Parks Intern

As an intern for the Office of Civil Rights and Small Business Programs department, you will have the opportunity to work with staff to support Federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program compliance monitoring; prepare materials for committee meetings; support outreach events and take meeting notes. You will gain knowledge and experience with compliance monitoring with the Federal DBE/ACDBE program, OSHA 10 safety training, safety training for railroads, barriers to small business and entrepreneurship, construction workforce compliance, equal opportunity compliance, and government policies impacting equity.

• Length: 6 months, with chance to extend up to one year.

• Hours:
  
  Full-time (40 hours per week) or Part-time (at least 10-20 hours per week) during the school year.
• Start Date:
  
  11/01/2026
• Location:
  
  St. Louis Park

NOTE:

This position is eligible for a hybrid (both remote and onsite) telework arrangement.

Our internships are designed to provide students meaningful work, be an introduction to public service and a chance to discover the Metropolitan Council.

The Metropolitan Council is made up of several operating divisions that service the Twin Cities Metropolitan area in a number of ways.

• Metro Transit provides bus and light rail public transportation for the greater metropolitan area
• Metropolitan Council Environmental Services(MCES) manages wastewater treatment plants and the regional wastewater collection system for the seven-county metropolitan region
• Community Development is responsible for helping the Council shape its regional growth plan and Metro HRA provides affordable housing programs in the region
• Metropolitan Transportation Services(MTS) is responsible for the transportation planning functions as the Twin Cities metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for transportation
• Regional Administration provides support services (Finance, Payroll, HR, etc.) for the Council

• Conduct DBE Program compliance field visits on the construction sites and at the offices of small businesses
• Support contract monitoring
• Prepare presentations, compile handouts, and take notes for a public facing advisory committee with stakeholders
• Review and process small business applications into the DBE Program.

• Must be enrolled in an accredited institution, a degree seeking program (Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD.) OR be a recent graduate (within 12 months from posting date) from a degree program.
• Candidate's residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin during the internship.
• An UNOFFICIAL transcript is required to be attached to application.

• Knowledge of Federal DBE Program,
• Experience with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Detail oriented
• Technical writing
• Interpersonal communications

• Business
• Entrepreneurship
• Economics
• Communications
• Public Policy

• We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
• We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits and a good work/life balance.

Union: American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Safety Sensitive: No

What steps the recruitment process involves:

• 1. We review your minimum qualifications.
• 2. We rate your education and experience.
• 3. We conduct a structured panel interview.

Once you have successfully completed the steps above, then:

If you are new to the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (safety sensitive positions only), and a background check which verifies education, employment, and criminal history. A driving record check and/or physical may be…