Olympic Experimental State Forest Research and Monitoring Intern

2025 Olympic Experimental State Forest Research and Monitoring Intern (5 mo.) – Exempt

-Full-time (40 hrs/week), flexible start date with anticipated employment May-September, 2025
-This recruitment will be used to fill 2 positions for an approximate 5-month duration.
-Location: Olympic Region – Forks, WA.
-Salary: 
Undergraduate Junior or lower: $16.86 to $18.65/hr.
Undergraduate Senior: $16.96 to $20.23/hr.
Graduate Students: up to $22.78/hr.
*Housing expected to be provided.

Join something GREAT and make a difference!
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an exciting opportunity within our Habitat Conservation Plan group in the Forest Resources Division. These two positions will be involved in research and monitoring to help meet DNR’s commitments under the Endangered Species Act and will also work on the co-led DNR/University of Washington T3 Watershed Experiment on DNR’s Olympic Experimental State Forest. Work conducted by these positions will include conducting juvenile salmonid population estimates (using a backpack electrofisher), stream habitat surveys, water quality sampling, and riparian/upland forest stand surveys. The people selected for these positions will work in 2-4 person crews. Work sites are remote and require strenuous hikes on steep slopes, often carrying heavy sampling equipment. Most work is completed rain or shine under a wide variety of weather conditions. These positions provide an excellent opportunity for current students, graduating seniors, or those accepted to graduate school to gain diverse experience on stream, forest, and fish sampling techniques, while also experiencing the beautiful Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. Housing is provided for these positions. For additional information, please visit our storymaps on the salmon monitoring and riparian habitat monitoring programs.

Responsibilities:

• Works as part of a team to conduct physical and biological surveys of streams, riparian areas, uplands within the OESF.
• Implements field protocols for sampling and estimating juvenile salmonid abundance and adult spawner estimates. Identifies salmonid species. This data collection includes sampling, analysis, observation, and monitoring of stream salmon population research and monitoring.
• Collects field and instream data on stream morphology, stream water temperature, riparian vegetation and microclimate.
• Collects forest measurement field data such as tree diameter, species identification, tree density, and understory vegetation data.
• Implements field monitoring protocols that must be adhered to, to ensure scientific consistency and confidence in measurements, results and conclusions. This includes both uplands and instream research installation sites. Conducts work under close supervision by agency scientists.
• Operates and maintains field instruments and equipment such as stream flow gauges, stream temperature sensors, wildlife cameras, field data tablets, backpack electro-fishers and 4×4 vehicles.
• Ensures location and installation of sampling instruments are appropriate, installs or relocates sampling instruments when necessary.
• Drives a vehicle on unimproved roads and navigates unmarked road systems, and hikes rugged terrain, and copes with a variety of weather conditions.
• Coordinates with supervisor and region staff on logistics for ongoing fieldwork.

Required Qualifications: 

• A currently enrolled or admitted student in an undergraduate or graduate program majoring in Forest Management, Forest Science, Silviculture, Fisheries, Environmental Studies, Ecology or related field.
• 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.
• College-level coursework in the natural Sciences
• 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.