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FRIENDS of the San Juans offers conservation internship opportunities targeted toward students who plan a career in conservation law or science.  Undergraduate students, graduate students, and law students participating in this highly competitive internship program are provided with unique opportunities to:

Gain important, practical job skills in either conservation law or science while helping to preserve and protect San Juan County's critical environment.

Meet, network, and develop relationships with local conservationists, agency personnel, and local islanders while obtaining college credit (if approved by an accredited university).

Become mentors and sources of information for other students interested in northwest conservation issues.

FRIENDS Conservation Internship Program provides training for future stewards of Puget Sounds natural resources.

Position Description:  Summer interns work with FRIENDS staff attorney on the development and prosecution of environmental advocacy ranging from individual development applications to broadly applicable environmental statutes.  Activities may include evaluating proposed ordinances, review and comment on development proposals, statutory and case law research, drafting legal memoranda, and delivering oral testimony.

Hiring Criteria: FRIENDS seeks 1L and 2L candidates with initiative, experience in land use, environmental and natural resources law, excellent analytical, research, and writing ability, and a genuine interest in working at an environmental advocacy organization.

Position Description:  Internship activities will primarily involve assisting with nearshore marine habitat protection and restoration projects, restoration prioritization using GIS, and landowner outreach programs.  Interns may also assist with other aspects of FRIENDS environmental protection programs including special events, volunteer projects, and land use research.

Hiring Criteria:  FRIENDS is looking for upper level undergraduate or recent college graduates with a basic understanding of marine and nearshore ecosystems of Puget Sound as well as coursework and applied experience in: spatial information and analysis using Geographic Information Systems; field habitat surveys; and/or science education and outreach with adult audiences.