Water Quality Monitoring Intern

Full Job Description

Requirements

Why It's a Great Opportunity: The Pierce County Summer Internship Program is back! This year, our program will run from 6/8/2026 through 8/28/2026.

We are excited to offer opportunities that provide realistic and meaningful work experiences, while providing Pierce County Departments with interns who bring fresh perspectives and support to complete special projects.

Interns are a part of a cohort that attend weekly activities together.

These sessions include classes, project planning, and tours of various departments and facilities to learn about the County and the types of great job opportunities we offer.

As a cohort, you will be responsible for a culminating group presentation before the Pierce County Council.

Check out what our interns have done in the past!

Paid Internships | Pierce County, WA - Official Website

About the Department: Planning and Public Works (PPW) stewards a healthy and vibrant community by collaboratively planning and investing in our people, infrastructure, systems, and policies.

PPW’s team has more than 800 members that collaborate, innovate and inspire in performing essential services to the community.

The department is responsible for the County road and levee systems, sewer systems, airports, ferries, building permits, environmental review, sustainability, community planning, and code enforcement - just to name a few!

Learn more about Planning and Public Works here.

About the Internship: As an intern in the Water Quality section, you will have the opportunity to interact with trained water quality specialists (environmental and marine scientists), wetland ecologists, fisheries biologists, and engineers.

You will participate in a long-term water quality monitoring program and gain valuable skills in water quality sampling, interpersonal communication, operation and maintenance of specialized equipment, and gain real-world job experience.

You will support in many exciting projects geared towards preserving, protecting, and enhancing Pierce County’s streams, rivers, lakes, and groundwater.

In addition to assisting with our stream monitoring program, you will have opportunities to learn about the operation of weather stations, make measurements of flow in streams, download data from sensors in groundwater wells, as well get on a boat to capture lake water quality measurements.

You will also participate in a new project to evaluate the use of eDNA techniques alongside traditional methods to measure the abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates in streams.

In the process, you will visit sites across Pierce County from Key Peninsula to locations near Mount Rainier.

You will see first-hand how stormwater and surface waters are managed at the local scale while gaining a deeper understanding of environmental policies and regulations.

How to be Successful in the Role:

In order to thrive in this role, you will have genuine interest in how humans shape the environment around us, especially our air, water, and climate.

Our ideal candidate for this role will have a positive attitude, be excited about science, be a self-starter and show up ready and eager to learn.

If you are someone who embodies all of these attributes and also thrives working on a team, this may be the internship for you!

Core Daily Responsibilities:

• Complete tasks in the office, laboratory, and field.
• Prepare sample bottle labels, chain-of-custody forms, and track sampling supply inventories.
• Collect water samples and record water quality data from streams using sophisticated instrumentation by following standard operating procedures.
• Process water samples and operate laboratory instruments.
• Conduct calibration procedures for instrumentation and assist with routine maintenance of field instruments.

Qualifications

Internship Requirements:

• A cover letter is required for consideration. Without one, you will not be considered.
• Must be local 6/8/2026 – 8/28/2026 to attend in-person cohort meetings, activities, and any work-related tasks.
• Must be at least 18 years old as of 6/8/2026.
• Willingness to learn and grow.
• Education, experience, or coursework in environmental studies, natural science, or engineering.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite (especially Word and Excel).
• Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds over uneven ground including up and down stream banks.
• Ability to ride in vehicles over long distances to field sites.

As a condition of employment, the applicant will need to authorize and complete a background check. Information received from the background check is reviewed case-by-case and will not necessarily remove an applicant from consideration.

Additional Information

To be considered for this opportunity please:

• Complete and submit an online Pierce County Employment Application by selecting "APPLY" above or go to: www.piercecountywa.gov/jobs.
• If you have a question about this opportunity, please email the Recruitment Team at PCHRRecruit@piercecountywa.gov and specify the Job Number and Title.
• If you do not have internet access, you may visit your local public library or any WorkSource location and use their computers.
• Individuals needing accommodation in the application, testing process, or need this job announcement in an alternative format may call Human Resources at (253) 798-7480, at least two days prior to the need.

This is a competitive selection process. Your application will be reviewed and evaluated for the quality and quantity of education/experience in the areas listed.

Applicants whose qualifications most closely correspond to the County's needs will be eligible for further consideration.

Notification of application status normally occurs 2 to 3 weeks after the closing date.

Short notice may be given to applicants to participate in further selection processes which may include assessments, phone screen, and interviews.

At Pierce County, diversity, equity, and inclusion means commitment, not a single step.

We strive to foster an inclusive environment that supports equitable access to opportunities throughout your career.

We want to recruit, develop, and maintain a talented workforce from various backgrounds, cultures, lifestyles, and perspectives, committed to our vision.

Employees of the County have local, direct, and visible impact in our diverse community. Will you join us in keeping Pierce County a place people are proud to call home?