job opportunities

Water Resources Internship Program | SUMMER 2025

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Iowa State University

Position Description:

Have an interest in the environment, conservation, and agriculture, particularly water and soil quality?  We are seeking undergraduate student interns for summer 2025 who are self-motivated, detail-oriented, strong communicators, enthusiastic, and have a sense of fun!

Interns’ time will be split between outreach and research, all centered around environmental issues and challenges in Iowa.   Summer interns will have the opportunity to:

• Work with two award-winning Iowa State University education and outreach programs:

  • Water Rocks!, focused on youth outreach, and

  • Iowa Learning Farms, focused on adult/community outreach

• Develop strong oral communication skills as you help children and adults better understand environmental and agricultural issues

• Travel throughout the state of Iowa with the fleet of Conservation Station trailers

• Contribute to water and soil research projects with the Conservation Learning Group, including a project exploring relay intercropping as method of sustainable intensification

• Gain technical skills related to agricultural and biosystems engineering, environmental science, soil health and water quality through both field and lab research

The program is based on campus at Iowa State University and will involve travel to various outreach events around the state, which includes some scheduled night and weekend events, as well as select research sites.  This is a paid internship, with students working up to 40 hours/week.  The internship program begins Wednesday, May 14 and runs through Saturday, August 2, 2025.

The Iowa State University water resources internship program serves as an outstanding springboard for careers in agriculture, engineering, the environment, and/or further studies. Past participants in our internship program have gone on to such careers as project engineer, watershed coordinator, environmental educator, field research specialist, and USDA-FSA program technician, while others have pursued graduate school opportunities.

From a relatively small beginning as student research assistantships in 2007 with a single trailer-mounted rainfall simulator, to the addition of a second and the launch of the Conservation Station fleet in 2010, interns were integral to the program. Today, there are multiple Conservation Stations in regular use, and the teams of interns go out with them for nearly every visit. 

Learn more about the Water Resources Internship experience:

• Learning Life lessons as ISU Water Resources Interns (Wallaces Farmer)

• A Week in the Life: Snapshot of the Water Resources Internship Program

Job Skills and Requirements:

• Currently enrolled undergraduate student at a U.S.-based college, community college or university (open to all majors)

• Demonstrate interest and/or background in environmental science, natural resources, conservation, soil and water quality, agriculture, and/or education

• Evidence of strong communication skills

• Ability to learn new tasks quickly

• Teamwork skills

• Self-motivated

• Detail-oriented

• Time management skills

Additional internship requirements include:

• Valid US driver’s license

• Background check with ISU Risk Management for working with youth

How to Apply:

Required application materials include:

• PDF Resume (Be sure to include your GPA, major, and previous work experience)

• PDF Cover Letter (Tell us what interests you about this internship and why you’d be a great fit!)

Internship application deadline is 5:00pm on Friday, January 31.   Please submit your complete application package to Liz Ripley via email – ejuchems@iastate.edu.  We will conduct interviews with qualified students in February.