Water Quality Science Internship

The Council for Watershed Health (CWH) is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 to advance the health and sustainability of our region’s watersheds, rivers, streams, and habitat – both in natural areas and urban neighborhoods. We do this through science-based research, education, and inclusive engagement.

Responsibilities

CWH is hiring a Student Intern for our Los Angeles Watershed Monitoring Program (LARWMP) to support water quality monitoring. We’re seeking an enthusiastic, adaptable individual with a relevant background in chemistry, biology, environmental sciences, ecology, etc. The Intern will work under the guidance of the Staff Scientist in designing and conducting a research project and supporting water quality field monitoring efforts. The ideal candidate will have skills, experience, or competency in the following responsibilities:

Water Quality Monitoring Fieldwork (35%)

• Conduct water quality monitoring in streams in the Los Angeles River Watershed up to five times per month.
• Use and calibrate field probes following standard practices.
• Identify and promptly communicate issues in field data collection and any sources of error in collected data.
• Participating in field efforts (10-25% of time collecting stormwater, sediment, and/or tissues or measuring water quality).
• Drive and hike to remote sampling locations for data collection.
• Follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and field safety protocols.
  
  

Intern Project (35%)

• Work collaboratively with CWH Science Team to plan and conduct a literature review or project about a topic of interest.
• Conduct data entry, data cleaning, basic data analysis, and GIS mapping.
• Design informative data visualizations (i.e., charts, graphs, data dashboards, infographics, etc.) for a general audience.
• Find, review, summarize, and synthesize reports and primary literature.
• Summarize study results in a final project report and presentation.
  
  

Project Support (30%)

• Supporting CWH projects such as attending tours, meetings, providing administrative support, and summarizing documents.
  
  

Key Success Factors

• Prior experience conducting field monitoring is preferred, but not required
• Strong problem-solving skills, works well under pressure, and is adaptive to a changing work environment
• Ability to communicate proactively and effectively with Staff Scientist and other staff
• Communicative and takes initiative on project tasks
• Actively seeks out support and clarification when unsure of project tasks
• Detail-oriented and able to prioritize tasks
• Good written and oral communication skills
• Enrollment as a full-time student in a bachelor’s or advanced degree program related to this field (Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Sciences, Ecology, etc.) or equivalent experience
  
  

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with Google Workspace.
• Some coursework OR equivalent experience using GIS, statistics, and/or data analysis programs (i.e., MS Excel, Google Sheets, ArcGIS, R, Python, etc.).
• Access to transportation to get to meeting points for field work.
• Available to work on weekends, evenings, and summer holidays.
• This role requires moving up to 25lbs of equipment and hiking through rough terrain and wading into streams hip deep.
• Use professional language in verbal and written communication.
  
  

Internship Application Questions (Please Submit Answers W/ Your Application)

Please answer the following questions. (Each 200 words max)

• What topics are you interested in researching for this internship, and how do they align with your academic or career goals?
• Do you have experience with data analysis? If so, please describe.
• Will this internship be completed for academic credit or as part of a senior thesis/capstone project? If so, please describe any requirements or expectations.
  
  

Pay: $25/hr

Benefits: Not eligible for employer-provided benefits

Location: 60% Remote

40% On-site

Hours: Must be available weekends, evenings, and summer holidays. Hours are 40 hours/week, depending on field schedule and employee availability. Flexible office schedule.

Length: May 20 - September 13, 2026. Start and end dates are flexible.

Application Deadline: April 19, 2026, 11:59 PM

CWH is committed to creating an inclusive workplace and ensuring a positive interview experience for all applicants. We encourage qualified applicants with disabilities to apply. If you require reasonable accommodations for any part of the application or interview process, please let us know by contacting HR@watershedhealth.org.

CWH is an equal opportunity employer and committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, veteran, disability status, or any other bias prohibited by applicable law. CWH strongly encourages people from underrepresented communities to apply.