San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Summer 2026 Student Design Trainee Pro
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco, California, United States, 94199
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Summer 2026 Student Design Trainee Program
Join to apply for the
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Summer 2026 Student Design Trainee Program
role at
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
About San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is seeking student interns interested in various engineering and architecture disciplines, to provide support to in-house Engineering, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Project Management, Construction Management, and Land Surveying.
Application Opening: 12/12/2025
Application Filing Deadline: 01/15/2026
Hourly Rate: $36.6500 to $41.2375
Recruitment ID: TEX-5380-EXEMPT
Instructions To Apply
Complete the Student Design Trainee application AND
Attach proof of college transcripts (official or unofficial) or college diploma with your online application.
You may use the ‘upload resume’ feature at the top of the application page to pre-fill your application. Please review the content as not all information may transfer properly. The ‘upload resume’ feature will also automatically attach your resume to the application.
Only individuals who submit a completed job application and attach their college transcripts or college diploma will be considered.
APPOINTMENT TYPE Temporary Exempt: This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer.
WHO ARE WE? San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) headquartered in San Francisco, we have 2,300 employees operating across eight counties serving more than 2.7 million customers in the San Francisco Bay Area – 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
Our Mission To provide our customers with high quality, efficient, and reliable water, power, and wastewater services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care.
Our Vision We are an innovative utility leader, recognized for excellent results in service, safety, stewardship, and inclusiveness.
We are an award‑winning and industry‑leading utilities organization committed to our customers, community interests, and the environment. To learn more about our organization, please visit our website at https://www.sfpuc.org/ .
We are proud of our infrastructure and programs, but most importantly, we value our highly qualified and dedicated workforce which ensures that this vision becomes a reality.
To learn more about working at the SFPUC, visit our career site at https://www.sfpuc.org/about-us/careers-sfpuc .
Role Description College students in Associate, Undergraduate, and Graduate Degree Programs studying the following are encouraged to apply:
Architecture
Engineering (Civil, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical)
Landscape Architecture
Planning
Computer Science/Information Services Program
Mathematics
Biology
Natural Resources
Electronics
Interns will gain on‑job experience under the guidance of experienced professional engineers, architects, and surveyors while participating in various activities in the assigned discipline. The duration of this internship can be 3–6 months, with an opportunity to extend based on exemplary performance and necessity.
Intern Positions Intern positions are available in the following divisions and sections:
Infrastructure Division The Infrastructure Division is responsible for overseeing the administration, planning, design, and construction of our water, wastewater, and power capital programs and projects, including the Water System Improvement Program (WSIP), the Sewer System Improvement Program (SSIP), the Hetch Hetchy Improvement Program (HCIP), and the annual Water and Wastewater Renewal and Replacement (R&R) Programs.
Under Infrastructure Division We Have These Sections
Engineering Management Bureau
Construction Management Bureau
Project Management Bureau
Project Controls
Environmental Management Group
San Francisco Water Division The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s (SFPUC) SFWD is responsible for directing approximately 322 employees in the operation and maintenance of the water distribution system within the City and County of San Francisco. These activities include, but are not limited to: operating and maintaining 28 pump stations, 11 reservoirs, 13 storage tanks, 19 regulators as well as other ancillary appurtenances and equipment; installing, repairing and maintaining over one thousand miles of water distribution mains including service connections and meters; four water systems comprised of the Potable, Emergency Fire Water System (EFWS), Recycled and Groundwater; engineering and designing new main and feeder extensions; managing over 1,000 acres of city owned property and rights‑of‑ways; and responding to all two‑alarm or greater fires to assist the Fire Department in maintaining adequate water volume and consistent pressure while fighting fires.
