Internship: Civil Engineering/Urban Planning at Hennepin County, MN

About the Department

The Public Works Transportation Project Delivery department is seeking four non-benefit earning interns to be a part of the Design, Bridge, Construction, and Planning/Capital Programming divisions. 

Current Hennepin County employees who refer a candidate hired into an open competitive position may be eligible for a $500 referral bonus. For more information visit employee referral program.

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While these positions are designated as hybrid, based on current requirements hires must reside in or relocate to Minnesota or Wisconsin.

About these position types:
These positions are limited duration, non-benefit earning internships.
These positions are internally classified as an Intern II.
Click here to view the job classification specification.

Note: You must attach a resume with your application materials in order to be considered for these positions.  
 
The responsibilities of each position include but are not limited to the following:

Transportation Design Division: 
The proposed work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The preferred candidate will have a strong interest in transportation design. The transportation design division intern will be responsible for the following tasks:  

• Assist our design teams with CAD drawings, plan development, modeling, and engineering analysis.  
• Work with our transportation, water resource, traffic, bidding, and specifications teams on engineering tasks.  
• Complete an audit of the County’s municipal stormwater program.
• Have opportunities to learn about Public Works and Hennepin County as a whole; including field visits, on-site job shadowing, and assisting project managers at agency coordination meetings.
• Research a relevant area of interest and present to the design division at the end of the internship.

Transportation Bridge Division: 
The proposed work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The preferred candidate will have a strong interest in transportation. The transportation bridge division intern will be responsible for the following tasks:  

• Support Hennepin County's annual Bridge inspection program.  
• Update GIS database for retaining wall inventory.
• Become familiar with engineering plans and details.
• Assist with quantity take-offs, cost estimates, and calculations under the close supervision of engineers, drafters, and support staff.
• Aid in the completion of computations, technical reports, and drafting.
• Conduct research in support of engineering documents using codes, standards, and technical drawings.

Transportation Construction Division: 
The proposed work schedule is Monday through Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The preferred candidate will have a strong interest in construction and transportation. The transportation construction division intern will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Assist in construction surveying and inspection of construction activities.
• Assist in materials testing soils investigations.
• Assist in and check quantity calculations.
• Enter data for computer applications and produce necessary outputs.
• Document filed activities, summarize data, and assist in routine report preparation.
• Assist our project teams with administering construction contracts.

Transportation Planning/Capital Programming Division: 
The proposed work schedule is Monday through Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. during the summer months. The ideal candidate would be able to start in this position in January of 2026 working 10-15 hours per week. The preferred candidates will have a strong interest in transportation planning, scoping of capital projects, engineering, data collection, data analysis, safety programs and policies. This intern will split their time between the Transportation Planning and Capital Programming divisions and be responsible for the following tasks:

• Researching low-cost, high-impact safety improvements that can be utilized across the county to improve safety for all road users. 
• Conduct data analysis, create crash diagrams and contribute toward before-after-research involving transportation safety in Hennepin County.
• Assist with GIS mapping, crash data analysis, and application development for the upcoming 2026 Regional Solicitation and 2026 Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Solicitation.
• Support the 2026 Capital Project Prioritization process with work tasks such as updating guidelines, developing materials for the Technical Work Group, and preparing documents for project scoping.
• Archive project documentation for the Capital Budget preparation.

Need to have:

• Must be in one of the following:
  • Enrollment for the 2025-2026 fall academic school year in a vocational/technical or an undergraduate degree program in engineering, land surveying/highway engineering technology, civil engineering, geography, GIS, urban planning/studies or another related field.
  • Recent graduate (within 6 months) in a vocational/technical or an undergraduate degree program in engineering, land surveying/highway engineering technology, civil engineering, geography, GIS, urban planning/studies or another related field. 
• A valid driver's license and the ability to obtain a Hennepin County driver's permit.
• Reliable internet connection and self-support hybrid office space.
  

Nice to have:

• Experience troubleshooting basic computer issues.
• Knowledge of math functions such as arithmetic, algebra, and geometry.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, ArcGIS, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Creative Suite, Microstation/AutoCAD, and Synchro/SimTraffic.
• Ability to:
  • Walk on uneven terrain; bend and stoop; work outdoors in all types of weather conditions.
  • Communicate with staff at all levels of the organization, in person, and via email and phone.

About the department:
We envision a Transportation Department whose members are respectful of one another and the public we serve and are committed to the delivery of a safe, high-quality county highway system. We are widely trusted and recognized for innovation, collaboration and the responsible use of resources.

About Hennepin County:
Hennepin is the largest county government organization in Minnesota. Our employees work every day to improve the health, safety and quality of life for our residents and communities. All of our jobs align with our mission to serve residents through transformative services that eliminate disparities, eliminate inequities, and create opportunity for all and our vision of a community where all people are healthy, all people are valued, and all people thrive. 

Hennepin County envisions an organization where our commitment to diversity and the elimination of disparities is fundamental in providing excellent service to our community.
 
Your future. Made here.
 
This posting may be used to fill current and future vacancies.

Invitations to interview will be based upon an assessment of education and experience.

Watch this video for application best practices and tips. 

Hennepin County values employee retention and engagement through a culture of individual development. If you are a current employee looking for an internship you are responsible for communicating and seeking approval from your supervisor/manager on an arrangement on schedule and workload prior to accepting the paid internship position. The compensation for the internship will be paid at the amount advertised in this posting.

If you have questions, contact:
Talent Acquisition division
Hennepin County Human Resources department
Submit a request at hennepin.us/ask-hr or 612-348-7855

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