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Internships with DNREC
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control offers full-time paid internships to college students and recent graduates eager to work alongside professionals while cultivating their own career paths.
The application period is now closed for the 2026 summer internship cohort.
Applicants should keep an eye on their email for updates about application status.
Members of the 2025 DNREC internship cohort gathered at the St. Jones Reserve. (DNREC/Joe Ulrich)
Most positions are part of a 12-week summer program, which will employ up to 20 interns in various roles throughout the Department. Some positions may be available outside of the summer months. Opportunities are available at DNREC offices throughout the state, at locations in all three Delaware counties, some with hybrid or flexible work schedules available.
The internships offer a competitive salary of $18.50 per hour and up to a 37.5-hour work week, allowing interns to gain valuable, hands-on experience. This practical exposure is intended to open doors for those who want to establish careers in public service and/or environmental science.
Internships are available in several fields, including:
Environmental finance and fiscal management
Engineering and compliance
Marketing communications
Environmental research and education
Community and volunteer engagement
Water quality research and regulation
Strategic planning
Government administration and permitting
Data science and statistics
Who Are We Looking For?
In 2025, DNREC hired 17 interns
Learn more about the 2025 internships
The Department is looking for current college students, or recent graduates, with a vision for a sustainable future who are passionate about making a positive impact on the environment.
Candidates should be interested in working alongside professionals who share that passion for the environment and are committed to making a difference.
The internships are ideal for those interested in a career in public service, environmental science or related areas.
2026 DNREC Internship Cohort
DNREC plans to hire up to 20 interns for 2026. Most internships will start in May or early June and wrap up in August.
The summer internship program includes event opportunities for networking with fellow interns and key Department staff, as well as opportunities for reflecting on and sharing the work each intern accomplishes in their role.
The positions in this cohort are listed below, by Division, with a brief description.
More detailed descriptions of each 2026 internship position, including specific job duties, job requirements, schedules and other information, is available in PDF documents linked from the internship titles.
Applications are Now Closed for 2026
The 2026 summer internship cohort accepted applications from Jan. 23 through Feb. 16, 2026. Applicants will be contacted via email with updates about their application status.
Want to stay in the know about future internship opportunities?
Sign up for updates
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2026 Internship Opportunities
Office of the Secretary
Environmental Finance Administrative Intern
Support the Environmental Finance section’s management of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for Delaware.
Fiscal Management Payroll Assistant Intern
Work within the Office of Budget and Finance to assist with onboarding and personnel records during DNREC’s peak summer hiring season.
Marketing Communications Intern
Work with the DNREC Office of Communications team to develop content, increase brand awareness, engage with constituents and support a wide range of marketing and communications efforts.
Division of Parks and Recreation
Community Support Organization Intern
Work with the State Parks Chief of Volunteer and Community Involvement in strengthening and advancing partnerships with Community Support Organizations statewide.
Parks Planning and Grants Intern
Work with the Planning section to support and advance strategic park priority planning, master planning efforts and grant initiatives across Delaware’s state parks system.
Environmental Literacy and Youth Engagement Intern
Work with the State Parks Chief of Interpretation to support public programs and interpretive efforts across Delaware State Parks.
Division of Fish and Wildlife
Aquatic Resources Education Program Intern
Join staff at both the DuPont Nature Center and the Aquatic Resources Education Center to develop and present environmental education programs.
Migratory and Upland Gamebird Research Intern
Support the Species Conservation and Research program on a range of waterfowl, turkey and upland gamebird projects including trapping, banding, identifying and measuring live animals.
Division of Watershed Stewardship
Marketing Communications Intern
Join the Conservation Programs Section to plan marketing campaigns, develop content and provide event support in collaboration with the Nonpoint Source (NPS) Program team.
Environmental Field Specialist Intern
Work with the SAV Program to expand SAV restoration efforts across the state and continue data collection for a long-term surveying effort.
Water Quality Field Technician Intern
Assist the Recreational Water Program to conduct water quality sampling throughout the State, complete laboratory reports and manage sample data.
Water Quality Specialist Intern
Assist the Recreational Water Program in its efforts to develop alternate recreational water criteria, including data reporting and GIS mapping.
Division of Air Quality
Air Quality Scientist Intern
Join the Division of Air Quality to assist with preparing the division’s annual report, reviewing the Airshed Inventory, preparing the Title V semiannual report, and participating in field work.
Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy
Coastal Research Intern
Assist the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve (DNERR) and Coastal Management Program with research and monitoring projects focusing on tidal marsh ecosystems as well as participatory science projects such as horseshoe crab surveys.
Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances
Environmental Remediation Data Assistant Intern
Provide technical assistance with data analysis, historic project data and field surveys with the Remediation Section’s Corrective Action Group.
EQuIS Assistant Intern
Support the EQuIS Team in their work to store and analyze both field and laboratory data about facilities and sites that are the subject of regulatory, remediation or other management efforts of the Department.
Division of Water
Stormwater, Wastewater and Soil Science Intern
Work alongside Environmental Scientists and Engineers from the Commercial and Government Services Section on stormwater, wastewater and soil science permitting and compliance activities.
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