Environmental Stewardship Intern - Clean Water Utility/GIS

The Clean Water Utility intern will assist staff in the Clean Water Utility, under the San Juan County Department of Environmental Stewardship. This position is ideally full-time at 32-hours per week, though there is flexibility depending on the intern's availability. The position includes a mixture of virtual and in-person tasks and will run approximately from June through August 2025. This is a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience in clean water management and environmental education in the San Juan Islands. This role involves learning about the local water cycle and regulatory frameworks, conducting literature reviews, and creating educational outreach materials. Responsibilities include light fieldwork such as weeding and watering riparian plants, conducting plant survival surveys, and attending public outreach events like the San Juan County Fair. You will also use GIS tools (ArcGIS Pro, Field Maps, StoryMaps, Dashboards, and Experience Builder) to support mapping projects, participate in utility audits, and present your work at team and advisory committee meetings. Task 1. Learning, Collaboration, and Outreach: 1.1 With staff guidance, learn about the Clean Water Utility and County surface water networks:

• Learn the history, purpose, and function of the Clean Water Utility.
• Learn about laws and agencies in the United States and Washington and their role in helping communities function in ways that support clean water and healthy ecosystems.
• Review and report relevant literature on or related to the County water cycle.

1.2 Collaboration

• Attend Clean Water Utility meetings and work with staff to complete project tasks.
• Attend the Department of Environmental Stewardship’s biweekly team meetings.
• Attend the Clean Water Advisory Committee meetings and present completed projects to the committee.
• Collaborate with the San Juan County GIS department on GIS related projects.

1.3 Outreach

• Create online and in person educational public outreach material about clean water issues.
• Engage with the community at the Environmental Stewardship booth during the San Juan County Fair, utilizing outreach material. August 14th-17th
• Create material for the Environmental Stewardship newsletter related to projects.

Task 2. Fieldwork:

• Participate in fieldwork for clean water projects to develop a sense of place and inform related GIS tasks. Fieldwork includes completing spatial data surveys using Field Maps, and 2 to 3 days of weeding and mulching per month.

Task 3. GIS and ArcGIS Online (AGOL):

• Learn AGOL web applications (Experience Builder, StoryMaps, Dashboards, Instant Apps) to create interactive map products with collected field and research data.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the cycle of water and water related challenges across the San Juan Islands.
• Become familiar with how the Clean Water Utility functions as a public service.
• Learn how to use GIS applications to collect data and turn it into useful products for data visualization, resource management, and outreach education.
• Learn how to create and communicate effective public outreach and education about environmental issues.
• Completion of an introductory course in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (required)
• Experience with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Teams (preferred)
• Proficiency in graphic design tools such as Canva, Adobe Illustrator, or similar software
• Strong project presentation skills
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team and independently on assigned tasks
• Willingness and ability to travel to project sites, work outdoors in varying conditions, and work virtually as needed

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