What You’ll Do:
As our Operations Planning Engineer Co-op, you’ll get a front-row seat to how one of the world’s largest electric grids is planned and operated.
Think of Operations Planning a little like state patrol officers monitoring a busy interstate. They watch traffic conditions, identify congestion, help keep things moving safely, and respond when challenges arise. Our team does something similar with electricity — monitoring conditions across the Bulk Electric System (BES), evaluating how power can safely move across the grid, and helping to ensure electricity continues to flow reliably to the millions of people who depend on it.
You’ll support the outage planning processes for a complex electric system spanning 15 states, analyzing future grid conditions and helping determine safe and reliable paths for maintenance, construction, and other changes to the system.
You’ll gain hands-on experience with:
- Power system analysis tools and industry-standard grid modeling software
- Real-world contingency analysis and system studies
- Transmission outage planning and reliability analysis
- Model validation and operational project support
- Tools and technologies used every day to support real-world grid operations
A Great Day in This Role Means:
You’ll spend time running power flow studies, reviewing system models, and evaluating how planned transmission outages could affect the grid. You’ll work alongside experienced engineers to analyze contingencies, identify potential reliability concerns, and determine what actions may be needed to keep electricity flowing safely and reliably.
This is a fast-paced environment where the work can have an immediate and meaningful impact. You’ll see how your analysis helps MISO plan maintenance, support new infrastructure projects, manage changing grid conditions, and prepare for challenges before they happen.
This is a unique opportunity because:
The electric grid is incredibly complex, and there is a lot to learn — but you won’t be learning it from a textbook alone.
You’ll work alongside teams across Operations Planning, Real-Time Operations, Day Ahead Market Operations, Transmission Planning, and other areas responsible for maintaining system reliability and supporting MISO’s energy markets.
That cross-functional exposure will help you understand not only how the grid works, but how engineering, operations, and markets come together to keep electricity moving across a massive interconnected system.
What You’ll Be Proud to Share:
- Supported power system studies evaluating future grid conditions, transmission outages, and reliability risks
- Gained hands-on experience with industry-standard grid modeling and power flow analysis tools
- Learned how engineers manage congestion and changing conditions across the Bulk Electric System
- Collaborated with engineering and operations teams responsible for keeping electricity reliable across the MISO region
- Applied classroom engineering concepts to real-world challenges affecting millions of electricity consumers
As part of your capstone experience, you’ll also present a concise summary demonstrating how your project contributes to the daily operational needs of grid management — giving you an opportunity to showcase what you learned and the real-world impact of your work.
Qualifications at a Glance:
Term: January 13 – April 30, 2027 | Full-time | Paid
Location: Eagan, MN | Housing available for qualified students
Academic Level: Undergraduate (Juniors or Seniors)
Degree: Electrical Engineering
Required Technical Skills:
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- Completion of core Electrical Engineering coursework
Preferred Skills:
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- Coursework in Power Systems Analysis
- Programming experience such as Python, MATLAB, or C++
- Hands-on projects or internships related to grid modeling or system studies
By the End of Your Co-op, You’ll Walk Away With:
- A foundational understanding of the Bulk Electric System and how a large-scale electric grid operates
- Hands-on experience with contingency analysis, outage planning, and power system modeling tools
- A better understanding of MISO’s role in maintaining reliability and operating energy markets
- The ability to connect your Electrical Engineering coursework to real-world grid challenges
- Professional experience collaborating across engineering, operations, planning, and market teams
About MISO
MISO manages the electricity superhighway in the Central U.S. Through groundbreaking research and advanced technology, our highly skilled employees ensure that power flows reliably to 47 million customers. Operating the electricity grid, running a robust energy market, and planning for a bright future — it’s what our immensely talented and dedicated team does every day.
Plug into your future career. Apply today and help us keep the power flowing!
Learn More About MISO’s Early Career Talent Programs:
Learn More about MISO's Internship & Co-op Opportunities (https://careers.misoenergy.org/internships-coops/)
Internship Experience Video (https://vimeo.com/850305007/3f99504627)
MISO, The Work We Do (https://vimeo.com/935124142/5c8d23402d)
Follow Us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/midcontinent-iso/life/e1d95e01-cc94-42ac-bc0a-57e43b39352f/?viewAsMember=true)
Apply Here! (https://careers.misoenergy.org/jobs/)
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Experience
Required
-
Completion of core Electrical Engineering courses.
Preferred
-
Hands-on projects or internships related to grid modeling or system studies.
-
Programming experience (e.g., Python, MATLAB, or C++).
-
Completion of Power Systems Analysis coursework.
Education
Required
-
Some college or better in Electrical Engineering
Skills
Preferred
-
C++
-
MATLAB
-
Python
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.