(#oHxZyfwv) Summer Intern, Innovation

About the Internship

The Innovation Hub of the Department of Planning and Innovation is tasked with ideating, funding, and executing innovative pilot projects that will improve the agency’s business today and tomorrow.  The purpose of these pilots is each to test a prescribed hypothesis such as “how many people can this autonomous vehicle system transport” or “can we replace boat inspections with drone flights?”  Each pilot is shaped alongside employees from a variety of departments across the agency, pitched to executives for funding, and then executed and reported on.  The Innovation Intern will help facilitate this process and get to develop a pilot project of their own!

Responsibilities

• Assist pilot managers in innovative projects deployed through the agency’s Innovation Hub, including projects related to autonomous vehicles, drones, sustainability, and AI
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to analyze data to forecast and/or evaluate the results of the implementation of an innovative technology
• Assist project managers in developing and pitching pilot projects to senior executives of the agency 
• Manage new and existing content on the Innovation Hub’s internal SharePoint site

Minimum Qualifications

• Enrollment at a college or university at the time of the internship
• Major in Engineering, Economics, Computer Science, Political Science, Public Administration, Transportation, or a related discipline

Desired Qualifications

• Self-starter
• Excellent communication, research, and applicable technical skills. 
• Project management experience
• Experience with design software 
• Experience with Microsoft apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Interest in contributing to the success of the New York and New Jersey region 
• Interest in public service and/or transportation 

Internship Details

• The start date will be Thursday, May 28, 2026
• The internship will last approximately 12 weeks, ending on Friday, August 21, 2026
• This is a full-time internship (5 days per week at 7.25 hours per day)
• In accordance with Port Authority policy, this position permits interns to work remotely a maximum of one day per week. In person collaboration is essential to how the Port Authority conducts business and regular in-office days or team collaboration days may be required depending on business needs. Some internships may require interns to be fully in-person.

Selection Process

• Only applicants under consideration will be contacted
• If selected to move forward, the hiring team will reach out directly to schedule 1-2 interviews
• Different internships will have different timelines for interviews

Compensation & Benefits

• The hourly rate range is $18.07 to $30.31 (the exact rate will be determined by internship type and rising school year)
• Ability to opt in to the New York State and Local Retirement System
• Access to Employee Business Resource Groups
• Facility Tours
• Career Panels
• Social/Networking Events