Careers

Join our ISO team

The ISO manages the flow of electricity across the high-voltage, long-distance power lines that make up 80 percent of California’s and a small part of Nevada’s grid. It maintains reliability of one of the largest and most modern grids in the world, and operates a transparent, accessible wholesale energy market while increasing the amount of renewable energy to usher in the clean, green grid of the future.

Join some of the industry's most talented and accomplished individuals and take on new and exciting challenges. We offer competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits, and for eligible positions, benefits such as relocation assistance and hybrid or fully remote work schedules may be available.

Learn more about the California ISO.

Benefits of working at the California ISO

Our compensation and benefits package is one of the best in the industry. In addition to our competitive salaries, we offer a robust short-term incentive program (annual bonuses), 401k matching program, an annual retirement contribution and much more.

Giving you the tools to balance your needs at home and at work is very important to us. The California ISO is proud to offer a flexible work policy to its employees, allowing employees in eligible positions to work in a hybrid or fully remote capacity depending on the position. The option of flexible work empowers employees to do their best work, fosters individual and collective wellbeing, maintains business continuity in the case of disruptive events, and supports a diverse and inclusive work environment.

Our Folsom Campus is a state-of-the art LEED Platinum building, which includes a fitness center, a healthy café, access to nearby trails, a mom's room with lactation facilities, volleyball, basketball and bocce ball courts, and a running trail with action stations throughout. We also provide yoga classes and access to an on-site fitness trainer.  To meet the wellness needs of all of our employees, including remote staff, we offer a wellness spending account that allows for a personalized experience.

In addition to paid holidays and annual vacation accruals, we offer numerous benefits at little to no cost to employees

• 9/8/80 schedule for eligible positions
• Home office equipment
• 401(k) with a company match and an additional retirement contribution
• Medical, dental and vision plans 
• Life insurance (including dependent policies)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Family planning assistance
• First time home buyer assistance
• Annual time off to volunteer
• Wellness programs and employee assistance program
• Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• short- and long-term disability coverage
• Business travel insurance
• Retirement planning, tools & assistance
• Pet insurance

Career development

In our industry, change is a constant. That's why the ISO places a premium on developing our employees and keeping them at the forefront of the latest technology and innovation. Our integrated approach to career development is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of our employees, as well as to strengthen their leadership and managerial abilities. At the ISO, you'll have the opportunity to take ownership of your career and take advantage of our internal programs to help you achieve your goals.

• Tuition Reimbursement - Up to $5,250 per year for career-related courses in pursuit of a degree or certificate program
• Performance Planning Program - Each year you will define high performance and career development goals with your manager. Check-ins and reviews will be a way to get feedback
• Corporate rotation programs, leadership development plans and the dual technical and management career paths
• Opportunities to expand your breadth of skills and knowledge through exploring internal postings, job shadowing programs, and interim assignments
• Operations Simulator - In our state-of-the-art simulator, engineers and operators participate in on-going simulations where they learn to master new tools and analyze in real time, scenarios on the intricacies of an advanced grid with renewable resources and complex markets

Diversity, equity and inclusion

The ISO’s most valuable asset is our employees. The collective sum of our individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, self-expression, unique capabilities and talents enable us to foster, cultivate, and preserve a culture of diversity and inclusion.

In a diverse workplace, we appreciate that each individual is unique and that the contributions of a diverse workforce advance our collective capabilities and organizational results. We acknowledge that diversity includes factors such as: race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, education, age, marital status, veteran status, sexual identity and orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, religion, spiritual beliefs, capabilities (physical/mental) and life experiences.

Our work environment is built on the premise of diversity equity that encourages and enforces:

• Respectful communication and cooperation between all employees.
• Teamwork and employee participation, permitting the representation of all groups and employee perspectives.
• Work/life balance through flexible work schedules to accommodate employees’ varying needs.

All employees of the ISO have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect at all times. All employees are expected to exhibit conduct that reflects inclusion during work, at work functions on or off the work site, and at all other company-sponsored and participative events.

At the California ISO, we firmly believe that DEI – diversity, equity, and inclusion is not just an ideal. DEI is a fundamental pillar essential to our mission of operating the world’s most reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable power system. Embracing diversity means welcoming a wide spectrum of perspectives, experiences, and skills to the table, fostering a rich environment for superior decision-making, innovation, and problem-solving. Equity ensures that everyone, irrespective of their background or identity, has an equal opportunity to flourish. An inclusive culture is one where every individual feels safe, respected, and empowered to be their authentic selves, unlocking their full potential.

Our unwavering commitment to enhancing DEI within our company includes the following key initiatives:

1. Expanding Representation: We are dedicated to increasing diversity across our organization by actively recruiting, hiring, and promoting individuals from diverse backgrounds and identities. This includes women, people of color, and individuals with disabilities, Veterans, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other people of diverse backgrounds, cultures and lifestyles etc.

2. Eliminating Barriers: We are determined to level the playing field by dismantling obstacles that impede success, such as unconscious bias and discrimination. To achieve this, we will rigorously review and refine our internal processes, and provide resources and training to our staff to reduce bias.

3. Advancing Energy Equity and Environmental Justice (EJ): Our commitment extends to supporting underserved communities access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy solutions. We will seek out opportunities to drive energy equity initiatives that are consistent with our mission and empower energy equity champions within our organization.

4. Celebrate Diversity and Encourage Constructive Conflict: We are dedicated to empowering all employees from diverse backgrounds and lifestyles to not merely coexist within our organization but to thrive. This involves reducing fear of differences and conflict and deliberately practicing our cultural values of humility and integrity in our interactions. We will acknowledge and celebrate important cultural and diversity-related milestones.

We firmly believe that DEI is not just a moral imperative; it is a strategic imperative. A diverse, equitable, and inclusive company is better equipped to thrive and excel. Our goal is that we ALL approach our work with a lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

University programs

Our university programs allow us to attract and retain the talent needed to advance the ISO to new levels of excellence.

We have targeted campuses throughout the country that are turning out the next generation of thought leaders in power engineering, economics, information technology, and other disciplines key to our business. We also offer summer internships, co-ops, and internships during the school year (on a limited basis).

Summer internship program

Why Intern at California ISO?

• You will get "real world" experience to begin or further your career pursuits in the energy industry. 
• Workshops on industry topics like Smart Grids, Renewable Integration, Market Monitoring, and more
• Participate in ISO employee events
• Meet and interact with California ISO Leaders
• Internship participants increase their prospects for full-time positions upon graduation
• Check Current Jobs for posted internship opportunities

Eligibility: We look for college juniors, seniors, and graduate students with a minimum of one more semester to finish their degree after the summer internship.

Compensation: You will be paid a competitive wage for hours worked. Compensation rates vary by field and academic level.

Location:  You will work in an extremely collaborative environment, whether that is a remote opportunity or onsite at our LEED certified campus in Folsom, California. But many of our internship positions offer full remote or hybrid work assignments.

Typical Assignments: You will be assigned to a manager who is responsible for overseeing your assignments and coaching you along the way. You will be given a project where you can make an impact and stretch yourself. Summer interns usually work 10 to 12 weeks.

Greening the grid