What are the responsibilities and job description for the Undergraduate Intern II - Mechanical Engineering - HVAC / Plumbing position at King County?
About the Role:
The King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) seeks a 2025 Summer Mechanical Engineering - HVAC/Plumbing Intern. Our internship is for active students only. To be eligible for this internship, you must be enrolled in a college, or university program for the duration of your internship. For example, if you are graduating from a college or university in June 2025 and are not enrolled for a fall 2025 academic program, you are not eligible for internship but rather highly encouraged to apply for our entry-level job openings.
Please visit Wastewater Treatment Division website: Undergraduate and Graduate Internship Program - King County, Washington
The primary function of the Mechanical Engineering - HVAC/Plumbing Intern role will learn how to assist WTD engineers build or improve wastewater treatment facilities. These projects make it easier to collect, convey, and treat sewage. This work supports WTD’s mission to protect public health and the environment by collecting and cleaning wastewater while recovering valuable resources for a thriving Puget Sound region. This team sits within the Engineering Unit, which provides engineering support to capital projects, whether they are internal design projects or collaborating with consultant led design projects. The Engineering Unit sits within the Project Planning and Delivery Section, which oversees and manages wastewater system projects from conception to completion. This includes planning, engineering, contract management, implementation, and close-out of projects.Interns in this position typically work on multiple projects throughout the summer, the specifics of which are determined closer to the start of employment. Interns may be asked to perform a variety of tasks with the guidance of experienced engineers, such as the following typical tasks:
- Generating or correcting drawings to match as-built conditions.
- Identifying HVAC and plumbing system requirements.
- Selecting and specifying equipment.
- Exposure to engineering management tasks.
- Assisting in building mechanical standards development.
Interns will visit various Wastewater Treatment Division facilities as part of work assignments and learning opportunities. These will include visits to treatment plants, pump stations, regulator stations, and Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO). Some of these may be active construction sites and/or operating facilities.
WTD protects public health and enhances the environment by collecting and treating wastewater while recycling valuable resources for the Puget Sound region. WTD interns create real value for our projects, programs, and agency while getting real world job experience, networking opportunities, and learning about water systems. Summer interns join a group of their peers to take trainings, tour job sites, develop job skills, and complete their own projects. At summer’s ends, interns present their projects to an audience of staff and hiring managers. Interns get exposure to careers and opportunities they might not have imagined before. Participants have used their internships to acquire jobs at WTD and elsewhere in King County, their university, and elsewhere the public and private sectors.Our regional wastewater treatment system has a big job. Not only does it operate around the clock to sustain a healthy environment, this vital infrastructure also supports economic development that enables our region to thrive. King County is committed to recovering and reusing products from the wastewater treatment process. Beneficially recycling the treated water and nutrient-rich biosolids and recovering energy from waste gases increases the efficiency of our wastewater treatment plants, conserves resources, protects the environment, and saves money.
This position performs work remotely and onsite.
About the Team:
Join our team dedicated to ensuring clean water for generations to come! With over 900 employees engaged in planning, designing, building, and operating treatment facilities, our agency is at the forefront of environmental stewardship. Success for us means upholding our legacy while promising future generations a pristine environment.
We partner with regulatory agencies to reduce harmful waste discharge and actively educate the public and businesses on water quality protection. We prioritize accountability to our ratepayers and operate a well-managed agency that serves over 2.3 million King County residents. Our regional wastewater treatment system not only sustains a healthy environment but also fuels economic development, fostering prosperity in our region. If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a collaborative environment, join us in our mission to safeguard our precious water resources.
Commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice:
King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Mechanical Engineering HVAC/Plumbing Intern, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.
Apply now for a rewarding career at the Wastewater Treatment Division of King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP). Join our talented workforce in protecting and restoring the natural environment and promoting more resilient, sustainable, and equitable communities. What You Will Be Doing:
The intern should expect to become familiar with:
- Investigate issues in HVAC and plumbing systems
- Develop solutions for complex problems
- Assist WTD engineers with HVAC and plumbing design projects
- Generate reports, drawings, and specifications
Qualifications You Bring:
This internship would be ideal for students with a focus of academic studies in mechanical engineering or chemical engineering or any with interest and applicable skills / experience.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including editing.
- Organizational skills and the ability to meet deadlines.
- Ability to effectively use Microsoft Office products.
- Detail-oriented and self-starter
- Interest in current events, local government, and environmental issues.
- Ability to work independently.
- Creative problem solving.
- Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
- Communicates Effectively - Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
- Nimble Learning - Actively learning through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.
- Tech Savvy - Anticipating and adopting innovations in business-building digital and technology applications.
- Action Oriented - Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:
- The degree program the intern is enrolled in is accredited by ABET.
- Engineer In Training (E.I.T.)
Working Conditions:
- Remote and Onsite Work Details: Employees in this role work remotely from a home location, with occasional onsite reporting requirements at the treatment plants. The frequency of onsite work is determined by business needs and may be adjusted accordingly. Onsite reporting locations may be at various King County worksites including the collaboration space at King Street Center (201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104) and treatment plant facilities. This work arrangement promotes work-life-balance and reduces carbon footprint under the department’s vision of Green Where We Work.
- Requirement: Employees must reside in Washington State and be within a reasonable distance to King County worksites to meet onsite reporting requirements.
- Work Schedule: This position may begin as part-time during the current school session and will transition to full-time work during the summer break. This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible.
- Union Representation: This position is not represented by a Union.
Application instructions and selection process: This opportunity is open to college level students currently enrolled and continuing into the fall of 2025 in full or part-time status at an accredited university/college. Proof of full or part-time enrollment status is required. We welcome applications from all qualified student applicants. We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply. Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.
To apply, submit a:- Complete Application
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- Responses to the supplemental questions
Note: Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.
Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Diana Eberly at diana.eberly@kingcounty.gov
Discover More About DNRP: Visit our DNRP website, explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments and check us out at Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Keeping King County Green News.
Sign up for Job Alerts to be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resources category for DNRP opportunities and explore other categories of interest.
Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.
Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.
Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ , people living with disabilities, and veterans.
King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.
To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.
Salary : $21 - $27
