Innovation Project Associate College Internship – Analytics and Innovation - Denver International Airport (1 year)

City and County of Denver•Denver, CO

11d•$21 - $24•Hybrid

About The Position

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 hourly 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 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 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 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 Analytics and Innovation Department is actively seeking an Innovation Project Associate DENtern to contribute to their division. As part of DEN's Strategic Plan, Vision 100, which envisions reaching 100 million annual passengers, Analytics and Innovation plays a pivotal role in transforming the aviation industry. The Innovation Team drives forward-thinking projects and pilots that enhance the passenger experience and operational efficiency across the airport. We explore emerging technologies, develop proof-of-concept initiatives, and collaborate with internal stakeholders to identify and implement solutions that improve processes under the Operations umbrella, including Maintenance, Technical Operations, Asset Management, and Parking. Our work ensures DEN remains at the forefront of airport innovation by testing, validating, and scaling ideas that deliver measurable value. As a DENtern you will get to experience working alongside Analytics and Innovation including projects such as, but not limited to: Project #1: Innovation Pilot Project Management Manage end-to-end coordination of small-scale pilot projects, including planning, execution, reporting, and recommendations for next steps Assist with contracting and vendor coordination for upcoming innovation projects and pilots. Project #2: Dashboard Development & Insights Reporting Create dashboards and data visual summaries that support pilot evaluation and internal decision‑making. Project #3: Passenger Experience & Accessibility Initiatives Support cross-department collaboration to improve accessibility and enhance customer experience across airport operations. 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.

Requirements

A strong interest in emerging aviation technologies and how innovation shapes the future of passenger experience and airport operations.
Curiosity about real‑world experimentation, especially how pilot projects are designed, tested, and evaluated before being adopted at scale.
A systems‑thinking mindset, interested in understanding how processes, data, and technology interact across a complex airport environment.
Experience or interest in working with SQL databases and queries, and a desire to apply or deepen that knowledge in real-world projects
An enthusiasm for stakeholder engagement, especially working with technical teams, vendors, and operational partners to move projects forward.
A desire to explore the intersection of analytics and innovation, including how insights inform strategic decision‑making and proof‑of‑concept design.
An interest in project lifecycle learning, including scoping, planning, documentation, evaluation, and presenting findings to leadership.
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.
1–2-page resume
Transcripts – either official or unofficial; dated within your current academic term.

Nice To Haves

Creativity: Generating innovative ideas and solutions
Initiative: Proactively identifying tasks and opportunities
Critical Thinking: Looking at information from different angles, asking questions, and using evidence to make clear, well-supported ideas and recommendations
Multitasking: Handling multiple tasks simultaneously without losing quality
Teamwork: Ability to collaborate effectively with others

Responsibilities

Manage end-to-end coordination of small-scale pilot projects, including planning, execution, reporting, and recommendations for next steps
Assist with contracting and vendor coordination for upcoming innovation projects and pilots.
Create dashboards and data visual summaries that support pilot evaluation and internal decision‑making.
Support cross-department collaboration to improve accessibility and enhance customer experience across airport operations.
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.
Present insights to DEN’s executive leadership to help shape strategic innovation and prepare the airport for the future.