Conservation Hatchery Biology Intern

Seattle City Light, a department of the City of Seattle, is one of the nation’s largest municipally owned utilities in terms of the number of customers served. Over the years we have worked very hard to keep Seattle's electricity affordable, reliable, and environmentally sound. Today, City Light is a recognized national leader in energy efficiency and environmental stewardship. 

Internship Opportunity: Native Salmonid Conservation Project (Remote Location)

This internship is based at the Native Salmonid Conservation Facility (NSCF) in Usk, WA, in Pend Oreille County. It provides a hands-on learning experience focused on conservation-based native fishery restoration, supporting Boundary Dam FERC licensing obligations.

Educational Focus:

The 2025 Hatchery Internship offers students an opportunity to develop entry-level biological data collection and animal husbandry skills within an environmental restoration context. Interns will engage in structured learning projects under the guidance of the Hatchery Supervisor, Operator, and Technician, gaining direct experience in conservation practices and ecological monitoring.

Job Responsibilities

Learning Objectives:

 Through this internship, students will:

• Develop field research techniques and environmental data collection skills.
• Gain hands-on experience in the care and rearing of native wild westslope cutthroat trout.
• Apply husbandry, monitoring, and data collection methods to support healthy ecosystems and fishery restoration efforts in the Pend Oreille Basin.

Project-Based Learning Experience:

 Interns will actively participate in conservation-focused projects that support ecological restoration and fishery management. Tasks may include:

• Assisting in preparing feed and feeding fish, ensuring fish health and safety.
• Cleaning fish rearing vessels and facility operations to maintain optimal conditions.
• Supporting fish spawning, incubation, and maturation processes.
• Conducting environmental surveys alongside SCL field staff, including:
  • Water temperature monitoring and aquatic habitat assessments.
  • Daytime backpack electrofishing surveys and nighttime boat-based electrofishing surveys.
  • Remote telemetry station maintenance and mobile telemetry surveys.
  • Netting and handling fish in streams and reservoirs.
  • Participating in snorkeling surveys to observe and document fish behavior and habitat conditions.
• Learning to operate a backpack electrofishing unit in accordance with conservation protocols.
• Downloading and recording instrument data, as well as manually entering field observations.

This internship is designed to provide students with hands-on training in environmental conservation, field research, and native fish species restoration, preparing them for future careers in fisheries biology, environmental science, or related fields.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Undergraduate students will need to maintain a 2.0 GPA or above throughout the internship. 
• Current Washington State driver's license or evidence of equivalent mobility.

Areas of Study: 

• Enrolled in an accredited certificate, 2-year or 4-year undergraduate program during their internship.
• Enrolled in an academic program with focus on fisheries, fish ecology or physiology, aquaculture, natural resources, biology, zoology or related field.

Desired Qualifications:

You will be successful if you have the following experience, skills, and abilities: 

• Understanding of basic water chemistry and water quality parameters important to sustaining aquatic organisms.
• Demonstrated effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience at a fish hatchery, conducting fish surveys, data collection and management.

Please note this job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Additional Information

This internship requires onsite work at the Native Salmonid Conservation Facility in Usk, WA.  City Light does not provide housing; however, services may be available through the US Forest Service Newport Ranger district. Upon request, contact information can be provided during the interview process. 

The full salary range for this position is $21.78-$21.78per hour.