http://www.usace.army.mil

US Army Corps of Engineers

Park ranger

May - August 2021 • Hinton, WV

What I liked

Hands-on experience patrolling a corps of Engineers project

What I wish was different

Nothing

Advice

Be ready for a LOT of strenuous activity
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Economics intern

May 2020 • Buffalo, NY

What I liked

It was full time and paid in a field that I was really interested in. It was also all virtual to accommodate to the current environment.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have started in person to meet more of my coworkers.

Advice

Don’t be afraid to take the opportunities which present themselves in front of you, even if you feel as though you aren’t experience enough.
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Regulatory Specialist

June - September 2020 • Brookfield, WI

What I liked

For conservation biologists, the Army Corps provides plenty of challenges and opportunity for professional and personal advancement. My co-workers and supervisors were top-notch and truly cared about protecting the environment. I welcomed and received both positive feedback and constructive criticism from my supervisors. The Corps is always improving it's internal management processes, for instance, increasing diversity and inclusion, offering open and frank opportunities for discussions about social and political changes in the country, and listening to feedback from employees.

What I wish was different

N/a

Advice

Do well at an internship and you may be offered a permanent position in the future. Good job for those who like problem solving and are comfortable making decisions after thoughtful review of project proposals. There's always room to learn more and always plenty of projects to keep you busy.
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Financial Management Intern (Public Sector)

September - December 2019 • Memphis, TN

What I liked

The environment

What I wish was different

It is the federal government job

Advice

a good place to start
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Intern

May - August 2019 • Anchorage, AK

What I liked

My team

What I wish was different

Advice

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Student Trainee Engineer

June 2019 • Buffalo, NY

What I liked

The US Army Corps of Engineers was a great opportunity to get in field construction experience in order to connect structural design to construction and the constraints construction presents

What I wish was different

I wish I was able to do more design work overall

Advice

I would recommend QA positions to any studying engineering student in order to understand construction contracts and the engineer to contractor relationship
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Park Ranger

January 2019 • Smartsville, CA

What I liked

Every aspect of the job. Mix of outdoors and office work.

What I wish was different

I wish I would have held more events with the public.

Advice

Enjoy every moment of being a student park ranger.
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Cost Engineer Intern

May - August 2019 • Kansas City, MO

What I liked

The Corp was a great opportunity to learn about the real world and how an engineering firm works. I got plenty help and the team was very friendly.

What I wish was different

I wanted to sit a little closer to my boss as to ask questions easier.

Advice

The government is a great place to work with great hours and plenty of helpful people.
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Student Legal Intern

June - September 2019 • Philadelphia, PA

What I liked

The organization, people, and type of work was all wonderful.

What I wish was different

I wish I had started earlier in the month of June.

Advice

Government work is worth it, even if only for student internships.
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Habitat Technician, GS 05

May - August 2019 • Yankton, SD

What I liked

I had a blast this summer working on the management and monitoring of Piping Plovers, Least Tern and Pallid Sturgeon. These species are all either threatened or endangered and I fell in love with the conservation work. I also got to work with a lot of really awesome influential people. I had countless opportunities to show my independence as well as my ability to collaborate with a team of many different entities in the field of wildlife and fisheries. I also got to work with many people at different stages in their careers.

What I wish was different

I wish the seasonal position would have been a longer appointment. Due to the high water events It was unfortunately cut shorter than what was first anticipated.

Advice

Take the time to learn from those you work with and never be afraid to ask questions.
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Summer Hire - Student Economist

May - August 2019 • Chicago, IL

What I liked

My experience with the Army Corps (the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USACE) provided me with the opportunity to apply theoretical economic concepts to real-world concerns. As a summer hire, with a background in economics and finance, I was shown that if I could swim 'with the big fish' I would be provided with projects that were suited to my capabilities; this show of trust allowed me to flourish in a professional setting. In addition to the meaningful and 'greater-purpose'-driven work my seniors (and supervisor) constantly sought out ways to challenge and provide opportunities for more enterprise-focused training. This experience was an amazing experience and I truly believe that this experience was representative of what a true career would entail.

What I wish was different

The only difference I would have hoped for was the location of my work environment; I was woefully (initially) unprepared for the chaos that is Chicago morning commute rush.

Advice

I highly recommend that interested parties reach out to those divisions (of USACE) that they believe that they would succeed at and ask to meet with a member of the section to which they would be assigned. Each division of USACE has specific functions and though they share project workloads (across the entire enterprise) finding that location that would be uniquely special to you would enable you to start off on a strong foot while being comfortable in your environment.
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Pathways Intern

May 2019 • New York City, NY

What I liked

The broad range of projects that the company is involved in.

What I wish was different

I worked at the Division level which consists of mostly Project Managers so I did get to see as much technical work as I would have liked.

Advice

Ask questions, listen to learn, and make connections. The Army Corps and Department of Defense in general so diverse as far as career paths that even if you don't intern for the exact team you would want to work with post graduation, they will likely be able to connect you with someone who is doing something more aligned with the work you would like to do.
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Hydraulic Engineering Intern

June - August 2019 • St. Louis, MO

What I liked

The people I worked with and the real-world experience were both enriching experiences to have over the course of one summer.

What I wish was different

Advice

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