Environmental Investigation & Sustainability COLLEGE Intern (10 wks)

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 $20.22-22.78/hour, based on level of education. This position is eligible to enroll in the City and County of Denvers 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 10-week internship from Monday, June 1, 2026 - Friday, August 7, 2026, with typical hours not exceeding 39 hours a week. Who We Are & What Youll Do Since opening on Feb. 28, 1995, Denver International Airport (DEN) has become one of the worlds busiest airports. In 2025, 82,427,962 passengers passed through DEN, making DEN 4th busiest airport in the U.S. and the worlds 10th busiest airport. DEN is Colorados 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. DENs Sustainability Department is actively seeking an Environmental Investigation & Sustainability DENtern to contribute to their division. DEN is undergoing a period of extraordinary growth, guided by our Vision 100 program to accommodate 100 million passengers within the next 10 years. We have defined Sustainability and Resiliency as one of four guiding principles within our Vision 100 Strategic Plan, and we are striving to become the most sustainable airport in the world, while ensuring that our actions and decisions foster a healthy and resilient organization. The Sustainability team is working on large scale environmental investigation and remediation projects at DEN, providing an exciting opportunity for an intern interested in gaining experience with real-world challenges of environmental work at an active airport. DEN Sustainability also runs environmental compliance and monitoring programs at DEN. As a Sustainability DENtern you will get to experience working on projects such as, but not limited to: Project #1: Environmental Field Sampling Participate in these field sampling efforts to collect soil, surface water, and groundwater samples. Sample in areas impacted by PFAS and legacy oil and gas operations. Project #2: Sampling Data Analysis Assist the team in reviewing and analyzing data to guide future sampling and remediation decisions. Project #3: PFAS Background Research Conduct research projects into state and federal investigations of PFAS and PFAS technologies. Summarize research findings into written reports. Project #4: Climate Programs Support Greenhouse Gas Inventory Aide in DENs data collection efforts for Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions Support DENs implementation of its Net Zero Emissions Plan to achieve 2030 and 2040 greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals. Attend climate meetings and participate in strategy development Project #5: 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 DENs executive leadership to help shape strategic innovation and prepare the airport for the future. What Youll Bring Our ideal candidate has some or all the following interests, characteristics and skills: Interest in sustainability, environmental science/engineering, chemistry, or similar fields Knowledge of the fundamentals of environmental science or engineering, and an interest in site investigations and site remediation Interest in contaminant fate and transport and environmental chemistry Interest in greenhouse gas emissions and emission reduction Passion for learning about the variety of career opportunities within the aviation and environmental industries A curiosity and willingness to learn, and to embrace challenges in a complex workplace. Desired Skill Set: Communication Skills: Verbal and written communication proficiency. Self-Motivation: Demonstrating drive and enthusiasm for learning. Time Management: Efficiently managing time and meeting deadlines. Research Skills: Ability to gather and analyze data. Attention to Detail: Thoroughness in completing tasks accurately. Minimum Qualifications Education Requirement: Current enrollment in an accredited college program leading to a certificate, licensure, associates, bachelors, or higher degree, or a recent graduate (completed specified program within 1 year of completion). 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 hiring 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 Monday, February 23, 2026. Please submit your application as soon as possible and no later than February 22nd at 11:59 PM. 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 Job Profile TA3181 Professional Administration Intern To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here. Position Type Oncall Position Salary Range $20.22 - $22.85 Target Pay $20.22-22.78/hour, based on education Agency Denver International Airport Redeployment during Citywide Emergencies City and County of Denver employees may be re-deployed to work in other capacities in their own agencies or in other city agencies to support core functions of the city during a citywide emergency declared by the Mayor. 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.