2025  Natural Areas & Wildlife Intern, Southeast Region - 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: Southeast Region - Ellensburg, WA.  - Location flexibility may be considered to include Yakima and Klickitat Counties.
• 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. may be available

Join something GREAT and make a difference!
This unique position will work with two different, but related, programs at DNR including the Southeast Region Biologist and the Southeast Region Natural Areas Program. Biologists in the DNR Forest Resources Program support region staff by providing consultation on land management activities as they relate to wildlife habitat and work with region staff to improve habitat conservation. The wildlife portion of the internship will work directly with the region biologist monitoring goshawk nest sites across the region and conducting Northern spotted owl surveys. In the Southeast region, the Natural Areas Program is responsible for over 15,000 acres across 16 sites that support rare and sensitive plants, animals, and high-quality native ecosystems. For the Natural Areas portion of the position, the intern will assist staff in forest surveys, invasive species management, and collection of data for rare species population tracking.

Responsibilities:
The internship program is designed to give students educational and hands-on field experience in a variety of duties that will include:

• Collect forest plot data to assess forest stand condition and inform future management actions
• Invasive species control
• Inventory and mapping of invasive species and rare plants
• Create maps using the ArcGIS program and data management  
• Conduct surveys for species of concern
• Review and quality check results of bioacoustics monitoring data

Required Qualifications: 

• A current student in an undergraduate or graduate program majoring in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Natural Resource Management, or a 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.
• 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.