2026 City & Regional Planning - Local Government Summer Intern
About The Position
The MORPC Local Government Summer Internship Program provides the opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to obtain practical work experience with a local government within MORPC’s 15-county region to prepare them for possible careers in public service. MORPC coordinates the recruitment and placement of students to match each host’s request; hosts make the final hiring decision and provide an hourly wage. Interns work for a host for a minimum of 16 hours to a maximum of 40 hours per week for a 10 to 14-week period, which means there are both part-time and full-time positions available. The summer 2026 internship program will begin on May 12th and will end on August 14th. Interns gain applicable knowledge to enhance classroom learning by working with current government professionals throughout Central Ohio and acquire insights into the services provided by a regional planning commission. Interns also can attend monthly commission meetings as well as special MORPC-sponsored events and are paired with a MORPC staff member to serve as their mentor during the summer internship program. Previous City & Regional Planning interns have gained experience using ArcGIS, ArcGIS StoryMaps, WordPress, Canva, Regrid, Streetmix, Diligent, Adobe Suite, Microsoft 365, and other software programs on the job. Specific past assignments include: Creating a feedback workshop to address future development in commercial and residential areas involving land use Completing a citywide property inventory of over 2,700 parcels, which required the creation of a property survey and grading system Updating GIS maps and ordinance maps with current property zones Conducting a housing study to determine if the façade quality in a downtown area warranted funding from a HUD grant program Aiding in fieldwork duties, including setting out and retrieving pedestrian/traffic counters/cameras across key points in a region Assisting in the development of Active Transportation Plans by designing document layout, creating graphs from Excel data, photographing existing conditions and key landmarks, etc. Conducting research on Type A Childcare homes and summarizing findings for future use when updating zoning codes Establishing zoning practices and monitoring enforcement Writing minutes for trustee and zoning commission meetings, providing clerical support, and other duties as assigned
Requirements
- 30 hours of completed college coursework
- Interest in public service careers
- Legally eligible to work in the United States
- Reliable transportation to and from work
- Attend a Central Ohio college OR attend other college and have access to local housing
Nice To Haves
- GPA 3.0 or higher (preferred)
Responsibilities
- Creating a feedback workshop to address future development in commercial and residential areas involving land use
- Completing a citywide property inventory of over 2,700 parcels, which required the creation of a property survey and grading system
- Updating GIS maps and ordinance maps with current property zones
- Conducting a housing study to determine if the façade quality in a downtown area warranted funding from a HUD grant program
- Aiding in fieldwork duties, including setting out and retrieving pedestrian/traffic counters/cameras across key points in a region
- Assisting in the development of Active Transportation Plans by designing document layout, creating graphs from Excel data, photographing existing conditions and key landmarks, etc.
- Conducting research on Type A Childcare homes and summarizing findings for future use when updating zoning codes
- Establishing zoning practices and monitoring enforcement
- Writing minutes for trustee and zoning commission meetings, providing clerical support, and other duties as assigned
Benefits
- All MORPC internships are paid opportunities!
- Pay ranges between $15 to $20 per hour depending on the host.
- Additional benefits include practical work experience, mentorship, and exposure to services offered by a regional planning commission.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Intern
Education Level
No Education Listed
Number of Employees
101-250 employees
