How to hire a gis internship

How to hire a gis internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step gis internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a gis internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new gis internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a gis internship do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a gis internship, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A gis internship's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, gis interns from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of gis internship salaries for various roles:

   Type of Gis Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Gis Internship		$19-45
   GIS Technician	A GIS Technician is responsible for making maps and customizing geographic information systems applications. They also provide technical support to users or clients regarding the maintenance, development, or operation of geographic information systems databases.	$18-41
   Information Systems Technician	An information systems technician is responsible for maintaining the efficiency of various network systems' performance. Information systems technicians provide network troubleshooting, upgrading systems for optimization, maintaining the security of databases, managing the interaction of networks, and inspecting and troubleshooting system inconsistencies... Show more	$13-35

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • GPS
   • Arcgis Online
   • Python
   • Data Collection
   • Esri Arcgis
   • Spatial Database
   • GIS Intern
   • Spatial Data
   • Geospatial Data
   • CAD
   • Esri Arcmap
   • Digitizing
   • LiDAR
   • Data Analysis

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage client data and perform database extraction regularly to make timely data updates.
   • Code custom python script tools to manipulate data sets and produce maps for analysis and presentations.
   • Utilize ModelBuilder to create tools that automate routine and bulk tasks; explore python language to develop similar scripts.
   • Base on the LIDAR data and research 3D high resolution model of Norfolk's terrain and an animation are created.
   • Used survey-precision GPS equipment to update municipal asset data.
   • Determine the location, documentation and digitizing of construction/as-built drawings.

   More gis internship duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your gis internship job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A gis internship salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, gis interns' average salary in hawaii is 42% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level gis interns earn 57% less than senior-level gis interns.
   • Certifications. A gis internship with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a gis internship's salary.

   Average gis internship salary

   $63,117yearly

   $30.34 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level gis internship salary

   $41,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average gis internship salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$86,290	$41
   2	New Jersey	$79,592	$38
   3	New York	$78,481	$38
   4	Pennsylvania	$75,089	$36
   5	Washington	$74,679	$36
   6	Virginia	$73,558	$35
   7	Wisconsin	$71,645	$34
   8	Ohio	$66,617	$32
   9	New Hampshire	$63,797	$31
   10	California	$63,622	$31
   11	Minnesota	$61,749	$30
   12	Arizona	$61,311	$29
   13	Georgia	$61,276	$29
   14	Florida	$59,059	$28
   15	Colorado	$58,994	$28
   16	North Carolina	$58,521	$28
   17	Texas	$56,963	$27
   18	Tennessee	$56,700	$27
   19	Nevada	$55,125	$27
   20	Nebraska	$53,830	$26

   Average gis internship salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	American Water	$109,344	$52.57	2
   2	Metropolitan Utilities District	$96,177	$46.24
   3	Genesee & Wyoming	$86,696	$41.68
   4	Universal Health Services	$82,754	$39.79	5
   5	HealthTrust	$78,076	$37.54
   6	Century Communities	$68,519	$32.94
   7	Johnson Outdoors	$66,341	$31.89
   8	Amec Foster Wheeler	$65,605	$31.54
   9	Minnesota Limited	$65,437	$31.46
   10	Burns & McDonnell	$63,087	$30.33	4
   11	Nashua Country Club	$60,462	$29.07
   12	Dewberry	$60,060	$28.88	3
   13	Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.	$59,659	$28.68
   14	Woods Services	$59,341	$28.53
   15	Riverside Medical Center	$58,725	$28.23
   16	City of Tacoma	$58,708	$28.23
   17	Student Conservation Association	$58,421	$28.09
   18	Ballotpedia	$58,080	$27.92
   19	Sentara Healthcare	$58,061	$27.91
   20	Gwinnett County	$58,047	$27.91

4. Writing a gis internship job description

   A gis internship job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a gis internship job description:

   Gis internship job description example

   Freese and Nichols has some great internship opportunities for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) majors for the Summer of 2023 in the Dallas/Ft Worth area, Houston, Austin, and New Orleans. These opportunities are in-office, not virtual. Students will have the chance to gain hands on experience and work alongside professional engineers. As an intern you will contribute to projects and apply what you are learning in your college coursework. This is a great opportunity for a student to get experience in a dynamic and growing engineering consulting firm. Relocation and housing are NOT provided for these positions.
   Responsibilities
   
   * Perform specific and limited tasks within a broader assignment
   * Apply standard practices and techniques in specific situations
   * Assist project manager as needed
   * Collect, adjust, and correlate perform calculations, and recognize discrepancies in results
   
   Qualifications
   
   * Current student pursuing a BS or MS degree in Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
   * Student organizational involvement preferred
   
   #universityjobs
   
   At Freese and Nichols, everyone on our team gets to make a meaningful difference in our communities. For more than 125 years, we have been planning and designing the infrastructure our society needs: developing water supplies, designing roadways and bridges, preparing for natural disasters, and much more. We've built our business on long-term relationships with clients and employees alike, resulting in financial stability, career opportunities, and a nationally recognized workplace culture.
   
   We offer a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, paid time off, 401(k) matching, paid overtime for salaried employees, tuition reimbursement, and much more. Our unique culture creates an environment for professional growth where we focus on caring for our clients, coworkers, and the communities where we work. Join our team of 1,000 employees as we continue to expand our services throughout the United States. Learn more about working here at freese.com/careers.
   
   Freese and Nichols is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because he or she is an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.
   
   We recognize that our workforce reflects the increasingly diverse nature of our society, and we strive to take advantage of that diversity with both our external and internal customers. As a Federal Contractor, Freese and Nichols is an equal employment, affirmative action employer.
   
   #LI-Hybrid

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right gis internship for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   To find gis internship candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting gis interns requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   If your interviews with gis internship applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new gis internship

   Once you have selected a candidate for the gis internship position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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