Capital & Planning Division - Student Intern Program, Summer 2027 – Open Space Planning & Project Management - Recreation & Park Dept. (5380)

City and County of San Francisco•San Francisco, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department is hiring student interns for its Capital & Planning Division in the Planning Unit and Capital Division’s Project Management team. The internship is expected to run from Summer 2027 to Summer 2028 or longer; the Project Management internship may start in Fall 2027 instead. Interns work under experienced planners, landscape architects, architects, and engineers, gaining on-the-job experience while supporting open-space planning or capital improvement projects. Planning interns support property acquisition, park improvement, natural-resource, land-use, environmental-compliance, and outreach work. Project Management interns support renovation and new-construction projects at neighborhood and citywide parks and recreation facilities. Interns are eligible to work part-time for six months after graduation or after they stop taking classes. The role is subject to budgetary constraints and is exempt from San Francisco Civil Service Rules, with employment limited to no more than 1,040 hours worked in a fiscal year. Candidates must be enrolled in an accredited university or community college in a related field when applying and must be returning to an undergraduate program or entering or continuing a graduate program in Fall 2027. The department particularly encourages graduate students in relevant disciplines to apply. Candidates should be willing to learn professional planning, architectural, and engineering practices and receive on-the-job training. The Planning Unit will hire one intern, and the Project Management team will recruit one intern. The position pays $37.95 per hour. Interns are expected to work 16–20 hours per week during the school year and may work up to 32 hours per week during school vacation periods. Interns must be able to work in person in San Francisco at least twice a week during the school year. Hybrid schedules may be approved to accommodate classes, subject to departmental discretion and average weekly hours.

Requirements

At the time of application, be enrolled in an accredited university or community college in a related field: architecture; an engineering discipline; geography; planning or urban planning; project management; landscape architecture; environmental design; sustainability; environmental studies; or public policy.
Be returning to an undergraduate program or entering or continuing a graduate program in Fall 2027. Students in their second-to-last or last semester may apply.
Be willing to learn planning, architectural, and engineering practices and to receive on-the-job training.
Be able to report to work in person in San Francisco at least twice per week during the school year.
Work 16–20 hours per week during the school year, with availability to work up to 32 hours per week during school vacation periods.
Have previous work experience and working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs such as Excel and Word.
Submit proof of current enrollment or student status, a resume, and a one-page PDF cover letter stating the internship area applied for and career goals.
Project Management applicants must also submit a portfolio highlighting relevant school or work experience.
Planning applicants should have previous experience in ArcGIS.
Project Management applicants should have previous experience with computer-aided design software such as AutoCAD, Revit, or Rhino, or other tools, and PDF programs such as Adobe Acrobat or Bluebeam Revu.

Nice To Haves

Planning candidates are preferably current graduate students in Urban Planning, Geography, or a similar graduate program, with at least one year of schoolwork remaining.
Project Management candidates are preferably current graduate students in Landscape Architecture, Architecture, or a related field such as Environmental Design or Sustainability, with at least one year of schoolwork remaining.
Strong organization and attention to detail.
Willingness to assist professional staff with plans, technical and statistical data, reports, graphs, maps, charts, and field investigations.
Ability or willingness to learn to prepare studies, calculations, designs, drawings, sketches, and plans using computer-aided design software such as AutoCAD, Revit, or Rhino.
Ability to prepare or assist with maps, charts, photographs, and other graphic presentations for planning studies.
Ability to review permit and planning applications, construction plans, and supporting documents for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with applicable codes and criteria, and to enter application data into tracking systems.
Critical thinking and a willingness to recommend improvements.
Comfort using professional judgment in applying architectural, engineering, or planning knowledge.
Self-motivation, ability to work independently, and openness to feedback.
Comfort with research and developing potential solutions or courses of action.
Previous experience with Adobe Creative Suite programs such as Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop.

Responsibilities

Planning: Conduct site reviews, research, and data analysis, and prepare reports related to property acquisition, park improvement projects, and natural resources.
Planning: Create informational and analytical maps and graphics using ArcGIS and Adobe Creative Suite.
Planning: Prepare presentations and staff reports for citizen advisory groups and the Recreation and Park Commission; assist project managers at community meetings and conduct user intercept surveys.
Planning: Analyze existing and proposed open spaces and the impacts of population growth.
Planning: Assist with environmental review documents, including California Environmental Quality Act reviews and Certificates of Appropriateness for projects affecting Recreation and Park facilities.
Planning: Evaluate shadow impact studies for Proposition K analysis and prepare recommendations for Commission consideration.
Planning: Assist with grant applications through grant writing, policy and environmental sciences research, and graphics preparation.
Planning: Monitor and update capital project schedules in Airtable and other software.
Project Management: Research historical park documents for improvement projects.
Project Management: Prepare informational and graphic materials for community outreach, grant applications, and other communications; develop site maps, plans, and visualizations using Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, and potentially computer-aided design software.
Project Management: Support community meetings by preparing and printing materials, taking notes, analyzing survey results, and preparing reports.
Project Management: Photograph site conditions at park locations and organize project photos.
Project Management: Post project notices at various locations in San Francisco.
Project Management: Support regulatory and building permitting.
Provide basic administrative support, including filing, ordering supplies, receiving mail, data entry, word processing, spreadsheet creation, and other administrative tasks as needed.