Civic Engagement Internship

The County Executive's Office is looking for a Civic Engagement Student Intern to join our team for the Fall 2026 semester!

Time Commitment: Work a minimum of 12 hours per week and 4 hours per scheduled workday through the stated specific end date; maximum of 30 hours per week; varied days and hours of Monday-Friday; 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with some weekends and evenings; maximum total of 240 hours over the course of the semester; non-exempt; part-time; no-benefits

Frederick County Government supports more than 300,000 people across the largest county by land area in Maryland. As the fastest-growing county in the entire state, we rely on a diverse workforce spanning skilled trades, technical roles, professional positions, public safety, and more. Every division and office plays an essential role in keeping Frederick County running smoothly and helping the community thrive. If you’re ready to make a meaningful impact, explore the many career paths available in local government. Your work can help shape the future of Frederick County.

By offering hands-on career exploration designed to bridge academic learning with real-world experience, our internships allow students the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a professional setting, gain valuable insight into the operations of local government, and explore public service career paths. Participants build meaningful professional connections, contribute to impactful projects, and discover how local government plays a vital role in serving the community.

Individuals seeking to earn academic credit through this internship are responsible for coordinating with their academic institution to ensure the experience meets all required criteria.

INTERNSHIP DETAILS:

The Office of the County Executive is offering a unique and high-impact opportunity for individuals interested in public service and local government. In this role, you’ll work closely with senior officials and staff to support constituent services, assist with stakeholder engagement, and contribute to initiatives that shape policy and strengthen our community. This internship provides a behind-the-scenes look at how local government operates while giving you the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Frederick County residents.

Frederick County Government values the principles of diversity and inclusion, and strives to ensure equal opportunities for its workforce, applicants and community members.  If you are a person who wants to make a difference, give back to your community, and be a voice for change, apply to Frederick County Government today.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Stakeholder engagement support: Assist in facilitating open meetings by taking detailed notes, conducting roll calls, ensuring compliance with the Open Meetings Act and related transparency requirements, track action items and summarize follow-up needs to support effective decision-making
• Research and analysis: Research best practices and policies used by other jurisdictions, synthesize findings, and develop clear policy memos to inform decision-making
• Support administrative functions: Work closely with office staff to prepare meeting spaces, compile and organize briefing materials, and maintain up-to-date public-facing digital tools and resources
• Constituent services: Support front-desk operations by answering constituent calls, assessing needs, and guiding residents to the appropriate county programs and services with professionalism and clarity
• Project support: Assist with managing special projects using project management skills, including researching background information, organizing timelines, and coordinating deliverables and participate in cross-department collaboration by helping coordinate joint initiatives, events, or outreach efforts
• Attend workshops, meetings and learning opportunities
• Perform other related duties as assigned

To perform this job successfully, an employee must be able to perform all essential functions satisfactorily. Any employee's position may not be assigned all functions or equipment listed above, and the examples may not cover all functions or equipment that may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform their essential functions.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

The qualifications/requirements, knowledge/skills/abilities and physical requirements or working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met by an intern to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 

• Enrolled in a college or university pursuing a degree in Business Administration, Business Management, Communications, Economics, Pre-Law, Political Science, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Sciences or a closely related field
• Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 or higher. A college transcript is required as evidence of GPA. A copy of an unofficial transcript will be accepted

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:

A successful incumbent operating in this role displays the following:

• Strong and effective spoken and written (English) communication skills including the ability to compile, prepare and present clear, concise and accurate reports, forms, letters, and record
• Strong collaborative and teamwork skills
• Ability to effectively organize work, establish priorities, manage time effectively and complete assigned duties with minimal supervision in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to be flexible, act as a team player and provide quality internal and external customer service
• Ability to solve problems and to develop solutions and strategies
• Ability to research and provide data
• Ability to exercise sound technical judgment in the performance of assigned duties
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, business representatives, and members of the public
• Ability to effectively access and utilize computerized systems and equipment, including word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, and email software (e.g. MS Office Suite)
• Ability to work with sensitive and personal information and maintain confidentiality

PREFERENCE MAY BE GIVEN FOR:

• Experience in a public facing customer service role
• Experience maintaining a file management and/or electronic data management system
• Experience creating and maintaining computerized spreadsheets

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORKING CONDITIONS:

• While working in this position, the employee is required to frequently sit and perform repetitive motions; occasionally walk, climb or stoop, rarely lift up to 20 pounds, push up to 40 pounds, reach or drive
• While working in this position, the employee is required to frequently work indoors and rarely work outdoors

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / EXAMINATION PROCESS

• Available for varied work hours (which may include evenings/ weekends) for scheduled events, meetings, outreach, workshops and other departmental priorities as needed
• Ability to provide own transportation to assigned internship location, training, meetings, events and other commitments

KIND OF EXAMINATION (may include):

• An evaluation of training and experience
• One or more interviews