The City of Johannesburg is offering environmental Youth Graduate opportunities through its Environment & Infrastructure Services Department (EISD) under Short-Term Contract Circular STC 011/2026.
The opportunities are aimed at unemployed youth between 18 and 35 years old who hold relevant Diploma or Degree qualifications at NQF Level 6 or 7.
Successful candidates may be placed in areas including waste management, climate change, air quality, environmental education, biodiversity, occupational health and safety, and environmental compliance.
The programme is based in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, Gauteng, and the contract period will not exceed 12 months.
Applications close on 10 September 2026.
The City of Johannesburg’s official vacancy page confirms Circular STC 011/2026 and provides separate application links for all seven Youth Graduate opportunities.
Quick Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Organisation | City of Johannesburg |
| Department | Environment & Infrastructure Services Department |
| Opportunity | Environmental Youth Graduate / Short-Term Contract Opportunities |
| Circular | STC 011/2026 |
| Location | 118 Jorissen Street, Traduna House, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, Gauteng |
| Qualification | Diploma or Degree at NQF Level 6 or 7, depending on the position |
| Age | 18–35 years |
| Duration | Not exceeding 12 months |
| Stipend / Salary | Not disclosed in the information verified for this article |
| Closing Date | 10 September 2026 |
| Application Method | Online application |
| Target Group | Unemployed youth |
Why This Opportunity Matters
For graduates who have struggled to find their first opportunity after completing their studies, a Youth Graduate placement can provide valuable exposure to a professional working environment.
These City of Johannesburg opportunities are particularly relevant because they cover several environmental career areas rather than offering only one general graduate position.
Depending on the position, successful applicants can gain practical exposure to areas such as environmental compliance, climate data, waste management, pollution monitoring, environmental awareness, biodiversity and occupational health and safety.
This can help graduates build practical experience that complements their academic qualifications.
Available City of Johannesburg Environmental Opportunities
1. Waste Management Youth Graduate
The Waste Management Youth Graduate opportunity is aimed at applicants with a Diploma or Degree at NQF Level 6 or 7 in fields such as:
- Environmental Science
- Environmental Management
- Environmental Health
- Nature Conservation
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Another closely related discipline
The role involves supporting sustainable waste-management initiatives across the City.
Duties may include supporting audits of Pikitup Buyback and Garden Sites, monitoring service-delivery and cleanliness standards, promoting recycling and waste separation, assisting with community clean-up programmes and supporting matters involving illegal dumping.
Apply: City of Johannesburg Waste Management application
2. Climate Change Youth Graduate
Applicants should have a Diploma or Degree at NQF Level 6 or 7 in:
- Environmental Science
- Environmental Management
- Energy Studies
- A closely related discipline
The position supports the City’s climate-related work, including implementation of the Climate Action Plan.
Responsibilities include climate-data collection and validation, greenhouse-gas inventories, CDP reporting, research, technical reporting and stakeholder coordination.
Apply: City of Johannesburg Climate Change application
3. Air Quality Youth Graduate
Applicants should hold a Diploma or Degree at NQF Level 6 or 7 in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Conservation Management or a related discipline.
The successful candidate will support activities involving atmospheric emission licences, site inspections, emissions monitoring, compliance assessments, air-quality data collection and reporting.
The role may also involve assisting with investigations into pollution complaints.
Apply: City of Johannesburg Air Quality application
4. Environmental Education & Awareness Youth Graduate
This opportunity is suited to graduates with a Diploma or Degree at NQF Level 6 or 7 in areas such as:
- Environmental Management
- Environmental Sciences
- Nature Conservation
- A related qualification
The role supports environmental education and awareness initiatives involving schools, communities and other stakeholders.
Duties include supporting awareness campaigns, environmental theme days, stakeholder engagement, preparation of awareness materials, reporting and monitoring programme outcomes.
Apply: City of Johannesburg Environmental Education & Awareness application
5. Biodiversity & Open Space Management Youth Graduate
Applicants should have a Diploma or Degree at NQF Level 6 or 7 in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Town and Regional Planning, Nature Conservation or another related field.
The position includes administrative and record-keeping responsibilities, support for City policies and tools, site-related work and preparation of reports containing findings and recommendations.
Apply: City of Johannesburg Biodiversity & Open Space Management application
6. Occupational Health and Safety Compliance Youth Graduate
This opportunity is aimed at graduates with a Diploma or Degree at NQF Level 6 or 7 in Safety Management or a closely related discipline.
The successful applicant will support occupational health and safety activities, including:
- Workplace inspections
- Hazard identification
- Risk assessments
- Incident reporting
- OHS awareness programmes
- Fire drills
- Emergency preparedness activities
- Implementation of OHS policies
Apply: City of Johannesburg Occupational Health and Safety Compliance application
7. Impact Management and Compliance Youth Graduate
Applicants should have a Diploma or Degree at NQF Level 6 or 7 in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Nature Conservation or another related qualification.
The role supports the review of development and land-use proposals to promote compliance with environmental policies, standards and legislation.
Knowledge of environmental legislation such as NEMA, NEMWA and NEMAQA is relevant to this opportunity.
Apply: City of Johannesburg Impact Management and Compliance application
Who Can Apply?
The opportunities are intended for unemployed youth aged 18 to 35 who meet the qualification requirements of the particular position.
Applicants should therefore:
- Be between 18 and 35 years old.
- Be unemployed.
- Hold the relevant Diploma or Degree required for the position.
- Have the qualification at the required NQF level.
- Meet any additional requirements applicable to the selected opportunity.
- Submit an application through the correct online application form.
Because the seven positions have different qualification requirements, applicants should not assume that one qualification automatically makes them eligible for every position.
