Internship Opportunities We welcome applications from students currently enrolled at any accredited college, university, or community college. A list established with this recruitment may be used to fill other similar positions within the Colorado Department of Public Safety in the next 12 months. Our mission is to engage employees working together to safeguard lives and to provide diverse public safety services to local communities. Our vision is to create safer and more resilient communities across Colorado. Our core values are unity, honor, and service. The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness. The State is dedicated to non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities. At CDPS, our culture is driven by our commitment to creating a safer Colorado and guided by a public service focus. We strive to provide effective solutions and services to our fellow Coloradans. We model a culture of collaboration, innovation, and growth for our employees. We maintain a professional and inclusive workplace. Careers with a purpose: If you are passionate about public safety and public service, and are eager to dedicate your career to serving Coloradans, consider joining CDPS. Our team at CDPS consists of exceptional individuals and is an environment where you can challenge yourself and acquire new capabilities to build a rewarding and fulfilling career. We are committed to providing public safety services to our communities including safety on our roads, preparing for and mitigating environmental disasters such as floods and wildland fires, disaster recovery, combating crime, promoting school safety, and victim services. Description of JobAbout the Work Unit The Investigations Section provides for a full range of criminal investigative assistance, including but not limited to: Homicide, Officer-Involved Shootings, Sexual Assault, Critical Incidents, Missing Persons, Designated Alerts (Amber, Senior, Blue, Missing MIPA/MMIR and Developmentally Disabled), Public Corruption, Organized Crime, Fugitive Operations, Cold Case Investigations, Narcotics, and Economic Crimes. Interns work alongside Investigative Analysts and Special Agents on designated projects during the period of their internship. The work entails includes providing analytic support for ongoing investigations and may include, but is not limited to the planning and direction, collection of information in law enforcement and open databases, analysis of information and supporting documentation production, dissemination, and law enforcement liaising. An intern may also be exposed to strategic and tactical analysis as well as digital forensic evidence handling.
What You'll Gain:- Hands-on experience working in criminal investigations.
- Exposure to professional career pathways and different disciplines within investigations.
- Training related to strategic and tactical analysis as well as digital forensic evidence handling.
- Mentorship and collaboration with experienced Investigative Analysts and Special Agents.
- Professional development and skill-building opportunities tailored to investigations.
- Work Environment 100% In-person position during core business hours Work unit core business hours, Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Minimum 8 hours/week up to 40 hours/week based on the student's availability
- Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal RightsNote, to be considered for this position, you must meet one of the following options for consideration.
Proven Experience, Knowledge, Skills:
Current enrollment in an accredited college, university, or community college, pursuing an associate's, bachelor's or master's degree in criminal justice, crime scene analysis, psychology/sociology, genealogy, computer science, cybersecurity, IT, forensic accounting, statistics, public administration, law, communications or a closely related field.
Note:
Other degrees/concentrations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. No prior professional experience is required. Candidates should be eager to learn in a fast-paced environment, be proactive and demonstrate initiative, and possess a strong desire to understand our work. We value integrity, reliability, flexibility, trainability, professionalism, and collaborative work as part of a team.
Conditions of Employment:
Active enrollment in an accredited Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's Degree Program, at the time of application, during the internship program and for at least one term following the end of the internship.
All internships must be taken for college/university credit.
Submission of all required documentation by the application deadline.
Minimum commitment of 8 hours on-site per week during the Spring 2027 semester.
Requires successful completion of a background investigation that includes a polygraph exam, Personnel Evaluation Profile (PEP) exam, drug test, a fingerprint-based criminal history search, and reference check. Candidates are responsible for their own travel and accommodations to complete these steps. They cannot be completed at the start of the internship, so those living outside of the Denver Metro area must make a separate trip to complete these requirements.
This posting is open to residents and non-residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.
Applicants must attach the following documents, in order to be considered for this internship:
Cover Letter (include interest, education, relevant experience, and goals)
Resume or CVUnofficial copy of transcript(s) reflecting your current enrollment
Recommendation Letter: This letter must be from an academic or professional reference, such as a professor, department head, program advisor, supervisor, superior officer, etc. To reduce the likelihood of bias, we do not accept recommendation letters from personal references, such as family or friends. (At least one required; additional letters accepted)
Supplemental Information
Disability Accommodation
If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure equitable opportunity applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to Human Resources at: cdps_hr@state.co.us.The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.
Colorado Department of Public Safety is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship.
Recruitment Timeline Information and Important Notices:
Applications are considered complete and accurate at the time of submission. Therefore, additional information may not be solicited or accepted after your application has been received.
Closing Date:
All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications may proceed to the next step. Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process.
Supplemental Question: Effective responses to Supplemental Questions will directly relate to your professional experience, career accomplishments, and views about organizational values and approaches, and how they relate specifically to this position and requirements as you understand them. Answers generated by AI-tools will typically be unresponsive.
Transcripts: An unofficial copy of transcripts must be submitted at the time of application should education be used as qualification. Transcripts from colleges or universities outside the United States must be assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and must be included as part of your application materials. Failure to provide a transcript or credential evaluation report may prevent your application from moving forward in the selection process.
Military Veterans: If you are a military veteran you must submit a copy of your DD-214, Member 4 Copy, and VA disability letter if available/applicable at the time of application so we can determine if you are eligible for veteran's preference points. Military personnel who are stationed outside of Colorado may be eligible for this position by submitting the completed DD-2058 "State of Legal Residence" form.
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