Drainage and Wastewater Policy Intern

Salary: $27.67 Hourly
Location: Seattle, WA
Job Type: Graduate College Intern
Job Number: 2026-00472
Department: Seattle Public Utilities
Division: Drainage and Wastewater Line of Business
Opening Date: 04/07/2026
Closing Date: 5/5/2026 4:00 PM Pacific

Position Description

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is seeking a graduate intern for the Drainage and Wastewater (DWW) Line of Business to support policy and program development. The DWW Code, Policy, and Regulatory team helps orient DWW staff around existing utility, city, state, and federal policies that impact DWW’s work, and guides the creation of new policies and programs to achieve DWW’s shared goals and outcomes.

The DWW Policy Intern will be responsible for supporting policy development by collaborating with staff across DWW, SPU, and other City departments to facilitate policy development, research policy issues, evaluate potential solutions, prepare briefings, and help to develop recommendations. Policy topics will generally focus on stormwater and wastewater system management and maintenance, and may include green stormwater infrastructure, emerging chemicals of concern, and climate change issues such as urban flooding, and more.

Learning objectives include but are not limited to:

Develop an understanding of city government functions through exposure to various departments and divisions within SPU and other City departments.
Learn about urban drainage and wastewater systems, including how drainage and wastewater policy can improve neighborhoods and make Seattle a better and more equitable place to live.
Learn how public investments, regulations, and incentives shape the future of our drainage and wastewater utility.
Dive deep into a few specific policy topics, which may include gathering relevant information, performing economic or data analysis, summarizing information in succinct memos, and creating presentations to brief staff, managers, and executives.
Integrate principles of equity and environmental justice into planning and policy work and learn about ongoing Race and Social Justice work at SPU.
Develop an awareness of institutional and governmental constraints that impact planning and policy development.
Learn new technical and software skills and apply those skills to policy development.
Build professional network through engaging with colleagues at SPU and other City departments.
Practice using professional office software including SharePoint, MS Teams, Excel, and OneNote.
Develop business communications and writing skills within a public utility setting.

There is two (2) graduate internship opportunities available. The projected start date for the internships is late May or early June 2026, with some flexibility depending on the candidate’s academic schedule. The internship may last up to 24 months or graduation, whichever comes first. A 1-year commitment for this internship is required.

About Seattle Public Utilities: Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is a community-centered utility that delivers vital services to Seattle residents and businesses including drinking water, drainage and wastewater, and garbage/recycling/compost. SPU also provides drinking water for 1.5 million customers in the region. SPU’s work includes system maintenance and improvements and keeping Seattle clean. Over 1,400 SPU employees work with our community to provide affordable and equitable stewardship of our water and waste resources for future generations.

For more information about Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), checkout the:

SPU commits to Our City Values and Race and Social Justice as core principles that guide our work. We actively take steps to dismantle systemic racism and increase service equity. We value diverse life experiences and strive to create a workplace that is welcoming to all. We take steps to be inclusive and equitable in our recruiting, hiring and promotional opportunities.

Job Responsibilities

As a member of a collaborative team, the intern will have opportunities to work closely with individuals with extensive experience in public policy, environmental regulations, city planning, water management, and natural resource planning.

Duties may include, but not limited to:

Assist with drainage and wastewater policy analysis, including but not limited to geospatial, economic, and statistical analyses.
Research policy topics in support of DWW planning, programs, operations, and maintenance.
Develop materials to communicate findings and recommendations, including prepare and present briefings, write reports, create fact sheets, and the like.
Attend related trainings, networking, and meetings.

Hours: Basic work hours are between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM. During school sessions, work hours will be scheduled to complement class schedules (15-20 hours per week). These internships may permit up to 40 hours per week during breaks and summer months.

Qualifications

Education: Applicants must be currently enrolled in graduate-level coursework, pursuing a degree related to Public Policy, Urban Planning, Business Administration, Landscape Architecture, Engineering, Environmental Studies, or a relevant field.

Applicants must be enrolled at least part-time or full-time basis and maintain a 3.0 GPA for the duration of the internship.

Exception: Students do not need to be enrolled over the summer months but will need to provide at the end of Spring Quarter/Semester proof of continuing and pre-registration for the Fall session as applicable.

Additional Information

This position allows for the flexibility of a hybrid work schedule. Individual schedules will be agreed upon by the employee and their supervisor.

Who may apply: The City of Seattle encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experience. This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

The full salary range for this position is: $27.67 – $27.67 per hour.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact: Kyle Chow at Kyle.Chow@seattle.gov

How to Apply:

Complete the online application
Attach your college/university’s unofficial transcript to your online application
Attach a cover letter indicating your interest in the internship
Attach your resume clearly identifying how you meet the qualifications of the internship

Selected applicants invited to interview will be requested to provide references.

All applications must have all 3 attachments (transcript, cover letter, and resume) to be considered a complete applications. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Employer: City of Seattle

Address: Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 5th Avenue, Suite 5500, Seattle, Washington, 98104

Website: http://www.seattle.gov/jobs

14 days remaining