Intern - Surface Water Management (Marine Ecology) - Seasonal

Full Job Description

Spend your summer gaining valuable career experience with Snohomish County as a Marine Ecology Intern. We are hiring one highly motivated internship candidate to join our Surface Water Management team for the 2026 field season.

Intern Job Summary

Your internship at Snohomish County will challenge you, sharpen your skills, and start paving your way to a career.

SWM provides a wide variety of public programs and services to preserve and improve the health of Snohomish County’s water resources and natural systems and to reduce road and property flooding. Interns gain hands-on experience under the direction of water resource professionals.

As a Marine Ecology intern, you will:

• Collect data on marine resources including kelp, forage fish, and marine water quality
• Asist with analysis and reporting on marine data
• Collaborate with local partners on marine projects, including attending Marine Resources Committee Meetings (third Wednesday of the Month, evenings 4:30-6:30PM)
• Create education and outreach materials for the public

The preferred internship candidates will be:

• Currently enrolled in a four-year or graduate environmental studies, environmental science, marine science, or environmental policy program.
• Knowledgeable of marine resources in the Salish Sea.
• Experienced in using GIS.
• Experienced doing field work during inclement conditions.
• Experienced in collecting data used to understand the health of the marine environment.
• Interested in pursuing a career in natural resource science, policy, or communication.
• Comfortable on boats in large rivers, marine waters, and estuaries.
• Committed to be a helpful, responsive, and dependable teammate.

Ideally interns will be available to start in May or June and work for a minimum of 12 weeks.

Work schedule is flexible with ideal candidates being available Monday – Friday regular office working hours. Interns shall not exceed more than 1040 hours in a 12-month period.

Intern schedule and internship length will be agreed upon with candidate and County Staff. Interns will be given the option to work partially from home depending on the work required.

Onboarding, some meetings, and field work will require the intern to be in-person at the Snohomish County Campus and various field sites in Snohomish County.

Rate of pay is determined by the number of full academic years the applicant has completed at an accredited college or university by the beginning of the internship.

Candidates must be majoring or completed coursework in any of the following programs: environmental science/studies, marine science or policy, civil engineering, watershed or water resource management, water quality, biology, chemistry, ecology, limnology, forestry, agriculture, botany, plant ecology, horticulture, environmental health, toxicology, environmental planning, geology, geomorphology, geography, GIS, communications, environmental education, marketing, or related field.

Proof of current enrollment in an accredited college or university at the time of participation. If not currently enrolled, the student must provide proof of future enrollment.

Job offers are contingent on successful completion of reference and background checks. Snohomish County will not sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States. About Surface Water Management

SWM works in partnership with the community to reduce road and property flooding and to protect and restore Snohomish County’s rivers, lakes, and streams.

You can find us responding to water-quality problems and complaints, monitoring river, stream, and lake health, maintaining drainage systems, managing habitat improvement projects and more.

We focus on four areas of service:

• Clean water in rivers, streams, and lakes;
• Habitat for fish and aquatic wildlife;
• River flooding and erosion; and
• Stormwater drainage systems.

For more information on Snohomish County Surface Water Management’s programs, please go to www.surfacewater.info.

About the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)

The Snohomish County Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) includes the Division of Surface Water Management, the Division of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, the Office of Energy and Sustainability and the Office of Agriculture and aims to achieve high-priority environmental sustainability goals.

Some of the greatest assets we have in Snohomish County are our unparalleled beauty and abundant natural resources.

From the Puget Sound and five watersheds, to forestland, lakes, farms, ranches and parks, our quality of life, economic prosperity and future sustainability are dependent on protecting and improving our environmental resources.

Snohomish County - The Future We Choose

For information about this job opportunity and posting, please email: Vicki Remtulla.

Requirements

1. Interns may be required to perform one or more of the following job duties:
2. Assists with Surface Water Management projects and programs.
3. Assists with project assessment and monitoring activities.
4. Assists with public outreach at public meetings, fairs and festivals.
5. Assists with coordination of volunteer activities for protecting water quality and restoring salmon habitat.
6. Assists with data management.
7. Performs related duties as required.

Qualifications

Additional Information