About the role#
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service offers paid internships through the Pathways Student Internship Authority. This role provides students with federal work experience while they complete their education. Selected interns work full-time during summer breaks, with the potential for part-time work during the school year depending on the location.
What you'll do#
- Perform survey work to develop topographic, cross section, and profile data.
- Operate engineering instruments, including engineer's levels, total stations, and GPS equipment.
- Process data using personal computers.
- Type design reports and estimate project costs.
- Calculate material quantities and perform hydrology and hydraulic calculations.
- Assist with construction inspection and layout for conservation structures.
- Help technicians evaluate the feasibility of proposed conservation projects.
What you'll need#
- Enrollment at least half-time in an accredited high school, college, technical, vocational, or trade school.
- A minimum GPA of 2.5 or higher.
- Completion of at least 480 hours of work experience prior to graduation.
- US Citizenship or status as a US National.
- A valid state motor vehicle operator's license.
- Selective Service registration for males born after December 31, 1959.
- Ability to maintain good academic standing throughout the internship.
Location & details#
This is a full-time internship with on-site and hybrid work options available. Positions are located in multiple cities across Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Successful candidates must sign a participant agreement and are subject to a background investigation and fingerprint check.
About USDA
The United States Department of Agriculture is a federal executive department. It manages government policy regarding farming, food, and agriculture. The agency works to support ranchers and farmers while promoting agricultural trade. It also oversees food safety, rural community development, and natural resource protection. The department maintains offices in Washington, DC and other locations.
How to get in at USDA
Securing an internship at the USDA requires a proactive approach to navigating federal hiring cycles. Because early applicants are often reviewed before the applicant pool becomes unmanageable, Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published, helping you apply among the first. This timing can be the difference between your application being seen and getting lost in a large volume of submissions. You can also improve your response rates by reaching out to the recruiters behind these roles directly. Intern Insider surfaces the specific recruiters behind the USDA roles, allowing you to ask relevant questions about the position or inquire about a referral. Connecting with the right person often provides the clarity needed to stand out in a competitive government hiring process.
