement of project controls templates, procedures, dashboards, and reporting tools.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing or recently completed a bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Engineering, Construction Management, Economics, Data Analytics, or a related discipline; equivalent education and relevant experience may be considered.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills, attention to detail, and ability to organize and communicate financial and project performance information.
• Strong proficiency or demonstrated aptitude with Microsoft Excel and ability to learn project management, accounting, scheduling, reporting, and ERP systems.
• Demonstrated fluency with ChatGPT or similar generative AI tools for professional or academic workflows, with the ability to prompt effectively and review, validate, and refine AI-generated outputs using appropriate professional judgment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments and recurring deadlines, work independently on routine tasks, and appropriately raise discrepancies, trends, or potential issues.
• Professionalism, sound judgment, and interest in project management, project controls, engineering consulting, or infrastructure projects.

Preferred Experience

• Internship, coursework, or project experience involving project management, budgeting, scheduling, financial analysis, accounting, engineering, construction management, or data analysis.
• Experience using Excel for analysis, financial tracking, reporting, dashboards, or other analytical tools.
• Familiarity with Deltek Vantagepoint or a comparable project-based ERP/financial system; Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, Power BI, or similar scheduling/reporting tools is a plus.
• Experience in engineering, architecture, construction, environmental, professional services, or another project-based environment; familiarity with water, wastewater, environmental, or critical infrastructure projects is a plus.

Career Development

This internship is intended to build a foundation for a career in project controls, project management and program management. With experience, team members may take on increasing responsibility for financial management, forecasting, scheduling, performance analysis, reporting, and project controls processes across multiple projects.

Travel Requirements

*This position may require travel to other offices and/or client offices.

A Little About the West Yost Life

You will experience many opportunities to grow and develop professionally with your colleagues through collaborative in-person work experience, knowledge sharing, and mentorship opportunities. We also offer hybrid and flexible work schedules to our employees to help promote and encourage a healthy work/life balance.  All of our team members have access to local and company-wide events, our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workgroup, Culture Workgroup, Wellness Workgroup, book clubs, charitable giving and community service, firm-wide resources, peer groups (young professionals & middlers group), and mentorship and leadership programs.  We support and foster your career success and encourage you to be in control of your future with us.

At West Yost, we make space for connection across the firm. Each month, we hold an all-hands meeting that bring together team members from every location, including those working remotely, to stay aligned and engaged. Individual sectors and teams also hold their own monthly meeting. At the local level, our offices host gatherings, from camping trips and river rafting to community events and celebrations.

Once a year, we come together in person for our Annual All Staff event, a firmwide experience focused on learning, networking, and building relationships across teams. That evening, we continue our longest-standing tradition, the Duck Dinner, where West Yosters are encouraged to bring a guest and enjoy a night of great food, connection, and entertainment.

We work hard, and we place equal value on having fun.

Our commitment to quality begins with our hiring practices. We employ the most talented team members in our industry from all backgrounds. We are highly selective of the individuals we choose to represent the firm, seeking only those individuals whose technical abilities and commitment to client service matches our vision for excellence.  We are dedicated to our number one asset, our employees.  Because we are employee-owned, we are responsible for and rewarded by our own success. Come to West Yost where, with our support, you’ll do the best work of your life.

Standard Benefits:

We provide a comprehensive array of valuable benefits to protect your health, your family, and your way of life. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, health saving accounts (with West Yost contribution), paid vacation, paid sick leave and holidays, two employee assistance programs, travel assistance program, 401(k) profit sharing with employer match, leaves of absence with additional supplemental paid time off, parental leave, life and AD&D insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance, and even pet insurance.

Other Unique Benefits:

You’ll be provided with support in on-going education through our 529 college savings plan/student loan repayment program, tuition reimbursement, paid professional memberships, paid training, and Leadership Academy programs. You’ll be recognized for your contributions at West Yost through milestone anniversary benefits, peer to peer recognition programs, the potential for employee stock ownership, annual monetary and paid time off bonuses, performance-based bonus eligibility, merit increase eligibility, and employee referral bonuses. We also offer a wellness reimbursement.

West Yost Associates is an Affirmative Action Participant EOE/M/F/D/V. West Yost Associates provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.)