Internship Program Overview:

The City of Independence is launching its inaugural Undergraduate Internship program for the Summer of 2026. The 2026 program will have opportunities available in different departments within the City's government. Interns will be actively engaged with duties related to their respective field of study and be given invaluable experience to assist them in their future career paths.

Summer Internship opportunities are available to active undergraduate level students only. To be eligible for a summer internship, students must be actively enrolled at the undergraduate level as either a Junior or Senior in the Fall of 2026 semester, be graduating no earlier than December 2026 and have a cumulative GPA no lower than a 3.0. This internship is fully located in the office, and no remote work will be offered or considered. Depending on the department, there may be some supervised fieldwork in accordance with an internship.

The 2026 Summer Internship will commence on Monday, June 1, 2026, and end on Thursday, July 30, 2026.

The 2026 Summer Internship will be Monday – Thursdays, with Fridays as a standard off-day. There may be schedule flexibility depending on the scheduled days of the week pursuant to the department's projects and other assignments, however Interns will work four days per week.

Selected Interns must be available for an in-person on-boarding process which will take place on the City of Independence campus on Friday, May 29, 2026. More information about this event will be distributed to selected candidates at the appropriate time.

Position Summary:

The City of Independence's Engineering Department is seeking a summer intern to work closely with civil engineering staff to perform basic engineering and technical administrative support functions and benefit from direct experience, technical training and mentoring with professional and experienced staff.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist the Engineering staff to prepare plans, specs and cost estimates as directed,
• Assist with planning preparation of general construction plans for city infrastructure projects,
• Create maps and exhibits, as directed, to support the initiatives of the Department,
• Work with inspection field crews to oversee the work of City Contractors and vendors in connection with various City Maintenance Contracts,
• Assist the City Engineer to review various permit requests. This includes utility, residential, and commercial permit requests for projects involving grading, utility, and site development projects,
• Assist in the documentation and record keeping of City infrastructure projects,
• Assist in responding to residential inquiries and/or complaints,
• Assist in the review of shop drawings submitted by contractors for infrastructure projects,
• Attend meetings and perform other duties as assigned.

Necessary Competencies:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills,
• Customer service focus,
• Solves problems independently with direction commensurate with the task,
• Strong attention to detail,
• Works effectively with a team environment.

Requirements:

Experience:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Tools including Word, Excel and Outlook is required.
• Entry level experience with AutoCAD, GIS Programs, Adobe Acrobat Pro and other mapping applications is preferred.
• Relevant work experience in the field of the Internship is preferred.

Education:

• Actively enrolled at an accredited institution at the Undergraduate level as either a Junior or Senior in the Fall of 2026 semester and graduating no earlier than December 2026.
• Enrolled in coursework which is relevant to the Internship opportunity to which they are applying. Applicable majors include Civil Engineering, Construction Management, etc.
• A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and have an average of B or above in the relevant field of study.

Additional Requirements:

• Valid State of Ohio Driver's License is not required. Interns are prohibited from driving City of Independence owned vehicles, or operating City of Independence equipment of any kind.
• While Interns are not required to have a State of Ohio Driver's License, they are required to ensure that they arrive for their scheduled work hours on-time and will be subject to standard time and attendance policies and procedures.

Physical Demands:

• Interns must be able to see, speak, and hear clearly.
• Interns will be required to stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel, reach with hands and arms.
• Interns will be required to lift up to twenty-five (25) pounds when necessary.
• This internship will combine both office/sedentary work as well as supervised fieldwork.
• Interns must be capable of working in both an indoor and outdoor environment under standard Ohio weather conditions.

Salary Information:

• The minimum pay for 2026 Summer Interns is $16.00/per hour for a maximum of (32) hours per week.

Americans with Disabilities Act:

• The City of Independence is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The City of Independence is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. This position is an "at will" position, and the successful candidate serves at the pleasure of the City of Independence, Ohio leadership.

https://www.independenceohio.org/departments/engineering/index.php