You are viewing a preview of this job. Log in or register to view more details about this job.

Urban Planning Internship

City of Medford
Email

Planning Internship - City of Medford, Office of Planning, Development & Sustainability 

The City of Medford’s Office of Planning, Development and Sustainability (PDS) is looking for student interns, with a preference for students eligible for Federal work-study. Working in this office is an on-the-job learning experience. Our staff truly enjoy teaching, and responsibility is given to interns over time. Strong preference for students who are interested in a year-long internship starting this spring or early summer. 

The Office is working on a wide range of projects including zoning updates, affordable housing, park renovations, shared use paths, business/economic development, public services, waste reduction, and a wide range of energy and sustainability projects. Interns will have the opportunity to get experience in all areas the office touches. Interns should expect to work on a few projects as tasks arise, spanning a couple of different planning disciplines. Examples of potential tasks are listed below by planning discipline. Applicants should indicate their preferred areas of interest. This is a good opportunity for students pursuing a Master’s degree in Urban Planning or a related field. 

Medford is looking to hire 2-3 interns who are interested in the following areas:  

Land Use and Zoning: 

  • Work with the Senior Planner to support current planning responsibilities and plan review for development proposals to be heard by the City’s land use boards.  
  • Support and work with the Medford Community Development Board with application intake and tracking, drafting meeting materials and minutes, and attend Board meetings 
  • Support City staff with ongoing zoning amendment projects and recodification 
  • Attention to detail and strong organizational skills a must 

Housing: 

  • Assist with supporting the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. 
  • Support the Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program. 
  • Research housing programs and policy topics, emerging affordable housing programs and other tools that advance community housing goals. 
  • Work with the Housing Planner on maintaining the City’s Subsidized Housing Inventory including adding new units and ensuring compliance with applicable affordability terms. 

Energy & Sustainability: 

  • Support the Energy & Environment Committee  
  • Work with Climate Policy Planner. Past projects have included greenhouse gas emissions reporting, EV charging station deployment, building energy efficiency, solar and renewable energy projects, LEED for Cities, and supporting the Electrify Medford program 

Economic Development: 

  • Spearhead research on designing and implementing an art program for vacant storefronts, working closely with the Economic Development Planner  
  • Diagnose the current development tracking database, and create a new process that improves data quality, creates data queries, streamlines data input, and clearly tracks a project through its lifecycle. The ability to audit and clean existing data is a plus. 
  • Assist with implementation for shared use path projects and wayfinding initiatives

Open Space: 

  • Work closely with the Open Space Planner on project management of open space projects. Includes liaising with other city departments, consultants, and community stakeholders 
  • Participate in an Open Space and Recreation Plan Update process, pending funding commitment 
  • Research and assist in applying for local, state, and federal grant funding and grant reporting 
  • Develop and implement community outreach strategies alongside community partners during project development and design 

Miscellaneous: 

  • PDS supports over 10 boards and commissions, and there are opportunities to work with all of them.  
  • While not overseen directly by our office, there are opportunities to work with the City’s Director of Traffic and Transportation on various transportation projects which typically involve all modes of transportation. This may include helping to message/communicate about recent or proposed improvements, etc. 

In addition to working on projects related to the listed planning areas, interns will assist in general office tasks such as answering phones, assisting walk-in visitors, website and newsletter editing, office social media, and file organization. 

Job Requirements: 

  • Organized 
  • A self-starter, ability to work independently 
  • Critical thinking skills 
  • Ability to multitask and work in an interrupt-driven environment is a must 
  • Detail-oriented, curious 
  • Customer service skills 
  • Ability to manage webpages is a plus 
  • Experience with graphic design (Canva, Illustrator) is a plus 

All internships are paid, and the City is an approved Federal work-study location for Tufts University and can pursue approval for other institutions as needed. Compensation is $18/hour for undergraduate students or $20/hour for graduate students. The City is only able to hire current students (i.e. students graduating in spring/summer 2026 are ineligible).

Located in Medford's City Hall, the Office is in Medford Square, right off of I-93 and on many MBTA bus routes. Staff work in-person and it is expected that interns will work in person although occasional remote hours are possible as needed. The Office is open Mon, Tue & Thurs 8:30-4:30, Wed 8:30-7:30pm and Fri 8:30-12:30. Evening and weekend hours are also needed to support outreach and public meetings.  

How to Apply: Interested applicants should email a copy of their resume, and letter of interest indicating their preferred field(s) of interest to Alicia Hunt, Director, at ahunt@medford-ma.gov and copy Amanda Centrella, acentrella@medford-ma.gov. Please specify whether you are available to commit to a full-year internship. Applications sent only through Handshake will not be reviewed.