STUDENT PROGRAMS

Get Involved and Make a Difference!

The State Water Boards offers exciting internship and youth aid opportunities. If you are interested in mentoring with professionals whose mission is to preserve, enhance and restore the quality of California’s water resources, this is an opportunity for you.

The State Water Boards’ Internship Program offers both paid and non-paid internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students of all majors and backgrounds. The youth aid program offers opportunities to high school students to work and get paid during the summer break.

These programs are designed to provide students who have an interest in California’s water resources with practical, real-world experience. Our internships may qualify for academic credit and are coordinated between the student and school. Interns' hours vary and are dependent on the needs of the Water Boards and the intern.

If you are a student interested in water resources, an internship and youth aid position with the Water Boards may be just what you are looking for.

News Advisory: Water Boards Announce New Statewide Internship Program

Student Programs

Amazing Internship. Get Paid To Make A Difference!

The Water Boards' are seeking undergraduate and graduate students to work with dedicated mentors on important issues including climate change, water conservation, drinking water, water quality, and groundwater. Visit CalCareers for opportunities.

Requirements:

A resume
At least one letter of recommendation.
A Statement of Qualification. See job posting.
Job Application STD 678.

Have questions? Email recruitment@waterboards.ca.gov.

Intern with the Water Boards!

The Water Boards' are seeking undergraduate and graduate talent of all majors and backgrounds who have an interest in California’s water resources. The Water Boards' are responsible for monitoring water quality, ensuring safe drinking water, developing polices and permits to protect all uses of water, and providing financial assistance to protect the public and environment.

To apply for a nonpaid internship at the Water Boards, submit the following:

A cover page (stating why you would like to intern with the Water Boards)
A resume
At least one letter of recommendation

Email your internship application package to internships@waterboards.ca.gov. Please include the following:

Counties of interest
Dates of availability

Opportunities Available Now!

Organization (Divison/Region/Board)	Description of Duties
CA Regional Water Quality Control Board, Santa Ana Region Classification: Nonpaid Intern Unit: Inland Planning Supervisor: Barbara Barry Location: 3737 Main Street, Suite 500, Riverside, CA 92501-3348 Number of Positions: 1 Note: Please read description of duties section for additional requirements. Publish Date: 11/27/2019 Filing Deadline: Until Filled	Position No: RPA-19-180-030-XXX. (Click on position number to view description of duties.) Under the close supervision of a Senior Environmental Scientist and consistent with good customer service practices and the goals of the State and Regional Board’s Strategic Plan, the unpaid student intern is to provide timely courteous responses to internal/external customers, follow through on commitments and solicit and consider internal/external customers input when completing work assignments. Specific duties include the following: After receiving appropriate in-house training, support Board staff in retrieving, compiling, collecting, and organizing technical and scientific information Assist with water quality monitoring data entry, data uploads and downloads from both the California Environmental Data Exchange Network (CEDEN) and verification of data correctness as needed. Prepare, organize, and file total maximum daily load (TMDL) documents and data. Create and maintain the administrative records for TMDL projects. Compile and analyze water quality data and other information relevant to TMDLs. Plan sampling events and collect and process field samples to support Big Bear Lake TMDL revisions, harmful algal bloom incident report response and investigation, the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, and Integrated Report assessment. The intern, along with the assistance and supervision of other Regional Board staff, will collect grab samples, utilize a handheld multi-parameter meter, record field data, analyze laboratory results, and prepare samples for shipment to the laboratory. Geocode data collected during field events in ArcGIS database. With the assistance of Regional Board staff, the intern will organize data collected in the field into a database and then geocode the data so it can be visualized in ArcMap. Assist Regional Board staff in preparing Lines of Evidence and Decisions for the 303(d)/305(b) Integrated Report. The intern will review and organize data in Microsoft Excel/Access and the CalWQA database.

Have questions? Email recruitment@waterboards.ca.gov.

Legal Internship with the Office of Enforcement

The Water Board’s Office of Enforcement is seeking a legal intern for the Fall 2020 semester. The legal intern will conduct legal research and writing relating to water quality and water rights enforcement matters, interpret statutes and regulations, and prepare legal documents such as subpoenas, memoranda, reports, summaries, etc.

View the Legal Intern announcement.

To apply for a nonpaid, legal internship at the Office of Enforcement, submit the following:

A cover letter,
A resume,
An unofficial transcript, and
A writing sample (7 pages or less)

Email your internship application package to kailyn.ellison@waterboards.ca.gov by July 17, 2020.

Test the Waters!

Do you want to learn about enhancing and protecting California's waters, while developing career skills and abilities then this is an opportunity not to pass up. Make a difference! Join the team!

To Qualify:

Between the ages of 15 and 18
In high school
Meet high school’s work permit criteria

Steps to Apply:

Create a CalCareers Account
Search for State Water Resources Control Board Youth Aid positions
Read the job posting and duty statement and submit the required documents to apply

Have questions? Email recruitment@waterboards.ca.gov.

Recruitment Events

Legal Intern Opportunity
Now Available!

See the Student Programs page under the Legal Internship for more information.

“It’s because of the formative opportunities internships have provided me that I’m excited to see the Water Boards develop a focused program,” said State Water Resources Control Board Member E. Joaquin Esquivel. “Like many sectors, the water sector is facing a tidal change as retirements multiply and challenges filling critical positions grow. I see this program as a first step to greater engagement by the Boards in workforce development challenges sector wide.

“Although it’s a benefit for us as an agency to have new bright minds at the Boards, the program is designed first and foremost to meet the needs of the students,” Esquivel said. “The work at the Water Boards is diverse, demanding and crucial to so many Californians. With a successful initial cohort, I’m hopeful the program will continue to expand the number of paid opportunities in future years."

Joaquin Esquivel, Board Chair State Water Boards