Wastewater Enterprise The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Consists Of Three Enterprises – Water, Power, And Wastewater. Wastewater Enterprise Operates And Maintains San Francisco's Combined Sewer System To Protect Public Health And The Environment. These Services Extend Across Eight Urban Watersheds, More Than 1,000 Miles Of Pipe, And 24 Miles Of Transport And Storage Facilities. WWE Operates Three All‑weather Wastewater Treatment Plants, One Wet‑weather Facility, 32 Pump Stations, Eight Transport/storage Facilities, And 34 Combined Sewer Discharge Structures To Treat An Estimated 34.6 Billion Gallons Of Wastewater In a Typical Year. We Have Opportunities In The Following Wastewater Divisions
Wastewater Enterprise Engineering
Wastewater Enterprise Regulatory Compliance Division
Wastewater Enterprise Collection System Division (CSD)
Wastewater Enterprise Urban Watershed Planning Division (UWPD)
Wastewater Enterprise Capital Planning
Natural Resources and Lands Management Division (NRLM) The Natural Resources and Lands Management (NRLM) Division is responsible for the management of over 61,000 acres of local watershed lands and 150‑miles of rights‑of‑way and for the environmental regulatory compliance of operations and maintenance activities across the entire Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System in seven California counties. In addition, NRLM monitors San Francisco’s shoreline and coastal environments to ensure that effluents from the SFPUC’s wastewater systems meet state and federal standards and do not impact the environment or public health.
NRLM Division projects involve managing, protecting, restoring, and monitoring ecological resources, protecting and monitoring cultural resources, implementing environmental compliance and educating the public about the drinking water system and the natural resources that support it. Shoreline and coastal marine projects include participating in the collection and preparation of marine samples, introduction to the practice of benthic invertebrate taxonomy, as well as aquatic bioassay (whole effluent toxicity testing), and shoreline monitoring. All of these projects may involve remote field work, field sampling, laboratory work, data management, and/or office work.
Selected candidates will work with SFPUC staff on drinking water system, watershed, and/or shoreline projects in various locations such as San Francisco, Millbrae, Sunol and/or Moccasin, CA.
Power Enterprise Distribution Engineering Under general supervision, the Student Design Trainee I under the Distribution Engineering group of the SFPUC Power Enterprise mainly works on DAS and streetlight projects. The Student Design Trainee I will assist in the preparation of electrical engineering designs and plans by use of AutoCAD, Agi32, and SKM. This position will also help DE’s utility specialist administer the DAS program, and coordinate pole use applications. Finally, this position will be called upon to perform sites visits when needed. The essential functions of the Student Design Trainee I may vary depending on assignments.
Project Description: Distribution Engineering Support Position will initially be tasked with receiving and reviewing both Streetlights and DAS applications from private developers and telecommunication carriers. Log the application in the database, and flag for review. Review provided project drawings and confirm it meets PUC standards. Return comments to the carriers/developers and close out the file in the database. Site visits with field staff may be required and the trainee is expected to document field findings and create engineering documents via CAD. Position would also be tasked with manipulating large datasets.
Power Enterprise Asset Management Under general supervision, the Student Design Trainee I under the Asset Management Group of the SFPUC Power Enterprise mainly assists in the management of as built documents for streetlighting and electrical distribution systems. The essential functions of the Student Design Trainee I may vary depending on assignments.
Project Description: Asset Management Support Position will initially be tasked to receive as built documents and file them within the Asset Management database; input of using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and AutoCAD. Assist Asset Management staff with 311 ticket requests and USAN 811 ticket processing. Monitors and responds to department email inquiries for DPW Coordinate app system to address Notice of Intent (NOI) requests. Conduct routine field visits related to street lighting and electrical distribution plan, layouts and details.
Projected Interview Schedule
Invitations to interview will be sent tentatively mid‑March 2026.
Interviews will be conducted tentatively on April 8, 2026.
Selected candidates will be notified on the same day as the interview. Please click here: Same Day Hiring , for more information about the interview process.
Hiring Managers may also schedule interviews at a later date.
How To Qualify At the time of filing, the applicant must be in an accredited Engineering, Architecture, Planning, Computer Science/Information Services Program, Mathematics, Biology, Natural Resources, or Electronics at a university or a related field at a community college. An applicant must be returning to their undergraduate program or entering/continuing a graduate program in the Fall 2026. For students that have graduated, an applicant can be appointed to begin work within 6 months after graduation.
No previous internship or work experience is required for the 5380 class.
For the 5381 class, undergraduate candidates must have at least one summer of relevant internship experience. Graduate candidates need no prior experience.
