Avian Protection Internship

Job Description

Avian Protection Internship | Puget Sound Energy

The Tone:
This is an internship at Puget Sound Energy, located in Seattle, WA (Georgetown office). PSE is an energy company shaping the Northwest’s energy future through award-winning energy efficiency programs and leadership in renewable energy. This role contributes to PSE’s comprehensive avian protection program, which is crucial for environmental compliance and sustainability. The intern will gain practical experience, enhance technical skills, and help reduce impacts on birds across the company’s electrical system and generation sites.

The TL;DR
• Role: Internship
• Type: Seasonal
• Location: Seattle, WA (On-site)
• Pay: $20–$25 hourly
• Team: Environmental Services team, supporting the Avian Protection Program
• Mission: Support PSE’s avian protection program by assisting with conservation, regulatory obligations, and data management.
• Tech Stack: ArcGIS online, ArcPro, Survey123, Field Maps

What You’ll Actually Do
• Incident Monitoring: Monitor outage reports to identify and respond to potential avian powerline incidents.
• Database Management: Organize, maintain, and update PSE’s avian incident tracking database using ArcGIS online.
• Field Operations: Conduct various field activities, including nest monitoring, nest management, and other related tasks.
• Outreach Support: Support education and outreach initiatives to promote PSE’s avian protection program and collaborate with conservation partners.
• Regulatory Learning: Gain an understanding of how wildlife regulations and energy infrastructure impact the avian team’s work.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Currently enrolled college Sophomore or higher majoring in Environmental Science, Biology, Ecology, or a similar natural resource field, with a strong interest in avian ecology and good academic standing.
• Experience: Prior experience with ESRI software such as ArcGIS online or ArcPro.
• Skills: Strong work ethic, initiative, motivation, ability to work effectively in a team environment, and comfort working in both office and field settings. An interest in the energy and/or utility industry is also required.
• Bonus: Strong written and verbal communication skills, experience with data collection and management, familiarity with field applications like Survey123 and Field Maps, and the ability to visually and/or aurally identify birds of western and central Washington. Commitment to safety, ethics, and PSE’s core values, plus comfort working outside in various conditions and potentially handling birds.