North Slope Operator Intern 2026

About the position

The North Slope Operator Internship program is targeting students who are currently enrolled, or graduates within last 6 months of the 2-year Process Technology degree program at the University of Alaska, Kenai Peninsula College, and University of Alaska, Fairbanks – Community & Technical College. Position Overview The ConocoPhillips Alaska (COPA) Operator Internship will be an immersion experience. For the duration of the program the intern will be assigned a mentor and a crew, and will receive training, experience and shift work responsibilities primarily in one geographical operating area, as would any new employee. The mentor will act as the point of contact for the intern, but the intern will be expected to work throughout the plant and drill sites with the crew. The intern will be expected to actively engage in a variety of safety programs and processes, and to advance rapidly as a Safety Leader. The intern will also get a general exposure to the main areas of field operations and maintenance. As they progress through the internship, they will be expected to be an active member of the operations and maintenance teams that they work with, proactively participating in conversations and asking questions that develop their personal learning, while respecting the professionalism of the operating team. Assignments will be located at the Kuparuk & Alpine oil fields on the North Slope of Alaska during the 2026 summer season with target start date of late May 2026. The work schedule will be a two-weeks on and two-weeks off rotation, through the summer months. Typically, students are able to complete five of these two week tours each summer.

Responsibilities

  • Learning about health, safety and environmental hazards
  • Practicing emergency preparedness
  • Responding to and report incidents and near-misses
  • Attend daily tailgate meetings
  • Making rounds and take readings
  • Monitoring normal operation conditions
  • Assisting Operators to troubleshoot as problems arise
  • Witnessing the control of work permit system
  • Assisting Operators in applying energy isolations

Requirements

  • Legally authorized to work in the United States
  • Current/valid driver’s license
  • Currently enrolled or graduate within last 6 months of the 2-year Process Technology degree program with the University of Alaska system
  • Completion of at least 4 Process Technology specific courses provided by the University of Alaska system
  • Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher
  • Willing and able to work in a remotely-based environment working a 14-days on 14-days off schedule
  • Willing and able to work in physical exposures that include severe arctic weather, moderate loads and climbing stairs/ladders
  • Willing and able to comply with all aspects of a respiratory protection policy

Nice-to-haves

  • Visible safety leadership
  • Demonstrated proficiency in both written and verbal communication, with a proven capability to excel within diverse team settings.
  • Generates effective solutions based on available information and makes timely decisions
  • Actively communicates and takes time to safely perform work to protect our people and environment
  • Transmits information so it is received and understood in the way it was intended
  • Consistently demonstrates high integrity, behaves ethically, and follows through on commitments
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