Environmental & Engineering Interns - Healthy Waters & Flood Resilience

• A paid 12-week summer internship at the Living Wage rate of $29.90 per hour with hands-on experience, support and development.
• Work on real projects that matter, contributing to services and initiatives that help shape the future of Tāmaki Makaurau and improve outcomes for Aucklanders.
• Manage and improve Auckland’s stormwater infrastructure and natural water systems.

Spend your summer doing work that matters. Auckland Council’s Summer Internship Programme is from 23 November to 19 February and offers paid, hands-on experience at the Living Wage rate of $29.90 per hour. If you’re in your second-to-last year of study or continuing into a master’s programme, this is your chance to grow your skills, build your network and contribute to meaningful mahi for Tāmaki Makaurau.

He angitūtanga: The opportunity

Are you passionate about stormwater and environmental protection? Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters & Flood Resilience (HWFR) department is looking for dedicated interns to help us manage, plan, and improve our stormwater systems. We work collaboratively with iwi and communities to future-proof Auckland’s water, ensuring healthy environments and resilient stormwater systems.  

As a Healthy Waters & Flood Resilience Intern, you’ll gain hands-on experience working alongside experienced engineers, scientists and technical specialists on meaningful projects that contribute to the management of Auckland’s stormwater network and natural water systems.  

What you’ll be doing during your internship

During your 12-week internship, you’ll be placed in one of Healthy Waters & Flood Resilience teams, supporting real projects that contribute to stormwater management, flood resilience, environmental protection and community outcomes across Auckland.

Depending on your area of study and interests you will be working in one of the following roles:   

Engineering-focused opportunities

• Asset Management
  Support the team by reviewing and consolidating asset data, and developing tools and resources for sharing information to support infrastructure maintenance and renewal planning across Auckland (Engineering students preferred).

• Blue Green Networks
  Assist with the delivery of landscape, engineering and engagement outcomes, including data analysis, site investigations and engagement activities to support the Making Space for Water blue-green network projects that improve flood resilience and associated environmental and community outcomes (Engineering or Landscape Architect students preferred; driver’s licence preferred).

• Delivery
  Assist with site inspections, cost estimation, and contract administration activities associated with Auckland's stormwater infrastructure programme. You will also gain practical experience in physical works procurement and NZS 3910 contract review and compilation. (For Engineering students only).

• Growth and Development
  Work alongside the Council Regulatory Team reviewing technical stormwater management proposals against design guides. Gain practical experience through site visits and contribute to business improvement initiatives. (For Engineering students only; driver’s licence preferred).

• Operations
  Support our operational teams across Auckland to address stormwater network issues while ensuring best practice, safety, and customer satisfaction (For Engineering students only; drivers licence required).

Environmental Science and community-focused opportunities

• Rural Water Quality & Flooding Community Programmes
  Support rural Aucklanders to improve water quality and flood resiliency (Agriculture, Horticulture or Environmental Science students preferred; drivers licence required).

• Urban Community Programmes
  Support our Wai Ora Partnerships Urban team with funding applications, health and safety plans, data management, coordination and resource needs for community initiatives such as Wai Care (Driver's licence required).

• Wai Ora Strategic Programmes
  Work with HWFR teams and technical specialists to collate evidence, support guidance, reports and policy positions, and contribute to initiatives that improve outcomes. This may include supporting guidance development and assisting with regulatory requirements associated with the Stormwater Network Discharge Consent and water reforms.

• Waterways Planning
  Support water-sensitive design projects through the application of environmental and civil engineering tools and expertise, and contribute to the planning and management of ponds, wetlands and rain gardens through data analysis, site visits, condition assessments and performance monitoring. (A good level of fitness is required for this role / driver’s licence required).

• Flood Risk
  Research, analysis and/or tool development to support regional flood risk understanding and improved flood resilience.

Other opportunities

• Māori Outcomes
  Work with the Māori Outcomes team to uplift Te Tiriti o Waitangi across the business, by both upskilling fellow kaimahi and enabling Mana Whenua aspirations for Te Mauri o te Wai.

• Network Compliance
  Join our compliance team to undertake site assessments for overland flow path compliance or develop a private stormwater device database (Driver’s licence required).

He kōrero mōu: About you

As an intern in the Healthy Waters & Flood Resilience team, you are enthusiastic about learning and contributing to the planning, development, and management of stormwater systems. You bring a proactive attitude, excellent problem-solving skills, and a keen interest in environmental protection. Your ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams and communities, including iwi, will be essential in helping us to achieve positive outcomes for Tāmaki Makaurau.

During the application process, you will be asked to choose your top 5 preferred areas from the list above and rank them in order of preference. We will do our best to match you with one of your preferred areas, where possible. Final placements will depend on team availability, business needs and how your skills and study background align with each opportunity.

We welcome applications from students studying:

• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Environmental Studies, Environmental Management or Environmental Science
• Agriculture or Horticultural Science
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Landscape Architecture
• Data Science

You must:

• Be in your second-to-last year of a relevant bachelor’s degree, or continuing into a master’s degree programme.
• Be eligible to work in New Zealand full-time from 23 November 2026 – 19 February 2027

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou: What we offer

You’ll gain hands-on experience, build practical skills and get a real insight into the mahi Auckland Council does for Tāmaki Makaurau. Throughout the 12-week internship, you’ll be supported by your team, connected with other interns and given opportunities to learn, grow your confidence and explore future career pathways in local government.

We are proud to be recognised for our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We are accredited by GenderTick, a signatory of the Pride Pledge. These commitments reflect our ongoing efforts to create a workplace where all staff feel valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. 

How we’ll support you as a candidate

We aim to provide an experience where you feel comfortable, supported, and able to be yourself.

• We value whakapapa, reo, and tikanga as strengths - bring your whole self to mahi.
• If you prefer a virtual interview or would like whānau support included, just let us know during the recruitment process.
• We’ll work with you on any access needs so you can show your best self.

For more information about the Intern programme, please visit our careers page. 

Te Tukanga Tono: Application process

1. Online application – CV + a few quick questions
2. One-way video interview
3. Formal interview with a 2-person panel – in person or virtual
4. Pre-employment checks
5. Offer – Nau mai ki te whānau!

Together, we can create a Tāmaki Makaurau we can all be proud of. Nau mai, uru mai, your journey starts here.

Me Tono Ināianei!: Apply Now!

Applications close: 11:59pm, Sunday 26th July 2026.

We will be reviewing and progressing applications as they are received. As applications may close earlier than the advertised closing date if a suitable candidate pool is identified, we encourage you to apply early.

Find a copy of the position description here: Healthy Waters and Flood Resilience Intern

The formal title for this role is Healthy Waters and Flood Resilience Intern.

Auckland Council is an equal opportunity employer. We serve the diverse communities of Tāmaki Makaurau and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds - regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, educational background, or religious beliefs. We also welcome applications from our Rainbow communities as well as disabled and neurodivergent people. We are committed to making our hiring process accessible to everyone. If you require any support or adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know.