Capital & Planning Division - Student Intern Program, Summer 2026 – Open Space Planning & Project Management - Recreation & Park Dept. (5380)

Students in Graduate Degree Programs studying the following are encouraged to apply:

• Architecture
• Engineering (Architectural, Civil, Environmental, Structural, Transportation and Water Resources Engineering) 
• Geography
• Planning or Urban Planning  
• Project Management 
• Landscape Architecture  
• Environmental Design
• Sustainability 
• Environmental Studies  
• Public Policy

Interns will gain on-the-job experience under the guidance of experienced professional planners, landscape architects, architects, and engineers, and while participating in various activities in the assigned discipline. The internship runs from Summer 2026 to Summer 2027 or longer.  Applicable only to the Project Management internship: this position may start in Fall 2026 and not in Summer 2026. The Planning internship will start in Summer 2026. Interns are eligible to work part-time for 6 months post-graduation or 6 months after they stop taking classes.

The compensation will be $37.20 per hour.

Work Schedule

The City and County of San Francisco is a hybrid work environment, and full-time staff work in the office 4 days per week. Intern candidates must be able to report to work in person in San Francisco a minimum of twice a week during the school year. Candidates are expected to work 16-20hrs/week during the school year and can work up to 32hrs/week during school vacation periods. Intern hybrid schedules may be approved to align with class commitments, however, this is subject to departmental discretion and the average hours worked per week.

Application Deadline: Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately as this recruitment may close at any time, but no earlier than Friday, January 16, 2026.

We are offering two types of intern positions in two separate teams within our Capital & Planning Division, our Planning team and our Project Management team.

Capital and Planning Division

The Capital & Planning Division is responsible for delivering a portfolio of over 80 Capital Improvement Projects with a value of over $600M to San Francisco City parks. In addition to improvements to existing recreational facilities in the city, the division is also responsible for the identification, acquisition and development of new parks and facilities, and aligning the delivery of new parks and park improvements with San Francisco City goals and policies, and residents’ needs.

Together with community members and park advocates, the Capital and Planning Division strives to create and renovate parks that solve social problems and enhance community resilience.  

The Planning Unit

The Planning Unit, within the Capital and Planning Division, plans for the future of our open spaces and works on a wide range of projects that support open space improvements, development, and park acquisitions, as well as a variety of land use issues related to the City’s park system. The unit works on environmental compliance, land use planning, urban design, code enforcement, historic preservation, park improvement plans, acquisitions, grant writing, transportation demand management and public outreach as relevant to park properties. The unit is comprised of six planners, an analyst and three interns.

Planning Intern Roles & Responsibilities:

• Perform site review, research and data analysis, and preparation of reports related to property acquisition, park improvement projects and natural resources.
• Prepare informational and analytical maps and graphic materials using ArcGIS software and the Adobe Creative Suite.
• Prepare presentations and staff reports to citizen advisory groups and the Recreation and Park Commission; assist project managers at community meetings; conduct user intercept surveys.
• Analyze existing and proposed open spaces and population growth impacts.
• Assist planning staff with review, analysis and preparation as needed of Environmental Review documents such as California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reviews and SF Planning Dept Certificates of Appropriateness (CoA) for projects impacting Recreation and Park facilities.
• Evaluate shadow impact studies for Proposition K (SF’s “Sunlight Ordinance”) analysis and prepare reports with recommendations for Commission consideration.
• Assist in grant applications through grant writing, policy and environmental sciences research, and graphics preparation.
• Monitor and update capital project schedules in Airtable and other software.
• Basic administrative support including filing, ordering supplies, receiving mail, data entry, word processing, creating spreadsheets, and other administrative tasks as needed.

Project Management

The Capital Division delivers renovations and new construction of a variety of neighborhood and citywide recreational facilities. Current capital projects include the renovation of various community recreation centers, clubhouses and restrooms; park landscape, playground, and adult fitness improvements; natural area and trail construction; restoration of significant historic park sites and structures; and master planning and programming for future park improvements. Projects are funded through multiple sources including general obligation bonds, a property tax set aside (Open Space Fund), grants, and philanthropic donations. The team is comprised of 13 project managers, two assistant project managers, and one intern.

Project Management Intern Roles & Responsibilities:

• Research historical park documents for improvement projects.
• Prepare informational and graphic material for community outreach, grant applications, and other communications using Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office and potentially computer-aided design software such as AutoCAD or Revit to develop site maps, plans, visualizations, etc.
• Support community meetings including printing materials, taking notes, analyzing survey results and preparing reports.
• Photograph site conditions at various park locations, including organizing project photos.
• Basic administrative support including filing, ordering supplies, receiving mail, data entry, word processing, creating spreadsheets, and other administrative tasks.
• Posting notices related to projects on-site at various locations in SF.  
• Support regulatory and building permitting.