Youth Education Aquatics Intern

2025  Youth Education Aquatics Intern - Exempt
--Exempt, Full-time to Part-time (Minimum 16 hours and up to 40 hrs/week), Flexible start date with expected 3-month duration.
--Anticipated employment is June-August, 2025
--Location: Natural Resources Building - Olympia, WA.  - Location flexibility may be considered to include Mason County.
--Salary: 
Undergraduate Junior or lower: $16.86 - $18.65
Undergraduate Senior: $16.96 - $20.23
Graduate Students: $17.75 - $22.78

Review of applications is ongoing. We reserve the right to make a hiring decision or close this recruitment at any time after April 27. It is in your best interest to submit materials as soon as possible.

Join something GREAT and make a difference!
Join the Washington Department of Natural Resources this summer! As an intern in the Youth Education and Outreach Program (YEOP), you will be working to support programming to engage local youth in education on climate science, nearshore monitoring, and aquatic natural resources management. 

This YEOP intern will collaborate with DNR’s aquatic monitoring staff to create curriculum materials to support youth education and outreach regarding the management of aquatic systems; facilitate educational programming in a variety of settings to support environmental literacy and career-connected learning; develop and review protocols to engage the public in community science on locally-relevant aquatic resources management issues; and develop public-facing communications on aquatic monitoring data. 

As part of educational programming, this position will support the Climate Resilience Youth Internship (CRYI), which is run in partnership with the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG) and engages high school students in efforts to measure and document scientific observations in their local coastal systems. By encouraging climate literacy and skill development, we hope to continue to engage an expanding group of volunteer community scientists and equip youth with workforce-relevant skills that empower them to engage in climate solution actions in their communities.

Responsibilities:
Facilitate Educational Programming

• Facilitate learning activities for high school interns participating in the Climate Resilience Youth Internship program
• Facilitate community events for broad public engagement on DNR’s aquatic resources programs
• Facilitate field experiences for youth involved in summer programming to promote climate science education and natural resources career exploration
• Refine tools for evaluating outreach programming outcomes and make recommendations for program improvement

Develops Curriculum and Public-Facing Communication Materials

• Film and edit Day in the Life videos highlighting careers in aquatic resources
• Create graphics illustrating pathways to aquatics resources careers
• Design materials for use at tabling events to engage the public in interactive learning about aquatic ecosystems and climate impacts
• Develop curriculum resources to support the Climate Resilience Youth Internship and Students in the Watershed programs
• Collaborate with Aquatics and the Youth Education and Outreach Program staff to develop curriculum for K-12 education on kelp and eelgrass, nearshore monitoring, and climate science
• Collaborate with Aquatics and the Youth Education and Outreach Program staff to develop and refine protocols for participation in community science

Required Qualifications: 

• A current student in an undergraduate or graduate program majoring in Environmental Science, Natural Resources, Marine Science, Oceanography, Education, or a related field.
• A licensed driver with two years of driving experience.
• At least 18 years of age at the time of hire.
• Maintain high standards for safety
• Maintain high standards of personal, professional, and ethical conduct
• Contributes to a work environment that embraces diversity and brings together the strengths and perspectives of diverse groups.
• Conveys a clear desire and ability to learn new concepts and skills.
• Shows the ability to turn learned conceptions into practical application.