For the 5382 class, undergraduate candidates must have at least two summers of relevant internship experience; graduate candidates must have at least one summer of relevant experience.
Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.
Verification Of Education Applicants are required to submit verification of qualifying education at time of application submission. Education verification information on verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency can be found at How to Verify Education Requirements | Department of Human Resources (sfdhr.org).
Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.
All education, training, and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application. Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility or disqualification.
What Else Should I Know?
Information about the Same Day Hiring Job Fair
Information About The Hiring Process
Conviction History
Employee Benefits Overview
Equal Employment Opportunity
Disaster Service Worker
ADA Accommodation
Veterans Preference
Right to Work
Copies of Application Documents
Diversity Statement
How To Apply Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/ and begin the application process.
Select the “Apply Now” button and follow instructions on the screen
Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and updated. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses: @sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com.
Applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@smartrecruiters.com that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.
Job Analyst Information If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the job analyst, Alexeh Alfajora at AAlfajora@sfwater.org .
Equal Employment Opportunity The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
Seniority level
Internship
Employment type
Part‑time
Job function
Management and Manufacturing
Utilities
Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at San Francisco Public Utilities Commission by 2x
Get notified about new Utilities Specialist jobs in
San Francisco, CA .
San Francisco, CA $50,000.00‑$75,000.00
San Francisco, CA $24.00‑$30.00
Part Time Administrative Jobs with the City of Alameda San Francisco, CA $116,100.00‑$161,300.00
Oakland, CA $93,000.00‑$139,000.00
San Francisco, CA $70,000.00‑$90,000.00
San Francisco, CA $150,000.00‑$180,000.00
San Francisco, CA $32.00‑$60.00
Redwood City, CA $56.73‑$78.27
New York City Metropolitan Area 3 days ago
San Francisco, CA $75,000.00‑$120,000.00
Novato, CA $105,000.00‑$125,000.00
San Francisco, CA $25.00‑$27.00
Redwood City, CA $70,000.00‑$90,000.00
San Francisco, CA $64,636.00‑$78,572.00
San Francisco, CA $98,000.00‑$124,000.00
We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.
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San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Summer 2026 Student Design Trainee Program
role at
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
About San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is seeking student interns interested in various engineering and architecture disciplines, to provide support to in-house Engineering, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Project Management, Construction Management, and Land Surveying.
Application Opening: 12/12/2025
Application Filing Deadline: 01/15/2026
Hourly Rate: $36.6500 to $41.2375
Recruitment ID: TEX-5380-EXEMPT
Instructions To Apply
Complete the Student Design Trainee application AND
Attach proof of college transcripts (official or unofficial) or college diploma with your online application.
You may use the ‘upload resume’ feature at the top of the application page to pre-fill your application. Please review the content as not all information may transfer properly. The ‘upload resume’ feature will also automatically attach your resume to the application.
Only individuals who submit a completed job application and attach their college transcripts or college diploma will be considered.
APPOINTMENT TYPE Temporary Exempt: This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer.
WHO ARE WE? San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) headquartered in San Francisco, we have 2,300 employees operating across eight counties serving more than 2.7 million customers in the San Francisco Bay Area – 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
Our Mission To provide our customers with high quality, efficient, and reliable water, power, and wastewater services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care.
Our Vision We are an innovative utility leader, recognized for excellent results in service, safety, stewardship, and inclusiveness.
We are an award‑winning and industry‑leading utilities organization committed to our customers, community interests, and the environment. To learn more about our organization, please visit our website at https://www.sfpuc.org/ .
We are proud of our infrastructure and programs, but most importantly, we value our highly qualified and dedicated workforce which ensures that this vision becomes a reality.
To learn more about working at the SFPUC, visit our career site at https://www.sfpuc.org/about-us/careers-sfpuc .
Role Description College students in Associate, Undergraduate, and Graduate Degree Programs studying the following are encouraged to apply:
Architecture
Engineering (Civil, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical)
Landscape Architecture
Planning
Computer Science/Information Services Program
Mathematics
Biology
Natural Resources
Electronics
Interns will gain on‑job experience under the guidance of experienced professional engineers, architects, and surveyors while participating in various activities in the assigned discipline. The duration of this internship can be 3–6 months, with an opportunity to extend based on exemplary performance and necessity.
