Summer 2025 Water Resources Intern

Make An Impact
Progressive Companies’ Summer Internship Program is a paid, 12-week opportunity that provides a 100% real-world experience for students early in their career.  Throughout the summer you will apply academic learning to real-world situations and cultivate project management, problem-solving, and communication skills.  And with service-learning opportunities, community outings, wellness participation, and professional development lunch-and-learns, you’ll build a foundation for working in the Architectural Engineering field in the future. 

As a Water Resources Intern, you will work collaboratively with scientists to conduct aquatic plant surveys, collect water quality samples, and conduct laboratory analysis.  Typical work includes driving a pickup truck and trailering a boat to lakes in Michigan’s lower peninsula, assisting with loading and unloading of survey supplies, driving a 16-foot Lund boat, navigating with GPS, and recording field observations.

This is a part-time internship with an average of 20-30 hours per week. Exact schedule varies by week.

Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the Water Resources team and clients to ensure they achieve project schedules and budgets.
• Participate in estimating the time required to travel to and from sites throughout Michigan’s lower peninsula. Drive pickup truck and trailer 16-foot boat, working long days up to 12 hours in length.  
• Assist with loading and unloading of survey supplies weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Obtain or maintain boating safety certification.
• Alert the Scientist or Practice Leader if you become aware of changes that could affect the project scope, schedule, or your work completion.
• Provide field observations consistent with Progressive’s standards.
• Assist in minor boat and vehicle repair and maintenance as necessary.
• Provide laboratory analysis consistent with Progressive Companies' standards
• Navigate a variety of weather conditions when driving pickup truck and boat several hours each day on the job, including hot, cold, wet, humid, windy, and wavy conditions. 
• Understand what the deliverable needs to be to meet your client’s project needs and what it takes to make projects successful. 
• Identify a variety of aquatic plants using basic knowledge of limnology.

Qualifications:

• Enrollment in a Biology, Natural Resources Management, Environmental Sciences or similar degree program.  Completion of at least 1 year of coursework required, with preference for 3 years.  
• Completed coursework in Aquatic Sciences preferred.  
• Ability to identify aquatic plants and a basic knowledge of limnology are highly desirable.
• Valid driver’s license and good driving record required, with no driving or other infractions that would preclude insurability.
• Boating safety certification or the ability to obtain certification.
• Trailering experience preferred.
• Comfort working around and in open water in a variety of weather conditions.  Basic swimming skills are necessary.
• Ability to work and communicate successfully during long workdays.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, climb in and out of a boat frequently, and drive several hours each day on the job.
• Attention to detail with an emphasis on quality work products and client service, demonstrated through your competencies.
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Excellent technical, written and oral communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft applications preferred.