Watershed Planning Program – Data Management and Water Quality Assessment Intern – UNPAID – (26000378)
Description
Who We Are:
The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) seeks to protect, preserve, and enhance Massachusetts’ environmental resources and create a clean energy future for all residents. Through the stewardship of open spaces, the protection of environmental resources, and the advancement of clean energy, EEA works tirelessly to make Massachusetts a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. Our commitment to environmental justice ensures that every resident, regardless of background or location, can live in a safe, clean environment and shares equally in the benefits of the clean energy transition.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is the state agency responsible for ensuring clean air, land, and water. Our work impacts every aspect of people’s lives and is critical to the health and wellbeing of our residents and visitors. MassDEP is the lead agency for safe management of toxics and hazardous materials, promotion of waste reduction and recycling, preservation of the state’s wetlands and coastal resources, air quality monitoring and pollution reduction, and so much more.
Who We Are as an Employer:
At EEA, we create meaningful, inclusive opportunities that empower our employees to make a real difference in shaping the environmental future of Massachusetts. We foster a workplace culture where diversity is valued, innovation is encouraged, and collaboration thrives. Our employees play a vital role in advancing sustainability, environmental justice, and clean energy solutions, ensuring a positive and lasting impact on Massachusetts and its residents.
Job Description:
The Watershed Planning Program (WPP) in the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is a statewide program with a mission to protect, enhance, and restore the quality and value of the waters of the Commonwealth. Together with other MassDEP programs and state environmental agencies, WPP shares the duty and responsibility to secure the environmental, recreational, and public health benefits of clean water for all people of the Commonwealth.
The intern will (a) explore data structures in the Water Quality eXchange (WQX) portal managed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); (b) download data from WQX; (c) perform exploratory analyses on data existing in WQX; (d) summarize data structures, types, and sources in WQX; and (e) support the development of tools for data acquisition, review, and analysis.
Job Duties:
Learn WQX data structures through research of online materials and existing WPP documentation on WQX data structures.
Review the Massachusetts Consolidated Assessment and Listing Methodology (CALM) Guidance Manual to understand the parameters and data requirements for use in WPP’s water quality assessments under the CWA.
Utilize WPP R scripts to download data from WQX for review.
Catalog all external data sources used by WPP for CWA decision making (including data not sourced from WQX).
Use the R statistical program and/or MS Excel to perform exploratory analyses of water quality data collected in Massachusetts currently found in WQX.
If time allows, the intern will also be asked to:
Compare WQX data to information in WPP’s existing databases and storage systems.
Map WQX domains (i.e., fields) to WPP CWA assessment methodologies described in the CALM document.
The intern will create a summary report of the results of all exploratory analyses, including visualizations, flow diagrams, and a narrative. The intern will also produce summary tabular data files for use by WPP in developing the plan to implement upgraded review procedures and the planned transition to using WQX for external data acquisition and storage. Training on use of the R statistics program and ArcGIS Pro will be provided as part of the internship.
Preferred Qualifications:
The preferred candidate will have excellent organizational skills, the ability to meet deadlines, and work well both independently and as a member of a team.
Basic knowledge of the principles and practices of environmental science.
Experience gathering and tabulating data from a variety of sources.
Experience summarizing data into a usable format.
Ability to work independently and in an organized manner with strong attention to detail.
Preferred proficiency with R and/or ArcGIS, but not required.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel) software.
Effective communication skills, in writing, in person, over Teams, and on the telephone.
This internship is unpaid and designed to support students or recent graduates seeking practical experience in the field. Interns may be eligible to earn academic credit through their college or university.
Position Information:
Contracted Student Intern: Watershed Planning Program – Data Management and Water Quality Assessment Intern
Start/End Date: 6/14/2026 – 10/16/2026
Weekly Hours: 22.5 hours
Number of Openings: 1 position
A cover letter and resume must be submitted as part of the application process and attached “as relevant” to the requisition.
Qualifications
Qualifications – External
First consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days.
Minimum Requirements: NONE