Intern Positions Intern positions are available in the following divisions and sections:
Infrastructure Division The Infrastructure Division is responsible for overseeing the administration, planning, design, and construction of our water, wastewater, and power capital programs and projects, including the Water System Improvement Program (WSIP), the Sewer System Improvement Program (SSIP), the Hetch Hetchy Improvement Program (HCIP), and the annual Water and Wastewater Renewal and Replacement (R&R) Programs.
Under Infrastructure Division We Have These Sections
Engineering Management Bureau
Construction Management Bureau
Project Management Bureau
Project Controls
Environmental Management Group
San Francisco Water Division The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s (SFPUC) SFWD is responsible for directing approximately 322 employees in the operation and maintenance of the water distribution system within the City and County of San Francisco. These activities include, but are not limited to: operating and maintaining 28 pump stations, 11 reservoirs, 13 storage tanks, 19 regulators as well as other ancillary appurtenances and equipment; installing, repairing and maintaining over one thousand miles of water distribution mains including service connections and meters; four water systems comprised of the Potable, Emergency Fire Water System (EFWS), Recycled and Groundwater; engineering and designing new main and feeder extensions; managing over 1,000 acres of city owned property and rights‑of‑ways; and responding to all two‑alarm or greater fires to assist the Fire Department in maintaining adequate water volume and consistent pressure while fighting fires.
Wastewater Enterprise The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) Consists Of Three Enterprises – Water, Power, And Wastewater. Wastewater Enterprise Operates And Maintains San Francisco's Combined Sewer System To Protect Public Health And The Environment. These Services Extend Across Eight Urban Watersheds, More Than 1,000 Miles Of Pipe, And 24 Miles Of Transport And Storage Facilities. WWE Operates Three All‑weather Wastewater Treatment Plants, One Wet‑weather Facility, 32 Pump Stations, Eight Transport/storage Facilities, And 34 Combined Sewer Discharge Structures To Treat An Estimated 34.6 Billion Gallons Of Wastewater In a Typical Year. We Have Opportunities In The Following Wastewater Divisions
Wastewater Enterprise Engineering
Wastewater Enterprise Regulatory Compliance Division
Wastewater Enterprise Collection System Division (CSD)
Wastewater Enterprise Urban Watershed Planning Division (UWPD)
Wastewater Enterprise Capital Planning
Natural Resources and Lands Management Division (NRLM) The Natural Resources and Lands Management (NRLM) Division is responsible for the management of over 61,000 acres of local watershed lands and 150‑miles of rights‑of‑way and for the environmental regulatory compliance of operations and maintenance activities across the entire Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System in seven California counties. In addition, NRLM monitors San Francisco’s shoreline and coastal environments to ensure that effluents from the SFPUC’s wastewater systems meet state and federal standards and do not impact the environment or public health.
NRLM Division projects involve managing, protecting, restoring, and monitoring ecological resources, protecting and monitoring cultural resources, implementing environmental compliance and educating the public about the drinking water system and the natural resources that support it. Shoreline and coastal marine projects include participating in the collection and preparation of marine samples, introduction to the practice of benthic invertebrate taxonomy, as well as aquatic bioassay (whole effluent toxicity testing), and shoreline monitoring. All of these projects may involve remote field work, field sampling, laboratory work, data management, and/or office work.
Selected candidates will work with SFPUC staff on drinking water system, watershed, and/or shoreline projects in various locations such as San Francisco, Millbrae, Sunol and/or Moccasin, CA.
Power Enterprise Distribution Engineering Under general supervision, the Student Design Trainee I under the Distribution Engineering group of the SFPUC Power Enterprise mainly works on DAS and streetlight projects. The Student Design Trainee I will assist in the preparation of electrical engineering designs and plans by use of AutoCAD, Agi32, and SKM. This position will also help DE’s utility specialist administer the DAS program, and coordinate pole use applications. Finally, this position will be called upon to perform sites visits when needed. The essential functions of the Student Design Trainee I may vary depending on assignments.
