Habitat Connectivity Internship at the Washington State Department of Transportation

Pay: $18.00/hour Evergreen internship course credit may also available, pending discussion and completion of paperwork.

Schedule: 20 hours per week during the quarter, and up to 40 hours per week during breaks. Hours are flexible, but some reoccurring meetings within the 7:00 am to 5:00 pm period, Monday through Friday, may be required. While the number of hours worked per week are relatively fixed, the schedule is flexible.

When: July 2025 – June 2026. Potential opportunity to extend for the duration of the intern’s academic program.

Where: Much of the work can be completed remotely. Field work is required, at a minimum, one day per week. Some training and meetings occur at WSDOT headquarters. WSDOT headquarters, 310 Maple Park Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98504

 

 

To apply, please email a resume/CV, contact information for two references, and a short cover letter detailing your interest and relevant experience by June 2 2025 to:

Glen Kalisz

Habitat Connectivity Biologist Glen.Kalisz@wsdot.wa.gov 360-819-7357

 

Marisa Pushee

Assistant Habitat Connectivity Biologist Marisa.Pushee@wsdot.wa.gov

360-705-6966

 

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is seeking to hire one intern from the Master of Environmental Studies (MES) or undergraduate programs at The Evergreen State College to support the agency’s habitat connectivity work. The primary duties involve maintaining a network of motion-triggered cameras at wildlife crossing structures along the state highway system, as well as at roadside and off highway locations.

 

The intern will process data from the cameras and complete analyses that describe the seasonal and temporal relationships of wildlife and highways. Other work, such as maintaining the wildlife carcass removal and salvage databases, assisting with Endangered Species Act- related permitting work, and preparing informational posters for internal and external audiences will be completed as time allows.

 

Position Objective: The Habitat Connectivity Internship primarily involves servicing wildlife cameras distributed across the state and processing the data from them. This includes reviewing thousands of images weekly, identifying wildlife species and number of individuals, and entering this and other information into a database. Periodically, interns analyze wildlife use of bridges, culverts, and areas adjacent to the highway, producing summary statistics to further our understanding of wildlife activity patterns in the vicinity of highways. Other opportunities, such as assisting with WSDOT’s Endangered Species Act policy, will be provided.

 

Camera servicing involves regular visits to locations across the state to swap batteries and collect data. Since the intern helps maintain an active monitoring program, removing and installing cameras will also occur. The intern must be comfortable driving long distances in a state vehicle throughout all seasons. Camera servicing field days frequently involve hundreds of miles of driving, often in rural areas or over mountain passes.

 

Over the past decade, WSDOT’s reliance on MES interns to maintain, produce and analyze data has grown tremendously, and applicants should expect a challenging position with increasing responsibility earned throughout. Interns are encouraged to utilize WSDOT habitat connectivity data for their theses.

 

Essential job knowledge, skills and abilities:

  • Knowledge of Pacific Northwest wildlife species, their ecology, life history and habitat utilization
  • At least one college level course in statistics
  • Ability to meticulously process large volumes of information to produce data
  • Ability to analyze data, derive basic statistics and communicate results in tables and text
  • Interest in developing geographic information systems (GIS) skills
  • Ability to hike over rough and uneven terrain carrying up to 30
  • Willingness to work in various weather conditions including snow and rain
  • Valid Washington State driver’s license
  • Ability to safely drive long distances in varied locations and weather types
  • Telework capabilities including an adequate workstation and internet connection (computer and accessories will be provided by WSDOT; office space is available)
  • Enrollment in The Evergreen State College’s Master of Environmental Studies or undergraduate program