Intern - Executive Offices

Internship Opportunity

This internship provides hands-on experience in a C-Suite special district environment. The intern will perform clerical and administrative tasks in support of the executive office. Some of the duties will include meeting coordination, timecard administration, proofreading and formatting documents, purchasing, travel coordination and expense reconciling. This role offers daily interaction with the Port's leadership and exposure to executive-level operations.

With general supervision, provides part-time employment opportunities for college level interns to perform job assignments that are closely related to their area of study. Any college or graduate level student may apply for consideration for vacancies.

This is an in-person position, hybrid or remote schedules are not available.

Total scheduled work hours shall not exceed 25 hours per work week (Monday through Friday). Intern positions do not include benefits and are not eligible to receive paid leave, paid holidays, retirement and/or any type of insurance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities assigned to Interns will vary depending on the department they are assigned.

At the discretion of the department appointment authority, Interns may continue to work up to 25 hours per week for up to two years following their graduation.

Qualifications

Minimum requirements:

Education, Training and Experience:

Intern I: Students currently enrolled as part-time students [generally six (6) eleven (11) units] or full-time students [generally twelve (12) units and above] at an accredited college or university may qualify for the Intern Program. School Enrollment Verifications are required to ensure satisfactory completion of the required units and verify eligibility for any pay increase (step advancement) based on the total number of semester/quarter units completed.

Intern II (Graduate): Students currently enrolled in an accredited graduate program leading to an advanced degree (MS, MBA, MPA, etc.) may qualify for the Intern Program (Graduate). School Enrollment Verifications are required to ensure satisfactory completion of the required units and verify eligibility for any pay increase (step advancement) based on the total number of semester/quarter units completed.

Intern II (Doctorate): Students in a program leading to a doctoral degree (Juris Doctorate, Ph.D., etc.) currently enrolled in an accredited college or university also qualify for Intern (Doctorate) appointments.

Licenses; Certificates; Special Requirements:

If assigned to perform work at any of the District's maritime facilities you must be able to pass a background check in accordance with current Federal and State requirements. If assigned to perform work at any of the District's Harbor Police facilities, you must be able to pass a background investigation that includes but is not limited to a polygraph examination.

Recruitment Information

The application review process will include screening to ensure applications are complete and meet all minimum qualifications. In addition to the application, the applicant is required to complete the Supplemental Questions to further evaluate their education, training, and experience relative to the required knowledge, skills and abilities for the position. Applicants must submit answers that are as complete as possible.

Only qualified applicants who pass the minimum qualifications review, will be invited to the assessment process which may be administered by a written examination, panel interview, or any combination of qualifications appraisal determined by the Department of Human Resources to be appropriate. The Department of Human Resources will make reasonable accommodation in the examination process for disabled applicants. If you have an accommodation request, please indicate such on your application.

Depending upon the number of applicants meeting the minimum qualifications, applicants may be scheduled for one or more of the assessments listed below. Passing score is 70% out of 100% on each assessment section.

The panel interview is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday June 24, 2026.

To move forward in the application process, you must complete an online application through our website. Please attach a copy of your unofficial transcripts (indicating when degree was awarded) or school enrollment verification to your application or your application will be considered incomplete and you will not move forward in the process. Resumes may be uploaded but cannot be used in place of a completed application.

The Department of Human Resources may limit the number of qualified applicants eligible to participate in the assessment process. Candidates who are successful in all phases of the assessment process will be placed on an eligible list. The eligible list established by this recruitment will be active for a minimum of ninety (90) days or up to one (1) year, unless otherwise determined by the Director pursuant to Rule 8, Section 4.

The District firmly believes in, and is committed to, the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination. It is the policy of the District to recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job classifications without regard to age (40 and above), ancestry, color, disability (mental or physical), gender (including identity, appearance, or behavior, whether or not that identity, appearance, or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person's sex at birth), marital status, medical condition, military status, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, or veteran status.

Hourly rate steps depend on the total number of semester/quarter units completed upon hire and while participating in the Intern Program. Interns must submit documentation from the school registrar to verify they have completed the coursework required and to advance to the next step in the pay schedule.

Please be advised the District has implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy. If you are not currently vaccinated, you will need to get vaccinated prior to your start date of employment unless you have a qualified medical or religious exemption.

Port of SAN Diego