Procurement Intern

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District; Los Altos (CA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 33,000; Part time

Job summary

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District in Los Altos, CA is offering a part-time Procurement Intern role to support purchasing processes, vendor comms, data entry and procurement reporting. You will work with the Procurement Program Manager and other staff to ensure compliance and transparency in the district's purchasing activities.

This internship provides hands-on exposure to public agency contracting and the opportunity to develop skills in sourcing, bid solicitations, and document

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a degree program or recent graduate (≤12 months).
• Background in Public Admin, Business Admin, Finance, Accounting, or Supply Chain.
• Experience with purchase orders, expense tracking, and reporting is beneficial.
• Familiarity with office software including Excel and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Assists with purchase orders and tracking.
• Communicates with vendors and internal departments.
• Maintains procurement documents and reports.
• Supports sourcing and solicitation efforts.
• Ensures compliance with procurement policies.

Skills

Vendor coordination

Data reporting

Time management

Communication

Education

Public Administration

Business Administration

Finance / Accounting

Tools

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Outlook

Job description

About the Position

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) is seeking a Procurement Intern to support procurement and administrative functions, including purchasing processes, vendor communication, data entry, tracking, and preparing procurement documents and reports. The intern will assist with sourcing and solicitation efforts, review specifications and statements of work, and ensure compliance with procurement policies and regulations. Additional duties include providing administrative support, participating in meetings, and coordinating with departments and vendors. We are looking for a detail‑oriented, organized individual with strong communication skills who can manage multiple priorities while adhering to District policies. This role provides hands‑on exposure to public agency purchasing and contract administration. This position offers valuable insight into how public agencies acquire goods and services while ensuring transparency, competition, fiscal responsibility, and regulatory compliance. The intern will report to the Procurement Program Manager and may receive guidance from administrative support staff. The expected start date for this position is early November 2026.

About Midpen

Midpen helps plants, animals and people thrive throughout the greater Santa Cruz Mountains region by preserving a greenbelt of more than 70,000 acres of public open space with 250 miles of trails in 27 extraordinary preserves, permanently protected for natural resource conservation and ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and education. Midpen is a public agency with a focused mission that guides our work, and where every employee makes an impact. Midpen believes open space is for all. Our public lands are shared spaces provided for the community by the community. All people, regardless of background, deserve respect, dignity, safety, and a sense of belonging. Midpen welcomes all people to enjoy the public open space preserves we hold in trust, supporting the mental, physical, and social well‑being of our region.

Basic Requirements

• Current enrollment in an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree program, or trade school in a relevant field or a recent graduate (within the last 12 months).
• Successful candidates will have an academic background in Public Administration, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Supply Chain, Purchasing, or a related field.
• Candidates with experience, knowledge, or interest in contract administration, data reporting and analysis, data management, and the operations of a public agency would benefit from this internship.
• An understanding of the concepts related to generating purchase orders, expense tracking, producing reports, interpretation and application of policies, procedures, and regulations and vendor coordination is highly desirable; direct experience is a plus but not required.
• Experience with modern office procedures, methods and computer software and hardware (i.e. Windows & Microsoft Office Suite; Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Experience working a professional office environment is a plus.

For additional information about the position, see the Job Description on our website.

Working Conditions/Schedule

The Procurement Intern will work on-site at Midpen’s Administrative Office in Los Altos, CA. This is a part-time temporary position, working approximately 20 hours per week (school schedules can be accommodated within regular business days and hours). Regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00am –5:00pm. Interns may work up to a total of 950 hours over a 6 -to- 9-month period. This is a non-benefited position.

Virtual Interviews are planned for

Thursday, September 24, 2026. (Dates are subject to change. We are unable to accommodate individual schedules.)

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Applicants with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation.

Put your passion for Open Space to work!

Application deadline is Sunday, September 13, 2026.

• 1. Fully completed CalOpps employment application
• 3. Resume

*Incomplete CalOpps employment applications, or applications without the required application items listed here, will not be considered for the position.