Water Quality Laboratory Intern

Who We Are:

Save the Sound leads environmental action in your region. We fight climate change and build resilient communities, save endangered lands, protect the Sound, and restore its rivers. We do this in many ways, from legislative advocacy and legal action to engineering, environmental monitoring, and hands- on volunteer efforts. For more than 50 years we’ve been ensuring people can enjoy the healthy, clean, and thriving environment they deserve—today and for generations to come.

Our Water Quality Team advocates for the health of Long Island Sound through community organizing; data collection, analysis and visualization; legal and legislative advocacy; engaging and informative storytelling; and targeted pollution reduction campaigns. Our growing team brings a variety of backgrounds, characteristics, and skillsets together to produce tangible outcomes that improve the environs of Long Island Sound. We are highly collaborative, nimble, and innovative in our approach to achieving our shared mission of clean and life-filled waterways.

Learn more about us at www.savethesound.org.

Program Background

Bacterial pollution leading to beach closures is a critically important issue. In 2013, Save the Sound initiated a seasonal community-based water quality monitoring program in Westchester that measures bacteria levels and shares the findings with the public. Save the Sound also coordinates and participates in a Sound-wide study, the Unified Water Study, to measure eutrophic conditions in embayments of Long Island Sound.

Internship Description

As a part of our dynamic seasonal water quality sampling program, you will be working with volunteers from Long Island Sound shoreline communities. You will learn about water quality monitoring and processing samples in our lab located in Larchmont, NY. The position will assist in data analysis and the development of figures, maps, and tables for reports.

This position will primarily involve time in the laboratory and office.  Laboratory work will include calibration of both lab and field instruments, bacteria measurements using IDEXX methods, logging analytical results, preparation of standards and reagents, and general laboratory maintenance. In the office there will be research work associated with water quality monitoring.

The Water Quality Laboratory Intern will occasionally work with volunteers in the laboratory. The intern will also work closely with monitoring groups participating in the Unified Water Study. There will be opportunities to participate in fieldwork if the intern is interested.

This is educational internship is expected to last approximately 12 weeks with some flexibility around the intern’s current schedule - reporting to the Laboratory Manager. Office and lab work will be conducted in our Larchmont, NY office in Westchester. Fieldwork will take place along western Long Island Sound.

Desired Qualifications:

• We are looking for a highly motivated individual with:
• Excellent organizational skills, experience working with data, and strong familiarity with Microsoft Excel
• Laboratory Experience (educational and/or professional)
• Ability to work independently and prioritize daily tasks to meet program goals
• Strong communications skills
• Ability to work with and coordinate all types of people mixed together in a group setting
• Science education and a passion for protecting and restoring water quality

TERMS & COMPENSATION:

This is a full-time, seasonal internship that provides a stipend of $8,160 for an average work week of 40 hours/week. The intern is required to be in the office 5 days a week. The internship begins June 1st, 2026 and runs through August 21st, 2026 with some flexibility around the intern’s current schedule. This is not an employee position and does not include benefits. Reimbursement for work-related travel is provided. Some evening and weekend hours may be required on an as needed basis.

This position is contingent upon the continued level and availability of funding for work organizationally. Save the Sound reserves the right to modify or terminate employment if funding is reduced or unavailable.

TO APPLY:

Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and list of references via our career page on BambooHR. Applicants are encouraged to apply early, as applications will be reviewed as they are received. Applications will be accepted starting January 28th, until the position is filled.

We are a thoughtful and thorough organization. We will be in touch to acknowledge receipt of your application and to schedule selected applicants for an interview. Our hiring process can take from 7 to 10 weeks. You will be informed when the hiring process is complete. Please be patient.

Additional Details Common to All Positions

Save the Sound’s Commitment to Equity and Diversity

Save the Sound is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination based on age, color, disability, marital or parental status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other legally protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Our organizational leadership and staff are working to deepen Save the Sound’s diversity, equity, and inclusion. We seek to attract a more diverse applicant pool, and to add and retain more outstanding Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to all levels of our team. We work in diverse communities and landscapes and are actively working to increase our focus on driving environmental justice and equitable outcomes through our work.

Shared Organizational Job Responsibilities

• Maintaining positive and productive working relationships with all Save the Sound staff members, including providing and receiving constructive feedback;
• Participating in building productive relationships with Save the Sound's members, external partners, policy makers, and the general public;
• Completing all administrative work on time, such as timesheets, purchase orders, project reports, and planning document.