Buncombe County

This job posting expires at 11:59PM on November 24, 2025. No applications can be submitted after 11:59PM on November 24, 2025.

Job Title: Planning Intern - Temporary

Department: Planning

External Hiring Range: $15 -

Posted Internally and Externally

The Buncombe County Planning Department is hiring a Planning Intern to support the long-range planning division.

This position will provide hands-on experience with local government planning operations and will include direct involvement in the Swannanoa Small Area and Resilience Plan, a key initiative focused on supporting recovery and long-term resilience in Swannanoa, which was heavily affected by Tropical Storm Helene.

The position offers a flexible schedule and the intern can work part-time 20 hours/week or full-time 40 hours/week through the end of June 2026. The intern can work a maximum of 1,000 hours.

Essential Projects and Learning Objectives:

• Provide support for the Long-Range Planning Division on the Swannanoa Small Area and Resilience Plan.
• Assist in developing strategies to enhance community resilience, recovery, and long-range planning efforts in the Swannanoa Valley.
• Develop maps and analyze data using ArcGIS products related to the County’s Swannanoa Small Area and Resilience Plan.
• Collect and prepare planning data to support land use and resilience related to recovery and redevelopment in the Swannanoa Valley.
• Conduct field work, collect parcel data, and perform land record research.
• Support staff at public meetings, workshops, and outreach events related to the Swannanoa Small Area and Resilience Plan.
• Perform general office functions, such as data entry, file management, and customer service, as needed.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Basic understanding of planning and community development principles.
• Familiarity with resilience planning, hazard mitigation, and recovery frameworks following natural disasters.
• Experience with or understanding of ArcGIS products and geospatial analysis preferred.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Strong research and analytical skills.
• Motivated self-starter able to work independently and manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment.
• Flexibility and desire to work on a range of planning projects.

Preferred Qualifications

• Coursework or experience using ArcGIS or other geospatial tools preferred.
• Coursework or demonstrated interest in urban and regional planning, environmental planning, or resilience studies.
• Pursuing a master's degree in Planning, Geography, Environmental Science, Sustainability, Public Policy, or a related field is preferred, though students pursuing bachelor's degrees in these fields will be considered.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc.).
• Ability to provide examples of past work products during the interview process.

In order to uphold internal pay parity and equity, salaries are non-negotiable for new and current Buncombe County employees. All new employees are paid according to their years of relevant education and experience above minimum requirements for the position and employees have the opportunity to obtain pay increases via cost of living increases and promotions.

Buncombe County Government realizes the importance of a diverse professional workforce and the need to foster a responsive and innovative organizational culture, one that fully engages all of our employees, honoring and building on each employee's unique experiences, opinions, and perspective.

It is the policy of Buncombe County to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, natural hair or hairstyles, ethnicity, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, marital or familial status, pregnancy, veteran status, religious belief or non-belief, age, or disability or any other legally protected class under federal or NC State law. EEO practices and employment decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, assignment, promotion and compensation shall not be based on any of these protected classes. In addition, the County expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment or discrimination.