Project Description: Distribution Engineering Support Position will initially be tasked with receiving and reviewing both Streetlights and DAS applications from private developers and telecommunication carriers. Log the application in the database, and flag for review. Review provided project drawings and confirm it meets PUC standards. Return comments to the carriers/developers and close out the file in the database. Site visits with field staff may be required and the trainee is expected to document field findings and create engineering documents via CAD. Position would also be tasked with manipulating large datasets.
Power Enterprise Asset Management Under general supervision, the Student Design Trainee I under the Asset Management Group of the SFPUC Power Enterprise mainly assists in the management of as built documents for streetlighting and electrical distribution systems. The essential functions of the Student Design Trainee I may vary depending on assignments.
Project Description: Asset Management Support Position will initially be tasked to receive as built documents and file them within the Asset Management database; input of using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and AutoCAD. Assist Asset Management staff with 311 ticket requests and USAN 811 ticket processing. Monitors and responds to department email inquiries for DPW Coordinate app system to address Notice of Intent (NOI) requests. Conduct routine field visits related to street lighting and electrical distribution plan, layouts and details.
Projected Interview Schedule
Invitations to interview will be sent tentatively mid‑March 2026.
Interviews will be conducted tentatively on April 8, 2026.
Selected candidates will be notified on the same day as the interview. Please click here: Same Day Hiring , for more information about the interview process.
Hiring Managers may also schedule interviews at a later date.
How To Qualify At the time of filing, the applicant must be in an accredited Engineering, Architecture, Planning, Computer Science/Information Services Program, Mathematics, Biology, Natural Resources, or Electronics at a university or a related field at a community college. An applicant must be returning to their undergraduate program or entering/continuing a graduate program in the Fall 2026. For students that have graduated, an applicant can be appointed to begin work within 6 months after graduation.
No previous internship or work experience is required for the 5380 class.
For the 5381 class, undergraduate candidates must have at least one summer of relevant internship experience. Graduate candidates need no prior experience.
For the 5382 class, undergraduate candidates must have at least two summers of relevant internship experience; graduate candidates must have at least one summer of relevant experience.
Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.
Verification Of Education Applicants are required to submit verification of qualifying education at time of application submission. Education verification information on verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency can be found at How to Verify Education Requirements | Department of Human Resources (sfdhr.org).
Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.
All education, training, and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application. Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility or disqualification.
What Else Should I Know?
Information about the Same Day Hiring Job Fair
Information About The Hiring Process
Conviction History
Employee Benefits Overview
Equal Employment Opportunity
Disaster Service Worker
ADA Accommodation
Veterans Preference
Right to Work
Copies of Application Documents
Diversity Statement
How To Apply Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/ and begin the application process.
Select the “Apply Now” button and follow instructions on the screen
Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and updated. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses: @sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com.
Applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@smartrecruiters.com that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.
Job Analyst Information If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the job analyst, Alexeh Alfajora at AAlfajora@sfwater.org .
Equal Employment Opportunity The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
Seniority level
Internship
Employment type
Part‑time
Job function
Management and Manufacturing
Utilities
Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at San Francisco Public Utilities Commission by 2x
Get notified about new Utilities Specialist jobs in
San Francisco, CA .
San Francisco, CA $50,000.00‑$75,000.00
San Francisco, CA $24.00‑$30.00
Part Time Administrative Jobs with the City of Alameda San Francisco, CA $116,100.00‑$161,300.00
Oakland, CA $93,000.00‑$139,000.00
San Francisco, CA $70,000.00‑$90,000.00
San Francisco, CA $150,000.00‑$180,000.00
San Francisco, CA $32.00‑$60.00
Redwood City, CA $56.73‑$78.27
New York City Metropolitan Area 3 days ago
San Francisco, CA $75,000.00‑$120,000.00
Novato, CA $105,000.00‑$125,000.00
San Francisco, CA $25.00‑$27.00
Redwood City, CA $70,000.00‑$90,000.00
San Francisco, CA $64,636.00‑$78,572.00
San Francisco, CA $98,000.00‑$124,000.00
We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.
#J-18808-Ljbffr