Who Should Not Apply?
You should reconsider applying if you:
- Do not fall within the stated 18–35 age range.
- Are employed and therefore do not meet the unemployed-youth target group.
- Do not have the required qualification.
- Have a qualification that is unrelated to the specific position.
- Submit an application for a position that does not match your academic background.
- Miss the application deadline.
Applicants should always check the requirements for the specific Youth Graduate opportunity before completing the application.
General Knowledge and Skills Required
Depending on the position, applicants should be comfortable with basic workplace and administrative tasks.
Relevant skills include:
- Computer literacy
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Written communication
- Verbal communication
- Presentation skills
- Project coordination
- Report writing
- Time management
- Stakeholder coordination
Specialist knowledge may also be relevant to particular positions, including environmental legislation, climate change, land-use management, occupational health and safety and environmental compliance.
Stipend / Salary
Stipend / Salary: Not disclosed in the information verified for this article.
YouthScope does not recommend assuming that these opportunities pay a particular monthly amount unless the City of Johannesburg confirms the figure in the official vacancy information.
Applicants should therefore treat social-media claims or figures published by third-party websites with caution unless they can be verified against an official City source.
Duration
The programme will run for a period not exceeding 12 months.
This means the opportunity is a short-term contract placement rather than an automatic permanent position.
The duration may therefore depend on the terms of the particular contract and programme arrangements.
Documents Required
Applicants should prepare their application information and supporting documents before starting the online application.
Depending on what the application form requests, candidates may need relevant personal, academic and contact information.
Important: Applicants should follow the document instructions shown on the official application form rather than submitting unnecessary documents or relying on a generic internship checklist.
How to Apply
The City of Johannesburg provides separate online application forms for each of the seven Youth Graduate opportunities. The official City vacancy page lists all seven application options under STC 011/2026.
Step 1: Choose the correct opportunity
Review the seven positions and identify the opportunity that matches your qualification and career interests.
Step 2: Check the qualification
Confirm that your Diploma or Degree meets the NQF Level and field requirements for the selected position.
Step 3: Open the relevant application form
Use the official City of Johannesburg application link for the position you want to apply for.
Step 4: Complete the online application
Enter your information accurately and provide the details requested by the application form.
Step 5: Check your information
Before submitting, check your personal details, qualification information and contact details for errors.
Step 6: Submit before the deadline
Applications must be submitted before the closing date of 10 September 2026.
Important Before You Apply
Do not apply for all seven positions simply because they are available.
Your strongest application should be directed toward an opportunity that matches your academic qualification and skills.
For example, an applicant with an OHS-related qualification should examine the Occupational Health and Safety Compliance position, while a graduate with an environmental qualification may be better suited to Waste Management, Air Quality, Climate Change or another environmental stream.
Also remember that the City describes these vacancies under its Short Term Contracts section, with Circular STC 011/2026 specifically covering the Environment & Infrastructure Services Department.
Official Source
The official source for these opportunities is the City of Johannesburg.
The City’s official Short Term Contracts page lists:
- Vacancy Circular STC 011/2026
- Environment & Infrastructure Services Department
- Waste Management
- Climate Change
- Air Quality
- Environmental Education & Awareness
- Biodiversity & Open Space Management
- Occupational Health and Safety Compliance
- Impact Management and Compliance
The City also provides the corresponding online application links on its official vacancy page.
View the official City of Johannesburg STC 011/2026 vacancies and applications
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the closing date for the City of Johannesburg Environmental Internships 2026/2027?
The application closing date is 10 September 2026.
2. Who can apply for these City of Johannesburg opportunities?
The opportunities are aimed at unemployed youth between 18 and 35 years old who meet the qualification requirements for the selected position.
3. What qualifications are required?
Most of the listed Youth Graduate positions require a Diploma or Degree at NQF Level 6 or 7, with the required field depending on the specific opportunity.
4. How many environmental Youth Graduate opportunities are available?
There are seven opportunities listed under STC 011/2026, covering waste management, climate change, air quality, environmental education and awareness, biodiversity and open-space management, OHS compliance, and impact management and compliance.
5. How long is the programme?
The short-term contract programme will run for a period not exceeding 12 months.
6. Is the stipend amount confirmed?
A specific stipend or salary amount was not disclosed in the information verified for this article. Applicants should not rely on unverified salary figures.
7. Where are the opportunities based?
The stated location is Traduna House, 118 Jorissen Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, Gauteng.
8. Where can I apply?
Applications are submitted online through separate application forms for each of the seven opportunities. The official City of Johannesburg vacancy page provides the relevant application links.
Related Opportunities
Readers interested in environmental careers can also explore other YouthScope categories covering:
- Graduate internships
- Government internships
- SETA learnerships
- Skills programmes
- Apprenticeships
- Graduate programmes
YouthScope Verification
Source: City of Johannesburg official Short Term Contracts vacancy page
Circular: STC 011/2026
Department: Environment & Infrastructure Services Department
Last checked: 30 August 2026
Application status: Open at the time of verification
Closing date: 10 September 2026
The official City of Johannesburg page confirms the STC 011/2026 vacancy circular and lists the seven corresponding online application forms.
Editorial Information
Author: Mbalizuke Nkosi
Reviewer: YouthScope Editorial Team
Published: 30 August 2026
Updated: 30 August 2026
Mbalizuke Nkosi is the editorial voice behind YouthScope.co.za, a South African youth-focused platform dedicated to providing reliable information on opportunities, education, and career development. The platform serves students, graduates, job seekers, and young professionals by delivering accurate, timely, and easy-to-understand content.
Through informative and professionally curated content, YouthScope.co.za aims to equip young people with the knowledge and resources needed to make informed decisions about their education and future careers.
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