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Volunteer Internships

Gain job experience and build your resume while creating important connections to professionals in your field. 

High school and college students currently enrolled, in good standing, in an educational program with a formal academic student internship component may apply for a Pinellas County government internship. The internship must be for academic credit or offered through the school’s program.

It’s easy to become an intern.

  • Review the positions to select those of interest. 
  • Complete a quick, easy application. 
  • A volunteer site coordinator will contact you by phone or email. 
  • Questions? Call Volunteer Services at (727) 464-3367, option 2. 

Please check back often since this page is updated regularly. 

Opportunities are listed by department in alphabetical order:

Emergency Management

Emergency Management partners with the whole community to prepare for disasters, plan emergency response and work toward recovery for all of Pinellas County.

Current Positions

  • Outreach to Vietnamese Community (on-site in Largo) – Increase communications networks with the Vietnamese community in Pinellas County by reaching out to faith-based community organizations, doing presentations, and sharing hurricane guides and preparedness information.
  • Public Safety Coordinator Assistant (on-site in Largo) – Assist the Public Safety Coordinator in support of the EPCRA Grant, Community Emergency Response Team, ESF-9 Search & Rescue, ESF-10 HAZMAT, and Critical Incident Stress Program (CISM). Assist in writing and documentation of Standard Operating Guides (SOCs), job aids, public and government communication materials, and other support products.

Forward Pinellas 

Forward Pinellas serves as the Pinellas Planning Council and Metropolitan Planning Organization to provide guidance on local decisions and transportation planning.

Current Position

  • Communications Intern (remote or on-site in Clearwater) – Work on social media, graphic design, website design and maintenance, blog writing and marketing. Ideal candidate is an organized self-starter with excellent writing skills and an ability to learn new technology and processes quickly. A background in photography and/or videography is a plus.

Human Resources 

Human Resources provides personnel services for the Pinellas County Unified Personnel System which includes more than 3,100 employees. Staff provide expert services related to recruiting, performance management, benefits, wellness, compensation, learning opportunities, employee relations, recognition, employee communication and volunteers. 

Current Positions

  • Graphic Design Intern (combo remote and on-site in Clearwater) – Design clear engaging graphic communications for print and web. This will include marketing and communication brochures, website and social media graphics, posters, flyers, and other marketing materials. Ideal candidate is a creative self-starter with attention to detail and excellent proofreading skills. Must be proficient in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and/or other common design applications.
  • Social Media/Communications Intern (combo remote and on-site in Clearwater) – Work on social media, blog writing and marketing. This position will assist in managing all social media content creation and posting, understanding social media trends, and scheduling posts as needed. Ideal candidate is an organized self-starter with excellent writing skills. Graphic design experience is a plus.
  • Video Intern (combo remote and on-site in Clearwater) – Work with staff to create video ads for social media, build brand promotion, research department-related content to share with social media followers, and contribute to other creative developments. Ideal candidate has a knowledge of graphic design and social media platforms plus skill in editing photos and videos.

Office of Management and Budget 

Office of Management and Budget provides budget and financial management services for Pinellas County government. Staff are responsible for the development and administration of a $2.7 billion budget in collaboration with a diverse group of departments, agencies and independent partners. 

Current Position

  • Socrata Intern (remote) – Assist with data management and maintenance of the Socrata performance dashboards which include day-to-day tasks as well as larger data projects. 

Public Works 

Public Works manages infrastructure and environmental resources for Pinellas County. Services include mowing, urban forestry, mosquito control, traffic control, sidewalks, roads, drainage and bridge maintenance.

Current Positions

  • Engineer Student Intern (on-site in Clearwater) – Assist with quality control by reviewing plans and performing quantity take offs. Duties may include drainage and transportation research, cost estimation and information tracking, infrastructure design using AutoCAD and/or GIS, document and permit preparation, asset management and project management support, and other tasks for civil, transportation, stormwater and environmental projects. Must have completed basic hydrology and hydraulics, transportation, or construction management courses at an ABET-accredited university.
  • Environmental Management Intern (on-site in Clearwater and Countywide) – Assist with tasks related to environmental surface watershed or coastal regulations, assessment and restoration. Duties may include field data or sample collection and preparations, inspections, public education and materials distribution, data entry, restoration activities, and other technical software-based analysis or editing. Must have an interest in environmental science, policy, compliance and enforcement; be willing to provide driving record information; and be comfortable working in water with the ability to swim.

Risk Management 

Risk Management protects Pinellas County against accidental financial loss by taking steps to develop, manage and secure our most valuable assets in accordance with statutes, ordinances, and laws. Staff provide quality services and support to all citizens while providing a safe and healthy environment.

Current Positions

  • Risk Management Intern (on-site in Clearwater) – Review insurance contracts with County vendors, assist with the development of insurance requirements, review certificates received from vendors(s) to determine insurance compliance, and assist in gathering property information to further update the County property values. 

Solid Waste and Recycling

Solid Waste manages the Solid Waste Disposal Complex (SWDC), which includes the Waste-to-Energy Facility, Bridgeway Acres Landfill, and the Household Hazardous Waste Center. The SWDC manages over one million tons of garbage each year. Solid Waste operates recycling drop-off centers throughout the County and educates residents on how to recycle and reduce waste. The department’s vision is zero waste to landfill by 2050.

Current Positions

  • Recycling Research Assistant (onsite in St. Petersburg) – Assist staff in identifying and adding materials to the Where Does it Go? search tool. Research facilities that can reuse, recycle, recover, or dispose of materials. Audit existing facilities to ensure they are still able to accept the materials identified and determine if they have expanded to accept additional materials.

Utilities – South Cross Bayou 

The South Cross Bayou Water Reclamation Facility in St. Petersburg is the largest wastewater treatment facility in Pinellas County. The facility recovers resources from wastewater including reclaimed water for irrigation, biosolids for fertilizer pellets and gas for renewable energy. Staff is responsible for operation of the wastewater facility and almost 200 pump stations.

Current Position

  • Plant Operations Intern (on-site in St. Petersburg) – Work on quality control with SCADA programmers, in warehouse support, as an assistant to a mechanic or electrician, or do basic lab work. Duties may include some clerical and cleanup-related tasks. Must be enrolled in a related high school or college program.

Utilities – Water Quality

Utilities staff is committed to the highest standard of service to deliver clean water and protect our community and waterways for generations to come. The Water Quality team monitors and tests water throughout the water distribution system. The Industrial Wastewater Pretreatment Program protects waterways by controlling wastewater discharge from industry and non-domestic sources to municipal sewer collection systems and treatment facilities.

Current Position

  • Water Quality Division Intern (on-site in Largo) – Assist water quality specialists with duties such as collection and sampling of the water distribution system, educational materials, customer complaint response, monitoring and collection of field data, industrial user site inspections, and community events. Work may involve drinking water projects and programs, wastewater regulatory and industrial pretreatment programs, grease management ordinance, and sewer system overflow response and surface water sampling.

8/31/23