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The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control offers full-time paid internships to college students and recent graduates eager to work alongside professionals while cultivating their own career paths.
Most positions are part of a 12-week summer program, which will employ up to 20 interns in various roles throughout the Department. Some positions may be available outside of the summer months. Opportunities are available at DNREC offices throughout the state, at locations in all three Delaware counties, some with hybrid or flexible work schedules available.
The internships offer a competitive salary of $18.50 per hour and up to a 37.5-hour work week, allowing interns to gain valuable, hands-on experience. This practical exposure is intended to open doors for those who want to establish careers in public service and/or environmental science.
Internships are available in several fields, including:
Environmental finance and fiscal management
Engineering and compliance
Marketing communications
Environmental research and education
Community and volunteer engagement
Water quality research and regulation
Strategic planning
Government administration and permitting
Data science and statistics
The Department is looking for current college students, or recent graduates, with a vision for a sustainable future who are passionate about making a positive impact on the environment.
Candidates should be interested in working alongside professionals who share that passion for the environment and are committed to making a difference.
The internships are ideal for those interested in a career in public service, environmental science or related areas.
DNREC plans to hire up to 20 interns for 2026. Most internships will start in May or early June and wrap up in August.
The summer internship program includes event opportunities for networking with fellow interns and key Department staff, as well as opportunities for reflecting on and sharing the work each intern accomplishes in their role.
The positions in this cohort are listed below, by Division, with a brief description.
More detailed descriptions of each 2026 internship position, including specific job duties, job requirements, schedules and other information is available in PDF documents linked from internship title.
Choose a maximum of two positions you’d like to apply for. Be sure to read the description(s) to determine eligibility and check for special application instructions, such as cover letters or portfolios.
Download and complete the State of Delaware Casual/Seasonal Employment Application, a fillable PDF. It’s helpful to save the file with your name included.
Submit your application, resume and any other supporting documents online.
If you have any questions about the internships or the application, please let us know.
Support the Environmental Finance section’s management of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for Delaware.
Work within the Office of Budget and Finance to assist with onboarding and personnel records during DNREC’s peak summer hiring season.
Work with the DNREC Office of Communications team to develop content, increase brand awareness, engage with constituents and support a wide range of marketing and communications efforts.
Work with the State Parks Chief of Volunteer and Community Involvement in strengthening and advancing partnerships with Community Support Organizations statewide.
Work with the Planning section to support and advance strategic park priority planning, master planning efforts and grant initiatives across Delaware’s state parks system.
Work with the State Parks Chief of Interpretation to support public programs and interpretive efforts across Delaware State Parks.
Join staff at both the DuPont Nature Center and the Aquatic Resources Education Center to develop and present environmental education programs.
Support the Species Conservation and Research program on a range of waterfowl, turkey and upland gamebird projects including trapping, banding, identifying and measuring live animals.
Join the Nonpoint Source (NPS) Program team to plan marketing campaigns, develop content, assist with drone projects and provide event support in collaboration with the NPS Marketing Specialist.
Work with the SAV Program to expand SAV restoration efforts across the state and continue data collection for a long-term surveying effort.
Assist the Recreational Water Program to conduct water quality sampling throughout the State, complete laboratory reports and manage sample data.
Assist the Recreational Water Program in its efforts to develop alternate recreational water criteria, including data reporting and GIS mapping.
Join the Division of Air Quality to assist with preparing the division’s annual report, reviewing the Airshed Inventory, preparing the Title V semiannual report, and participating in field work.
Assist the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR) and Coastal Management Program with research and monitoring projects focusing on tidal marsh ecosystems as well as participatory science projects such as horseshoe crab surveys.
Provide technical assistance with data analysis, historic project data and field surveys with the Remediation Section’s Corrective Action Group.
Support the EQuIS Team in their work to store and analyze both field and laboratory data about facilities and sites that are the subject of regulatory, remediation or other management efforts of the Department.
Work alongside Environmental Scientists and Engineers from the Commercial and Government Services Section on stormwater, wastewater and soil science permitting and compliance activities.
Related Topics: education, employment, human resources, internships
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