Posted:
2/11/2026, 5:04:53 PM
Location(s):
Denver, Colorado, United States ⋅ Colorado, United States
Experience Level(s):
Internship
Field(s):
Operations & Logistics
Workplace Type:
Hybrid
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. 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 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
About DEN
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.
The Design, Engineering, and Construction (DEC) division is actively seeking a Tactical Planning and Operational Readiness, Activation, and Transition (ORAT) DENtern to contribute to their division. As part of DEN's Strategic Plan, Vision 100, which envisions reaching 100 million annual passengers, DEC plays a pivotal role in transforming the aviation industry.
The ORAT section serves a critical role in the future of DEN, serving as a liaison between the project team and other divisions to ensure the operational needs of a project are met on day one. This ensures seamless transition from construction to function after a project is completed. The Tactical Planning team, part of the ORAT program at DEN, identifies efficiencies with project sequencing/overlap, detects potential conflicts early, and works to reduce overall construction impacts. As the ORAT program is fairly new to DEN, this internship offers a chance to shape its development and improve processes.
As a DENtern you will get to experience working alongside ORAT and Tactical Planning on projects such as, but not limited to:
Project #1: Stakeholder Engagement for ORAT and Tactical Planning
Helping create preconstruction and readiness checklists for upcoming projects.
Joining site walks before and after construction to observe and document any issues.
Participating in coordination meetings to understand how teams keep designs consistent, aligned with multiple projects and minimize passenger impacts.
Assisting facilitate and document project updates in stakeholder meetings
Project #2: Construction Route Exhibit Updates
Gathering information about construction routes and sites
Updating visual exhibits for easy distribution to stakeholders.
Project #3: Operational Impact and “Go Live” Planning
Learning how construction affects airport operations by:
Assisting with discussions on potential impacts on stakeholders and the traveling public (like road closures or gate changes)
Helping document contingency plans based on stakeholder input
Summarizing how projects will affect operations once complete (e.g., staffing, budget changes, procedure updates).
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 interests, characteristics and skills:
Interest in tactical operations problem solving to address unforeseen challenges
Interest in real world learning from operations and maintenance and their role in the construction process
Interest in building positive stakeholder relationships to gather insights, manage expectations, and drive informative project decisions
Curious about connecting the pieces of a project—like a puzzle—to ensure smooth coordination and align opportunities
Desired Skill Set:
Adaptability: Easily adjusting to changing circumstances and shifting priorities on short notice while balancing multiple tasks
Attention to Detail: Thoroughness in completing tasks accurately
Communication: Verbal and written communication proficiency
Initiative: Proactively identifying tasks and opportunities
Teamwork: Ability to collaborate effectively with others
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 in, 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 hiring 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 Sunday, 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.
Job Profile
TA3182 Professional Technical InternTo view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.
Position Type
OncallPosition Salary Range
$21.42 - $24.21Target Pay
$21.42 - $24.14/ Based on educationAgency
Denver International AirportRedeployment 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 [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.
Website: https://www.denvergov.org/
Headquarter Location: Denver, Colorado, United States
Employee Count: 1001-5000
Year Founded: 1858
IPO Status: Private
Last Funding Type: Grant
Industries: Non Profit ⋅ Public Safety ⋅ Security