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wind turbine intern

title: Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wind Turbine Intern
salary: $18 - $30 / hour
categories: [Engineering, Renewable Energy, Internship, Wind Energy]
description: A comprehensive overview of the key responsibilities, required technical skills and professional background for the role of a Wind Turbine Intern.
Wind Turbine Intern — hands-on internship opportunity supporting operations, maintenance,
and reliability activities for utility-scale wind turbines. Ideal for engineering students
and technician apprentices looking to develop skills in turbine troubleshooting, blade
inspection, SCADA analysis, safety-compliant field work, and predictive maintenance.
Keywords: wind turbine intern, wind energy internship, turbine maintenance, SCADA,
blade inspection, condition monitoring, renewable energy internship.

🎯 Role Definition

The Wind Turbine Intern supports our operations and maintenance (O&M) teams by assisting with on-site inspections, preventative maintenance, diagnostic troubleshooting, and data-driven reliability projects for utility-scale wind turbines. This role is designed to provide structured, safety-first, field experience and technical exposure across mechanical, electrical, and controls systems while contributing practical support to outage planning, spare parts management, and condition monitoring initiatives. The intern will work under the supervision of senior technicians and engineers, adhering to site-specific safety standards, OEM maintenance manuals, and company procedures.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Undergraduate student in Mechanical, Electrical, or Renewable Energy Engineering
  • Technical college graduate / technician apprentice (mechanical or electrical)
  • Prior internship in wind, solar, or industrial maintenance

Advancement To:

  • Wind Turbine Technician (Field Service Technician)
  • Reliability Technician / Reliability Engineer
  • Controls / SCADA Engineer
  • Field Operations Supervisor / O&M Planner

Lateral Moves:

  • Field Service Coordinator / Outage Planner
  • Asset Performance Analyst / Data Analyst (renewables)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Assist certified technicians in performing scheduled preventive and corrective maintenance on utility-scale wind turbines, including gearbox, generator, yaw and pitch systems, hydraulic systems, nacelle components, and tower inspections — documenting work and parts used per OEM guidelines and company procedures.
  • Conduct and document detailed blade inspections using rope access support, elevated platforms, or drone-assisted imaging; capture high-resolution photos, log erosion, cracks, delamination or leading edge damage, and prepare clear repair recommendations and defect reports for review.
  • Support diagnostic troubleshooting of electrical systems and controls by collecting field measurements (voltage, current, insulation resistance), validating PLC/PLC I/O status, and assisting senior staff with root-cause analysis of generator, converter, and transformer faults.
  • Participate in SCADA and remote monitoring activities by validating telemetry, investigating SCADA alarms, compiling performance anomalies, and helping to generate trend reports that inform availability and power curve corrections.
  • Operate basic condition-monitoring tools such as vibration analyzers, ultrasonic sensors, and infrared thermal cameras under supervision to detect early signs of bearing wear, misalignment, and overheating, and summarize findings for engineering review.
  • Assist with turbine commissioning, decommissioning, and functional acceptance tests by setting up test instrumentation, executing checklist items, and recording results to confirm mechanical and electrical system performance.
  • Support mechanical repairs and component replacements (bearings, seals, couplings, hydraulic actuators) under the guidance of experienced technicians, ensuring correct torque application, alignment procedures, and clear completion reports.
  • Collect, organize, and enter maintenance logs, inspection checklists, and service reports into the CMMS (e.g., SAP, IBM Maximo, UpKeep), maintaining data accuracy to support asset management and reliability analytics.
  • Help prepare and execute safe work permits, lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures, confined space entries, and fall-protection set-ups; participate in daily toolbox talks and verify that all personnel comply with site safety policies and PPE requirements.
  • Support spare parts and logistics coordination by identifying parts needs during outages, assisting with inventory reconciliation, tagging replacement components, and verifying receipt and storage conditions to reduce downtime.
  • Assist in performing basic vibration analysis and trending by preparing sample data sets, labeling events, and maintaining sample logs that support predictive maintenance programs and condition-based intervention planning.
  • Participate in outage planning and execution by assisting with materials staging, tool preparation, and documenting sequence-of-works; support post-outage debriefs by compiling lessons learned and recommended procedural updates.
  • Contribute to on-site environmental and permit compliance activities by recording wildlife and vegetation observations, maintaining erosion and spill prevention logs, and implementing mitigation steps under supervision.
  • Support reliability and continuous improvement projects by collecting field data, executing test protocols, and participating in root-cause workshops to reduce repeat failures and optimize maintenance intervals.
  • Assist with basic electrical wiring and conduit work within scope and supervision, including cable termination inspections, connector checks, and ensuring proper labeling and routing to OEM and code standards.
  • Help perform pre-deployment site surveys, including anemometer mast setup, preliminary wind-data logging, and basic GIS mapping tasks to support planning and performance modeling activities.
  • Participate in on-site customer and landowner communications when appropriate: document daily activities, prepare concise status updates, and escalate engagement items to project leads for response.
  • Support data-driven initiatives by compiling SCADA extracts, normalizing raw data for analysis, and preparing annotated spreadsheets or visual summaries used by analysts to calibrate performance models.
  • Support emergency response efforts during outages or storm events by assisting with rapid triage inspections, temporary stabilization repairs, and coordinating with logistics to mobilize parts and personnel rapidly.
  • Assist in pilot testing of new maintenance techniques, sensors, or repair materials; collect test data, maintain trial logs, and draft preliminary observations and recommendations for engineering evaluation.
  • Shadow senior technicians during complex fault repairs to learn diagnostic workflows, assist with documentation of corrective actions, and prepare step-by-step guides or checklists to support future training content.
  • Maintain an organized and clean work environment in service vehicles, tool cribs, and field trailers; ensure calibration stickers and inspection tags are up to date for tools and safety equipment.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data collection for asset performance and reliability teams, preparing data extracts and annotated notes for engineers and analysts.
  • Assist in updating and improving standard operating procedures (SOPs) and maintenance checklists based on field observations and supervised lessons learned.
  • Participate in cross-functional meetings (health & safety, environmental, engineering) and document action items and follow-ups to ensure seamless communication between field and office teams.
  • Contribute to basic CAD or schematic updates for minor wiring and mechanical detail corrections under engineering guidance.
  • Provide input to the organization's training materials by drafting stepwise field procedures and contributing photos and annotated diagrams for technical documentation.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Basic knowledge of wind turbine mechanical systems: gearboxes, generators, yaw/pitch systems, hydraulic actuators, and tower structures.
  • Familiarity with electrical systems and controls: AC/DC fundamentals, power converters, transformers, generator controls, and basic PLC/relay logic.
  • Experience or coursework in SCADA data interpretation, time-series data, and alarm investigation (ability to extract and summarize SCADA logs).
  • Hands-on familiarity with condition monitoring tools: vibration analyzers, thermographic cameras, ultrasonic testers, or equivalent diagnostic instrumentation.
  • Competence in using CMMS platforms (e.g., SAP, IBM Maximo, UpKeep) for logging work orders, inspections, and parts usage.
  • Ability to interpret technical manuals, schematics, electrical one-line diagrams, and mechanical drawings.
  • Comfortable performing or supporting rope access, bucket truck operations, and work-at-height protocols with appropriate fall-protection knowledge.
  • Basic data analysis skills in Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs), and familiarity with Python or MATLAB for simple data cleaning and visualization is a plus.
  • Drone operation for aerial inspection (under supervision or with remote pilot certification where applicable) and ability to process imagery for defect reporting.
  • Understanding of OSHA safety standards, permit-to-work systems, lockout/tagout procedures, and confined space entry requirements.
  • Basic mechanical hand-tool proficiency including torqueing, bearing installation support, and using hand-held power tools safely.
  • Experience with basic GIS or site-mapping tools and ability to assist with site survey documentation.

