Consider building your career through public service and intern at the City of Austin. The City of Austin offers several early career opportunities in any one of the 40+ city departments. Whether you are majoring in Public Administration to Computer Science, the City of Austin has an opportunity for you! 

What is a City of Austin Internship? 

At the City of Austin, interns are given unique experiences to build upon their professional skills. Internship opportunities are posted throughout the year on a rolling basis and fall under one of the following intern categories: 

• Intern Undergraduate
• Intern Post-Graduate
• Intern Graduate
• Vocational Intern 

Each intern category states minimum qualifications and general responsibilities. City departments will expand on specific key responsibilities and roles within the job posting. 

Paid Internship Benefits include: 

• Flexible work schedules
• Commuter Program
• Health Connections – City of Austin wellness program
• Professional development opportunities
• Sick Leave
• Free Entry to City Parks, including Deep Eddy and Barton Springs pools
• And more! 

How to Apply 

Interested candidates are encouraged to visit the City of Austin Careers page to view all open internship and job opportunities in the City of Austin. Each internship/job posting is a unique opportunity and may focus on a variety of career fields such as communications, computer science, public administration, public health, art history, political science, environmental science, psychology, and many more. 

Don’t see any open internship opportunities? Consider connecting with our Early Career Recruiting Consultant by emailing citycollegeinternships@austintexas.gov. We offer the following resources to college students: 

• Resume & Application Workshops
• 30-min 1:1 virtual session with a Early Career Recruiting Consultant (limited to availability) 

Why Choose the City of Austin? 

Quality of Life

Austin is thriving and is fueled by an influx of people and businesses, making Greater Austin one of the country's fastest-growing regions. Austin is currently the 11th largest city in the U.S. and is projected to be the 3rd largest metro in the U.S. by 2100.

The City of Austin was recognized on the Forbes list of America’s Best Large Employers 2025, ranking fourth among local government employers, and is the only government entity in Texas to make the list. U.S. News & World Report releases a series of lists each year, including the highly respected 150 Best Places to Live. They consider many factors to determine the best, including quality of life, the local job market, value for money, and the place's desirability. Austin is ranked #9 in the U.S. and #1 in Texas for 2025-2026 on that list. Austin is also ranked #9 for best place to find a job and #32 for Best Places to Retire in the US for 2025. In addition, U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of Texas at Austin as the #1 public university in Texas, 7th best public university in the nation, 3oth among private and public universities, and 15 Austin Metro area high schools made the Best High Schools list. The highest ranked high school in Austin is AISD's Liberal Arts and Science Academy (LASA), which is ranked #6 in Texas and #38 nationally.
 

Making a Difference

Austin’s volunteer community boasts activism in the areas of environmental conservation, public safety, animal welfare, physical fitness, public service and leadership.

Departments such as Austin Energy, Austin Water Utility, Transportation and Public Works, Watershed Protection, and Planning set the example for other cities across the country in groundbreaking projects as Austin paces itself for continued growth.

 Intern Spotlight 

Esmeralda Aguilar

"Growing up in Austin, I feel like its really meaningful that I am able to work for the government. I still get excited every time I go into the office and know I'm able to learn so much about where I grew up and give back. I was able to meet so many people and overall become more involved with a lot of new communities which has been really rewarding."