Historic Preservation Intern

The City of Raleigh has an exciting opportunity to Intern with our Planning and Development department's Historic Preservation team! This experience includes a staff mentor and broad exposure to a wide range of public planning-related processes, including governing body, board/commission, and internal departmental meetings. Specifically, they will be exposed to the various Raleigh Historic Development Commission (RHDC) full and committee meetings and the inner workings of municipal preservation planning in NC. This is a temporary summer internship designed to provide hands-on, experiential learning through meaningful exposure to departmental operations and opportunities to build professional skills in a public-sector setting. The internship runs from May 18 through August 7, 2026. Interns will work 20–30 hours per week in a hybrid environment, combining virtual work with in-person engagement.
 

Strong applicants will:  

Be motivated and dependable

Have an interest in public business process

Be comfortable interacting with other governmental agencies and the public

Have experience preparing presentations

Have good organizational and interpersonal skills

Have strong verbal and written communications skills

Be familiar with various data analytics platforms

Have the ability to juggle multiple assignments

Have flexibility to assist during evening or weekend hours (as needed)  

The City of Raleigh Planning and Development Department supports the city’s growth and development through planning, zoning, building safety, urban projects, and business strategy. 

Hiring Range:

$17.85 per hour (undergraduate students)

$21.00 per hour (graduate students)

Duties and Responsibilities

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by employees in this job. Employees may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

The intern will work on special projects to support the research work and community engagement of the unit, which may include:

Provide project team support to update the City’s Design Guidelines for Historic Districts and Landmarks, including public engagement efforts and analyzing community feedback

Provide project team support to create a preservation plan, including researching model historic preservation plans from other municipalities and public engagement efforts

As time allows, photo documenting sites included in the LGBTQIA+ Historic Context Study

Additional projects could include oral history transcription proofing and COA case database entry

Typical Qualifications

Must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program and a student in good academic standing. Preference for students enrolled in a program leading to a degree in Historic Preservation, Architectural History, Anthropology, History, Urban Planning, Archaeology, and/or Architecture. No previous office experience is required. To perform this job successfully, an individual should have a strong working knowledge of Office Suite software. Knowledge of GIS/ESRI products and/or Adobe Creative Suite helpful but not required.

Additional Information

Knowledge of:

Basic understanding of historic preservation, architectural history, planning, or a related field through academic coursework

General awareness of local government planning or historic preservation processes, such as historic districts, landmarks, or design guidelines (introductory level)

Familiarity with research and documentation practices related to history, planning, or community studies

Skill in:

Research and analytical skills, including the ability to gather, organize, and summarize historical or planning-related information

Written and verbal communication skills for preparing summaries, reports, or presentation materials

Organizational skills and attention to detail when managing documents, data, or project materials

Ability to:

Use Microsoft Office and other standard digital tools effectively

Learn new concepts, systems, and processes with guidance and mentorship

Manage multiple assignments and contribute to project timelines

Work collaboratively with team members, boards, commissions, and members of the public

Adapt to changing priorities and support occasional evening or weekend activities as needed