Soft Skills

  • Strong safety-first mindset with demonstrated ability to follow procedures, raise hazards, and contribute to a culture of incident prevention.
  • Clear and concise written communication skills for assembling inspection reports, defect logs, and technical notes.
  • Effective verbal communication and active listening skills for working in field teams and coordinating with engineers, vendors, and landowners.
  • Good attention to detail and methodical documentation habits to ensure data quality and traceability of maintenance actions.
  • Problem-solving orientation and curiosity to learn diagnostics and root-cause analysis techniques from experienced technicians.
  • Teamwork and collaboration: ability to work in small field crews, take direction, and support multiple stakeholders simultaneously.
  • Time management and organization skills for juggling site tasks, training sessions, and documentation deadlines.
  • Adaptability and resilience to work in variable field conditions (outdoor weather, heights, remote sites) and to respond during on-call events.
  • Initiative and eagerness to learn new tools, software, and technical skills in a fast-paced renewable energy environment.
  • Professionalism in customer-facing situations and attention to maintaining positive relationships with landowners and site contacts.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED plus current enrollment in a relevant post-secondary program (technical college or university).

Preferred Education:

  • Pursuing or recently completed a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Renewable Energy Engineering, Energy Systems, or a related technical discipline.
  • Relevant certifications (wind technician training module, rope access basic, drone pilot certificate, OSHA 10/30) are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering / Power Systems
  • Renewable Energy Engineering / Wind Energy Technology
  • Engineering Technology / Industrial Maintenance
  • Mechatronics / Controls Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0 to 2 years (internships, co-ops, technician apprenticeships or relevant project experience).

Preferred:

  • Prior hands-on experience in maintenance, industrial equipment servicing, or a prior internship in wind or other renewable energy operations.
  • Exposure to SCADA systems, CMMS usage, or condition monitoring projects via coursework, labs, or field assignments.
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