Airport Accessibility College Intern- Culture & Strategy: Airport Access & Business Opportunity - Denver International Airport

City and County of Denver•Denver, CO

8d•$20 - $23•Hybrid

About The Position

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 per hour. 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 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. The DENtern’s work schedule will be flexible to accommodate their current academic commitments. Hours not exceeding 39 hours a week or 1,559 hours over a year. 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. DEN’s Culture & Strategy – Airport Access & Business Opportunity is actively seeking an Airport Accessibility DENtern to contribute to their division. As part of DEN's Strategic Plan, Vision 100, which envisions reaching 100 million annual passengers, Culture & Strategy plays a pivotal role in transforming the aviation industry. The Airport Access & Business Opportunity team leads accessibility and civil rights efforts across airport operations, facilities, programs, and customer experience. The team is responsible for advancing compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, while promoting inclusive design, equitable access, and meaningful engagement for travelers, employees, and partners. As DEN grows under Vision 100, Airport Access ensures that accessibility, disability inclusion, and language access are embedded into how the airport plans, builds, communicates, and serves the public. As a DENtern you will get to experience working on projects such as, but not limited to: Project #1: Accessibility & Civil Rights Training Development Review and evaluate accessibility, ADA, and Title VI–related trainings to ensure they are effective, inclusive, and usable for DEN employees and DEN partners. Support the development of a standardized training package that reflects disability rights principles, compliance requirements, and lived experience perspectives. Assess trainings for clarity, accessibility, relevance, and applicability across diverse audiences. Project #2: Wayfinding & Accessible Navigation Research Evaluate current wayfinding practices through an accessibility lens, considering users with disabilities, limited English proficiency, neurodivergence, and varied mobility or sensory needs. Identify barriers and opportunities related to signage, navigation tools, and information access. Research emerging and best-practice wayfinding solutions that support independent navigation and universal design. Project #3: Accessibility-Based Wayfinding Recommendations Compare potential wayfinding solutions using criteria such as accessibility, usability, equity, scalability, and compliance. Develop recommendations that align with ADA requirements, Title VI considerations, and inclusive design principles. Project #4: Accessible DEN Tour Program Development Assist in developing a structured and accessible DEN Tour framework that supports educational access while maintaining operational safety Incorporate accessibility considerations such as mobility access, sensory impacts, communication needs, and inclusive participation. Help define criteria, roles, and processes to ensure tours are consistent, equitable, and sustainable. Project #5: SOP Development (Accessibility-Focused) Draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for: Training vetting and evaluation Wayfinding review and research processes Accessible tour planning and delivery Ensure SOPs reflect ADA and Title VI requirements and are clear, practical, and repeatable. Project #6: 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 is motivated by equity, civil rights, and accessibility and demonstrates:

Requirements

Strong interest in disability rights, accessibility, ADA, Title VI, or social equity
Ability to think critically about systems, policies, and user experience
Initiative, ambition, and willingness to take ownership of projects
Accountability and follow-through on commitments
Comfort navigating ambiguity and proposing solutions
Respect for lived experience and diverse perspectives
Education Requirement: This position is open to students currently enrolled in an accredited college program leading to a certificate, associate’s, bachelor’s, or higher degree (or up to one-year post-graduation) in areas such as disability studies, public policy, social work, planning, human-centered design, public administration, education, law, or related fields.
Experience: 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.

Nice To Haves

Communication Skills: Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in both written and verbal formats, including drafting SOPs, summaries, and training materials related to accessibility, ADA, and Title VI.
Cultural Competence: Demonstrates awareness, respect, and sensitivity to diverse cultures, identities, abilities, and lived experiences. Understands the importance of equitable access, language access, and inclusive practices when supporting travelers, employees, and partners.
Attention to Detail: Strong attention to detail when reviewing trainings, wayfinding materials, documentation, and SOPs to ensure accuracy, consistency, accessibility, and compliance with ADA and Title VI standards.
Interpersonal Skills: Ability to work collaboratively with internal DEN teams, external partners, and community stakeholders. Approaches interactions with professionalism, empathy, and respect, particularly when discussing accessibility needs and barriers.
Organization Skills: Demonstrates strong organizational and time-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects, track progress, meet deadlines, and maintain well-documented processes in a structured and efficient manner.

Responsibilities

Review and evaluate accessibility, ADA, and Title VI–related trainings to ensure they are effective, inclusive, and usable for DEN employees and DEN partners.
Support the development of a standardized training package that reflects disability rights principles, compliance requirements, and lived experience perspectives.
Assess trainings for clarity, accessibility, relevance, and applicability across diverse audiences.
Evaluate current wayfinding practices through an accessibility lens, considering users with disabilities, limited English proficiency, neurodivergence, and varied mobility or sensory needs.
Identify barriers and opportunities related to signage, navigation tools, and information access.
Research emerging and best-practice wayfinding solutions that support independent navigation and universal design.
Compare potential wayfinding solutions using criteria such as accessibility, usability, equity, scalability, and compliance.
Develop recommendations that align with ADA requirements, Title VI considerations, and inclusive design principles.
Assist in developing a structured and accessible DEN Tour framework that supports educational access while maintaining operational safety
Incorporate accessibility considerations such as mobility access, sensory impacts, communication needs, and inclusive participation.
Help define criteria, roles, and processes to ensure tours are consistent, equitable, and sustainable.
Draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for: Training vetting and evaluation Wayfinding review and research processes Accessible tour planning and delivery Ensure SOPs reflect ADA and Title VI requirements and are clear, practical, and repeatable.
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.