Watershed Specialist Assistant

From its inception in 1937, the Clarion Conservation District’s goal has been the promotion of wise land use in agriculture and the developing community through education or technical assistance. Over the years, meeting the needs of the residents of Clarion County has expanded the role of the District into areas of water quality, erosion and sediment control, environmental education, stream restoration, acid mine drainage treatment and restoration, dirt and gravel/low volume road maintenance and agricultural assistance.

This internship is supported by the McElhattan Grant Internship Program, which creates paid opportunities for students to gain meaningful, real-world experience with organizations in Clarion and Venango Counties, thanks to generous support from the McElhattan Foundation.

The primary role of the Watershed Specialist assistant will be assisting with watershed assessments, conducting water quality sampling, and developing acid mine drainage abatement strategies; assisting with electrofishing surveys; and participating in landowner engagement/coordination.  In addition to this work, the internship will provide opportunities to gain experience in stream restoration practices, agricultural conservation, education & outreach, and Dirt and Gravel Low Volume Road program implementation. 

- Water quality monitoring using electrometric and colormetric meters.

- Water sampling using standardized protocols.

- Identification and characterization of acid mine drainage discharges.

- Identification and characterization of abandoned mine land refuse and mine features.

- Electrofishing and physical, chemical, and biological sampling of streams.

- Data recording and analysis.

- Grant writing and administration.

The ideal candidate will have experience in field work associated with acid mine drainage and water quality monitoring. At a minimum, applicants must be actively pursuing a degree in environmental science, environmental biology, wildlife or fisheries management, or other degree plans associated with the conservation of natural resources.

Candidates must be enrolled at PennWest University while completing this internship.

In addition to the qualifications above, it would be beneficial for applicants to have a basic understanding of acid mine drainage chemistry and analysis, precision surveying techniques for determining elevation and distance measurements, and experience with agricultural practices such as beef cattle farms or dairy farms.