Communications Sites Intern

2025 Communications Sites Intern – Exempt

Exempt, Full-time to Part-time (Minimum 16 hours and up to 40 hrs/week), Flexible start date with 3-6 month duration.
Anticipated employment is May-September, 2025
Location: Natural Resources Building Olympia, WA.  – Location flexibility may be considered to include Castle Rock, Longview and Shelton, WA

Salary: 

• Sophomore and below: $17.00/hr.
• Junior: $18.00/hr.
• Senior: $19.00/hr.
• Graduate Students: up to $22.00/hr.
• 1-year Graduate program $20.00/hr.
• 2-year Graduate program $21.00/hr.
• Higher $22.00/hr. *Housing stipend of up to $1,000/mo. maybe available

Join something GREAT and make a difference!
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an exciting opportunity. Are you a student passionate about the sustainable management of our state’s natural resources, but also have a mind for business? This position is an opportunity to learn and experience communications site leasing on mountaintops to provide our communities with vital communications and natural resource leasing. This position will provide invaluable experience in the many disciplines of lease management, program development, and project management. You will have the opportunity to work both in the office and in the field visiting sites across the state to get a holistic view of policy, program management, lease administration, and on-the-ground management.

Responsibilities:

Leasing and Asset Management

• Assisting with lease correspondence and management.
• Conducting site inspections for communication towers and buildings.
• Mapping and analyzing spatial and tabular data related to program assets and land use.
• Performing historical research to support lease management, land use compliance, and stewardship.
• Assisting with outreach and communication with impacted groups.

Data Analysis and Reporting

• Reviewing and updating GIS data for accuracy and relevance to land and asset management.
• Analyzing lease data to identify trends or opportunities for improved land use and revenue generation.
• Preparing reports to support decision-making processes related to land and asset management

Partner Engagement

• Supporting interactions with private communication companies and government entities
• Attending meetings with interested parties and documenting key takeaways.
• Contributing to outreach efforts to strengthen partner relationships and align land use with program goals.

Required Qualifications: 

• A full-time student (12+ credits/quarter) majoring in Community or Land Use Planning, Business Administration, Public Administration, Real Estate, Environmental Science, Arboriculture, Urban Forestry, Geographic Information Systems, Project Management, Natural Resource Management or related field and will be returning to school in a following quarter/semester.
• A licensed driver with two years of driving experience. Employees who drive for state business, whether in a state or privately owned vehicle, are required to possess a valid license and abide by all other driver responsibility requirements.
• At least 18 years of age at the time of hire.