About Our Job

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver.

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, 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

The City and County of Denver supports a hybrid workplace model however the ramp tower is a 24/7 operation, and we expect our intern to be in person at DEN for the hours they work (those hours can be flexible across the Monday through Friday work week). Employees are expected to work where needed to support business, at the Denver International Airport. 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 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 Airport Operations is actively seeking a Ramp Tower Controller DENtern to contribute to their division. As part of DEN's Strategic Plan, Vision 100, which envisions reaching 100 million annual passengers, Airport Operations plays a pivotal role in transforming the aviation industry.

DEN’s Airport Operations team ensures the safe and efficient operation of the airport. We manage aircraft movements, gate assignments, and ramp activities while working closely with airlines, ground crews, and emergency services. Our goal is to keep everything running smoothly so passengers enjoy a safe and seamless travel experience.

As a DENtern you will get to experience working alongside the Ramp Tower team including projects such as, but not limited to:

• Project #1: Creating a daily operational summary

  • Create and distribute a daily operational summary for senior leadership by gathering data from various airport systems and compiling it into an email report.

• Project #2: Safely and efficiently issuing basic instructions to aircraft

  • Under supervision with a certified trainer, be able to issue basic pushback and taxi instructions to arriving and departing pilots.

• Project #3: Maintaining resource material currency

  • Monitor and verify the accuracy of ramp tower reference sheets and our quick reference team page, collaborating with team members, airlines, and planning to update information as needed.

• Project #4: Familiarizing yourself with the different teams that make up DEN’s Airport Operations

  • Through tours and job shadows, be able to generally explain each team in Airport Operations and how they contribute to a safe and seamless travel experience.

• 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 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 interests, characteristics and skills:

• An interest in pursuing a degree in Airport Operations, Aviation or other related field

• An interest in learning about the role the Ramp Tower plays in a pilot’s journey to/from DEN

• A characteristic of bringing curiosity and energy to a fast-paced, fun environment with creativity and enthusiasm

• A characteristic of a willingness to learn new things and embrace challenges

• A characteristic to identify potential conflicts, strategically think through solutions, and take action

Desired Skill Set

• Attention to Detail: Carefully reviewing information and processes to ensure accuracy and prevent errors.

• Adaptability: Adjusting quickly to changing situations, priorities, and operational needs.

• Teamwork: Collaborating effectively with colleagues and partners to achieve common goals.

• Time Management: Prioritizing tasks and managing deadlines in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

• Communication: Clearly and professionally conveying information to team members and stakeholders to ensure smooth operations.

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

• Licensures/Certification(s): None

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 decisions.

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 based off level of education

Agency

Denver International Airport

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 [email protected] 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.