Adams County, Pennsylvania has a current population of approximately 101,000 residents. The County seat is located in the Borough of Gettysburg; a historic urban town and situated within an hour of the Harrisburg and Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan areas. Adams County Office of Planning & Development (ACOPD) consists of three divisions; Comprehensive Planning, Rural Resources, and GIS. The departments primary responsibility is to undertake plans and projects that enhance the physical and social character of our communities; while concurrently creating, maintaining and supplying information and resources that assist in plans and policies for traditional physical planning and urban design solutions as well as, agricultural, cultural, and open space preservation programming.
The GIS Division of ACOPD is seeking a highly motivated undergraduate and/or graduate student with a concentration in GIS, geography, or a closely related field, to intern for our ambitious and skilled department.
Reasons to complete an internship with Adams County GIS:
- Develop professional skills
- Gain in-depth experience working with relevant geo-spatial data
- Opportunity to explore a specific career fields
- Contribute to the community
- To gain the benefit of working with a multi-division department in a local government setting
- Obtain practical and professional experience in the GIS field of study
- Potential to earn academic credit from your institution
- Expand upon existing classroom experience and knowledge
- Gain insight on the inner workings of local government
Interns will have the opportunity to work in the GIS Division of the Planning & Development Office. Under supervision, Interns will participate in a variety of functions ranging from maintenance on Adams County GIS data, to data collection/creation, to field work. GIS Interns work under the direction of the GIS Manager and GIS Technician (or others as assigned). These individuals will outline work assignments, educate on GIS, and review work. General job duties and specific tasks will prepare GIS Interns to successfully enter the workforce upon graduation.
GIS Intern (Planning Office)
GIS interns will be responsible for assisting on project-associated data and work related to the GIS Division and ACOPD, other county departments, outside organizations, and the general public. Primary duties will include quality control of data layers, creation of municipal based data, scanning and joining hard-copy documents to digital data, and other related duties. Ideally, Interns will work a maximum of 32 hours per week during summer or when not attending/in school. When attending classes, it’s desired for intern to work a maximum of 24 hours per week.
Prerequisites & Qualities Sought:
- Currently be pursuing a degree in GIS, Geography, or a related discipline with a strong focus in GIS (e.g. Geo-Environmental Science, Planning, Computer Science, Engineering, etc.)
- Previous GIS coursework or one year of experience using ESRI software (ArcMap, ArcCatalog)
- Ability to take direction and work independently, or as part of a team, to facilitate GIS/ACOPD goals and objectives
- Proficient in Microsoft Office
- Ability to communicate effectively both orally and written
- Hard work ethic, dependable and personable
- Enthusiasm about geo-spatial information
Preferred Qualities Sought:
- Demonstrates knowledge of ESRI ArcGIS software (10.x), including, but not limited to, editing data, creating data, modifying geographic data, and ESRI Toolsets
- Experience with data processing and management (DBF, spreadsheets, Access databases, geodatabases)
- Familiarity with ESRI ArcGIS Online and/or other web map services
- An understanding of cartographic principles, data management, and digital map production
- Additional experience with any associated ArcGIS extensions (Spatial Analyst, 3D Analyst, ArcGIS Server, etc.) and GPS equipment and software
- Interest in Planning
- Programming skills in relation to ArcGIS scripts and coding for analysis (such as Python scripting and ESRI’s ModelBuilder) is desirable, but not required
- Familiarity with Adobe Products (InDesign, Illustrator, PhotoShope, etc.) and programs such as SketchUp and CommunityViz
Salary/Benefits:
- Positions open as needed; part-time or full-time positions are offered depending on schedule availability. A work stipend may be available depending on eligibility and budget.
- The intern position is temporary, and temporary positions are not eligible for County sponsored benefits
- Possible academic credit from educational institution
- If desired, contact information for a reference and recommendation letter maybe provided at the successful completion of internship. This letter will describe the accomplishments of the individual. and may serve as a letter of reference for future opportunities.
Circumstances do not always allow for internship opportunities to be funded. Occasionally, there are possibilities for monetary compensation for services and work done during an internship. Depending on eligibility, a possible source of compensation can be the State Work-Study Program (SWSP). This program is open to all PA students, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements. Also, depending on availability, ACOPD may have a budget allowance for a paid Internship position.
For more information, contact Lisa Angstadt (langstadt@adamscounty.us) or Alicia Paulus (apaulus@adamscounty.us).