The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission’s (SFPUC) Urban Watershed Planning Division is recruiting multiple intern positions to work in our green infrastructure group beginning in summer 2026. The Urban Watershed Planning Division develops long-range plans, policies, programs, and standards using an integrated watershed planning approach to optimize the performance and resiliency of San Francisco’s sewer system using green infrastructure. This internship may involve a range of duties and will depend
on the skills and experience of the selected candidate(s). Potential duties include community outreach and engagement, supporting administration of the San Francisco Stormwater Management Ordinance, supporting planning of capital green infrastructure projects, detailed design review of proposed projects, supporting the implementation of green stormwater infrastructure financial incentive programs, and/or supporting flood resilience programs.
Applicants must be in an accredited Engineering · Architecture · Planning · Landscape Architecture · Computer Science/Information Services Program · Mathematics · Biology · Natural Resources · Electronics program at a university or a related field at a community college. An applicant must be returning to their undergraduate program or entering/continuing a graduate program in the Fall 2026. For students that have graduated, an applicant can be appointed to begin work within 6 months after graduation. Please refer to the How to Qualify in the job announcement for more information.
IMPORTANT: Please be sure to specify your interest in the Urban Watershed Planning position in the Message to Hiring Manager section of the application.
Applications are due January 15, 2026.
Intern Openings and Applications: Please submit your application at the following
link: San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Summer 2026 Student Design Trainee Program | City and County of San Francisco
Category: Relevant Job Postings
US Bureau of Reclamation Internships at Technical Service Center, Denver
Opportunities to work in various aspects of rivers, water management, and restoration, based in the Bureau’s center for research and innovation in Denver. Best of all, after having done an internship you have a leg up when applying to permanent positions. The TSC has led studies on some of the most exciting river issues of our time, such as the Elwha and Klamath Dam Removals, and Trinity River Restoration Program.
Applications open through Jan 7, 2026. See link for details.
Dudek is hiring! Looking for:
Ecological Designer – early career
Habitat Restoration Landscape Architect – 8+ years of experience
Geomorphologist – 8+ years of experience
Restoration Engineer – 12+ years of experience
More info about the positions is on the Dudek website, and you can apply directly at
Questions? Contact Jake Marcon <[email protected]> and Stuart Fraser <[email protected]>
Abuelitos Foundation (Napa) intends to hire an Ecosystem Restoration Fellow. The position is
ideal for an early-career professional (a grad student, recent grad, or practicing professional) to
implement watershed restoration, permitting, and supporting the nonprofit foundation, and
contributing directly to work of the Conn Creek Land Lab in Napa. See link to job posting.
Public Policy Institute of California’s Water Policy Center is looking for a researcher with
a background in civil or environmental engineering, hydrology or a related discipline and
water/natural resources policy, as detailed in this announcement. Candidates can be
recent grads or more seasoned researchers
The Nature Conservancy in California is hiring a River Scientist.
San Francisco Bay area: $85,100 – $100,000
Merced, Redding, Roseville, Sacramento, Santa Cruz, Truckee: $78,000 – $91,725
Chico, Fort Bragg: $80,000 – $83,375
The River Scientist will work closely with this interdisciplinary team to provide technical and scientific support to river conservation strategies across the Water Program, primarily within the Healthy Rivers strategy. This position will provide science support on projects that seek to restore or protect needed flow, improve instream habitat, and develop scientific tools to enable better management of California’s rivers and streams. Working closely with the Lead River Scientist, the River Scientist will perform a variety of analytical tasks, including reviewing and summarizing plans and reports, performing analysis of flow data, and evaluating the ecological implications of flow and stream restoration actions. The River Scientist will also assist with writing of reports and publications, grant administration, development of technical presentations, and managing science contracts.
The San Francisco Bay Regional Board’s Watershed Management Division has an
opening for an Environmental Scientist in the streams and wetlands program. The
position involves writing permits for work in and around streams, wetlands, and SF Bay
under Clean Water Act Section 401 and the Porter-Cologne Act. Apply by 11/13/2024
For further information::
https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Jobs/JobPosting.aspx?JobControlId=455097
Reporting to the Urban Watershed Planning Division Manager, this 5602 Flood Resilience Planner will research, develop, and implement policies, plans, programs, and projects to make San Francisco more flood resilient. With supervision and support, this position will convene and lead city-wide flood resilience planning efforts; participate in and represent SFPUC in multi-agency flood resilience efforts led by other city agencies, such as the Waterfront Resilience Program and ClimateSF; work in multi-disciplinary, multi-agency teams on envisioning a flood resilient public realm; and coordinate with teammates from across the SFPUC to align strategy and messaging across SFPUC’s flood resilience efforts, including StormWatch, RainReadySF, capital projects, watershed planning and green infrastructure, and regulatory compliance.
More information here.
With supervision from the Green Infrastructure Capital Planning & Grants Manager, this Utility Specialist will be responsible for watershed planning, green infrastructure (GI) opportunity assessments, and partnership development focused on San Francisco’s Bayside Watersheds. The position will conduct agency-specific outreach presentations and workshops with partners at SFUSD, MTA, and RecPark; find alignment on project goals with multiple partners; complete regular assessments to identify spatial and funding alignment of SFPUC project opportunities with project opportunities being pursued by others; identify maintenance roles and responsibilities among partners; and develop and execute MOUs and other required contracts in partnership with SFPUC Infrastructure division and city agency partners.
More information here.
With supervision from the Urban Watershed Planning Division Manager, this Utility Specialist will serve as Program Manager for the Floodwater Grant Program, administering a budget of up to $1.5M annually. The position will lead the Floodwater Grant Program team, which consists of two engineers and one administrative analyst, while closely collaborating with colleagues across various SFPUC divisions, bureaus, the City Attorney’s Office, and other city agencies. This coordination aims to ensure successful grant administration and clear communication with both the general public and specific Floodwater Grant Program grantees. Regular program updates and improvements will fall under this position, as well as coordination and alignment with process improvements and innovations taking place in other grant programs across the division.
More information here.