Intern - Environmental Services

About the opportunity:

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Summer Intern to support our broad environmental services projects based in San Diego, CA. This internship will occur during the summer of 2026 (early June to mid-August). Candidates who can start earlier than June 2026 will be considered and those who can remain past August may provide additional value. In addition to project work, the internship program includes regularly scheduled presentations by SWCA leaders, collaboration with other interns at SWCA, and actively involved mentorship for the intern to help them explore a career in the field of Environmental Consulting.

This is a paid, 40 hours-week internship, with an hourly rate of pay of $21.38/hr. This role will support a diversity of disciplines, including environmental planning, project management, cultural resources, and natural resources work. It will consist of field and desktop tasks and be based in the San Diego, CA office (e.g., in-office role). Reliable transportation is required to travel to and from client sites throughout Southern California and the San Diego SWCA Office.

Please submit a cover letter to be considered for this position.

Our Vision (the North Star) : Help drive SWCA to be the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership.

Core Values : We are #OneSWCA and collaborate across all our offices, programs, and disciplines. We are #AlwaysLearning , we #NeverSettle , and we #GiveBack . We are 100% employee-owned, and we build our success together. It is imperative for the successful candidate to fit SWCA's unique culture. Do you appreciate sustainability and environmental awareness? Is giving back to your community a priority? SWCA is a team of scientists, planners, technical experts, and corporate services professionals that are committed to our culture.

Purpose : Our company purpose is to preserve natural and cultural resources for tomorrow while enabling projects that benefit people today. You are invited to be a part of our success story.

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

What you will accomplish:

The San Diego environmental services intern will be exposed to the breadth of our local businesses and support environmental planning (especially CEQA compliance), natural resources and cultural resources surveys, monitoring, and related field activities, project management-related activities, technical report writing, data analysis, GIS, and project controls. You will work with a suite of environmental services senior professionals and staff.

Experience and qualifications for success:

Required

• Currently enrolled in a college or university, pursuing a bachelor's degree in an environmental-related field with coursework in environmental sciences, biology, wildlife biology, ecology, planning, or something similar, or a recent graduate within 12 months of May 1, 2026. Candidate must have completed their junior year before the start of the internship.
• Applicants who are pursuing a Master's degree will also be considered. Ph.D. candidates are not eligible for this program.

• Experience with environmental planning, natural resources, or cultural resources (e.g., environmental, natural, water, biological, ecological, archaeological, CEQA, local/state/federal environmental regulations, etc.) through classwork, honors thesis or Capstone projects, professional/intern experience, or volunteer work.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite software.
• Must have good communication, interpersonal skills, and attention to detail.

• Must have the ability and willingness to learn new survey and monitoring techniques and protocols.

• Applicant must be willing to participate in a drug testing and alcohol screening as part of the pre-employment process, as some projects require such screenings.
• Applicants must have a valid driver’s license and meet SWCA’s driver requirements. Applicant must have the ability to drive a 4WD vehicle on backcountry roads and to and from the SWCA office and various client projects.

Important for this Field-Based role :

• Some occasions may require an ability to travel to the field for a significant amount of time.

• Ability to travel to a location, walk, and conduct fieldwork for long hours, sometimes in inclement weather, or rugged terrain, and ability to carry equipment and supplies weighing up to 40 pounds.
• Ability to work outside in all weather conditions, effectively execute tasks, and conform to shifting priorities and demands.
• Adheres to the safety program and looks out for the safety of others, promptly communicating and mitigating safety hazards.
• Familiarity with GPS devices and digital data collection, and/or mapping software such as ArcGIS, or the ability and willingness to learn these things.
• Technical writing experience.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full spectrum of environmental services. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges on all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

An employee in this San Diego, CA-based position can expect a pay rate of $21.38/hour.

If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email [email protected] or call 1-480-581-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response.

SWCA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

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