About Our Job

What We Offer 

This internship is an on-call position, which means it is a part-time, hourly role. The City and County of Denver offers a competitive pay rate to commensurate with education, with the pay range for this position between $21.42-24.14/hour, based on level of education. This position is eligible to enroll in the City and County of Denver’s 457b retirement plan. This position is not eligible for other additional benefits. On-call positions may have routine or variable work schedules. 
 

Location Flexibility 

The City and County of Denver supports a hybrid workplace model with a required 3 days in office. Employees work where needed to support business at Denver International Airport (DEN). We do not offer housing or relocation assistance for this position. Employees must work within the state of Colorado. 

Internship Duration and Hours:  

This is a 1-year internship from Monday, June 1, 2026 - Friday, May 15, 2027, hours typically vary between 20-39 hours a week during the summer and 15-30 hours a week during school semesters. Hours not exceeding 39 hours a week or 1,559 hours over a year. Exact times can be flexible but are usually between 8:00AM-4:30PM. The DENtern’s work schedule will be flexible to accommodate their current academic commitments 

Who We Are & What You’ll Do 

Since opening on Feb. 28, 1995, Denver International Airport (DEN) has become one of the world’s busiest airports. In 2025, 82,427,962 passengers passed through DEN, making DEN 4th busiest airport in the U.S. and the world’s 10th busiest airport. DEN is Colorado’s primary economic engine, generating $47.2 billion in annual economic impact for the state. At DEN, we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. We celebrate individuality and strive to keep Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility (EDIA) at the center of all that we do.  

 
Through the DEN Intern (nicknamed “DENtern”) Program, students gain real world experience in aviation and workforce development while building professional skills. DENterns participate in a cohort-based model that emphasizes networking, collaboration, and professional growth, attending all scheduled professional development sessions, tours, and engaging in impactful projects across the airport.  
 
DEN’s Planning & Design Division is actively seeking an Airport GIS + Planning Intern to contribute to the Division. As part of DEN's Strategic Plan, Vision 100, which envisions reaching 100 million annual passengers, Planning & Design plays a pivotal role in transforming the aviation industry. In support of Vision 100, Planning & Design optimizes and prepares DEN for the future, ensuring that our infrastructure (Airfield/Concourses/Terminal) will be ready to meet the needs of our passengers. The Airport GIS + Planning DENtern will be an integral part of the Planning & Desing team, reporting to the Airport Planning Manager, working in concert with Airport GIS, Airside Planning, and Landside Planning.  

As a DENtern you will get to experience working on projects such as, but not limited to: 

• Project #1: Airport Layout Plan (ALP) Updates 

• Contribute to updating DEN’s ALP to show future infrastructure and adjust it to newer design standards. (ArcGIS/Civil3D/FAA Advisory Circulars) 

• Project #2: Regional Transportation Networks Development 

• Coordinate and collaborate with external and internal stakeholders to inventory and map existing and planned multimodal access to the Airport to include multi-use trails. Develop an on-property pedestrian and bicycle network within ArcGIS. 

• Project #3: Create written reports/exhibits and present them to internal stakeholders 

• Conduct analyses of gate efficiency, effectively communicate planned construction. (Autodesk Civil3D/Excel/PowerPoint). 

• Update Airfield Signage Plan in ArcGIS to current FAA standards in collaboration with Airport Operations. 

• Project #4: Aviation Megatrend Research 

• Collaborate with a team of fellow DENterns to conduct discovery research on a key aviation megatrend. This includes gathering data, interviewing industry experts, and analyzing findings. At the end of the summer, your team will present insights to DEN’s executive leadership to help shape strategic innovation and prepare the airport for the future.  

What You’ll Bring 

Our ideal candidate has some or all the following skills, characteristics, and interest:  

• A strong interest in GIS and/or Aviation Planning (Airside and/or Landside). 

• A desire to learn about the different roles and functions within the airport environment of DEN. 

• Be pursuing or having recently completed a degree in GIS, Planning, Airport/Aviation Management, or related field. 

• Basic proficiency in Autodesk Civil3D 

• Basic proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint 

• Basic proficiency in GIS software such as Esri Software Suite 

Desired Skill Set 

• Critical Thinking: Looking at information from different angles, asking questions, and using evidence to make clear, well-supported ideas and recommendations. 

• Adaptability: Can easily adjust to changing circumstances and shift priorities on short notice while balancing multiple tasks. 

• Problem-Solving: Identifying and resolving complex or unexpected issues, often with creative solutions. 

• Attention to Detail: Thoroughness in completing tasks accurately. 

• Self-Motivation: Setting clear and realistic personal goals, displaying initiative, effort, and commitment, working with minimal supervision, caring for others, and reconciling conflict. 

What You Will Take Away 

• Learn the processes of understanding transportation demand of an airport and how to respond with planning efforts 

• Have a strong understanding of collecting, reviewing, updating, and maintaining geospatial and non-spatial data that integrates into enterprise and online GIS environments 

• Develop practical skills that are essential for working in the planning sector, such as analyzing current and future needs of the airport, evaluating the feasibility and impact of various projects and coordinating with interdisciplinary groups of professionals 

• Gain experience in developing informative and professional presentations 

• Opportunity to network with contacts in the aviation industry 

• Apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations and learn how to use various tools and systems that are used in airport planning, such as studying aviation and transportation trends and formulating responses to demand based on interpreting and displaying data 

• Improve skills in communication, teamwork, leadership, decision-making, and customer service 

• On-going mentorship in GIS and Airport Planning from Planning & Design Staff 

• Gain relevant experience and credentials that can make you stand out from other candidates when applying for jobs or further education 

Minimum Qualifications 

• Education Requirement: This position is open to students currently enrolled in an accredited college program leading to a certificate, licensure, associates, bachelors, higher degree, or up to one year post college graduation 

• Experience: None   

• Education and Experience Equivalency: No substitution of experience for education is permitted.  

Mandatory documentation required to be considered for this position: 

• 1–2-page resume 

• Transcripts – either official or unofficial; dated within your current academic term. This is only used to verify amounts of credits; grades will not influence decision. 

Optional Documents 

• Cover letter detailing why you are interested in this position and 3-5 new skills, experiences, or tools you are hoping to take away from this experience.  

Application Deadline   

This position is expected to stay open until Sunday, March 29th. Please submit your application as soon as possible and no later than Sunday, March 29th, at 11:59 PM MST. 

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.  

FBI Background Check: FBI criminal background check is required for all positions at Denver International Airport (DEN). Employees are also required to report any felony convictions and/or moving violations to maintain this clearance and be eligible for continued employment. By position, a pre-employment physical/drug test may be required. 

For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish. 

About Everything Else

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To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

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The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law. 

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact Jobs@Denvergov.org with three business days’ notice.

Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.