That State Climate Office is currently accepting applications for a summer internship at our office. The position will work closely with the NC ECONet but also provide time for students to work on an independent research project. This is open to any student who isn’t graduating this spring. Students can apply on ePack
Job Title
ECONet Summer Undergraduate Student Intern
Pay
$16/hour, up to 29 hours/week
Anticipated Start Date
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Schedule
Monday through Friday on an hourly basis during the day (i.e., 9am – 5pm), and off hours as needed. The anticipated start date of this position is May 28, 2024 with an anticipated end date of August 16, 2024. Work hours are flexible and may vary depending on fieldwork schedules and the applicant’s availability.
Location
The position is based at the State Climate Office of North Carolina, located on Centennial Campus in Raleigh, NC. However, the position is flexible to remote work for tasks outlined below. Applicants must be currently enrolled as full-time undergraduate students at NC State University. Rising summer 2024 sophomores, juniors, and seniors are encouraged to apply.
About this Position
The ECONet team is looking to hire an enthusiastic NC State University undergraduate student to support ECONet field maintenance and research in the summer of 2023. Those interested in fieldwork, research, and learning more about weather and climate instrumentation, monitoring, and data-driven weather and climate applications are encouraged to apply. Fieldwork will be conducted in-person at ECONet weather stations located across North Carolina. Additional maintenance and other independent research tasks will be conducted in the office or can be done remotely. As an ECONet summer undergraduate intern, you will learn how to maintain and troubleshoot research-grade weather stations and how to conduct standard data quality control checks on weather sensors and associated data. You will also conduct an independent ECONet-relevant research project, present your findings by the end of the summer. As an ECONet summer undergraduate intern, you will have the opportunity to help us improve data quality control routines, increase public engagement and accessibility of ECONet data, and improve the accessibility of data products for all North Carolinians. You will also share your independent research findings with us at the end of the summer so SCO staff, the scientific community, and public may benefit from your work.
Required Experience and Skills
- Currently enrolled as a full-time, undergraduate student at NC State University (Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors are encouraged to apply)
- Major of study at NC State University is relevant to this position. Students in the following majors are encourage to apply: atmospheric science; marine science; earth science; forest management; natural resources management; environmental science; environmental technology and management; parks, recreation, and tourism management; fisheries, wildlife, and conservation biology; environmental engineering; civil engineering; biological engineering; biological and agricultural engineering technology; biological sciences; geology; chemistry; physics; statistics; zoology; applied mathematics; agronomy; agricultural science; crop and soil sciences; horticultural science; plant biology; agroecology and sustainable food systems; applied ecology; electrical engineering; mechanical engineering; computer engineering; computer science
- Must be available to work from May 2024 to August 2024
- Attentive to detail
- Excellent interpersonal and (oral/written) communication skills
- Ability to manage time and complete tasks individually
- Have a valid driver’s license. A state vehicle will be provided for fieldwork purposes; a personal vehicle is not required.
Other *Not-Required* Responsibilities and Experience (*Please consider applying even if you don’t meet these*)
- Familiarity conducting data analysis (in Excel, R, Python, or GIS, for example)
Key Responsibilities
- Support SCO staff as they conduct fieldwork to maintain and troubleshoot ECONet weather stations across the state
- Perform weekly data quality control procedures on weather station sensor data
- Conduct an independent research project
- Share independent research findings to SCO staff and/or at the NC State University Undergraduate Research Symposium at the end of summer in oral presentation and in written summary formats.
Physical Demands of this Position
- Communicating in vocal and written forms to individuals and groups.
- Move across uneven and sloping ground and unpaved surfaces at field sites.
- We rely on strict national health standards to limit fieldwork when its not safe (e.g., hot conditions and heavy rainfall). Fieldwork will take place outdoors and may occur at temperatures and conditions outside the range of an office environment.
- Transport weather station maintenance equipment to and from the fieldwork vehicle and to and from the vehicle and office.
- Lift and move weather station equipment up to 50 pounds.
- Must be able to position themselves comfortably for computer-related work.
- Visual and auditory inspection of field sites to detect and troubleshoot ECONet station issues.
- Operate a state vehicle to and from field sites.