SUMMER STUDENT WORKER (Unpaid)

Tidewater • Anne Arundel, MD

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invites eligible candidates to apply for a volunteer/unpaid internship with our Tidewater Ecosystem Assessment group. Help turn environmental data into discoveries! We’re looking for a student with coding skills to join our research on phytoplankton dynamics in the Chesapeake Bay. You’ll work with real-world datasets, write scripts in R, and help uncover how climate, nutrients, and seasons shape the Bay’s microscopic plant life. This is an unpaid internship designed for learning and skill-building. Potential for academic credit pending approval from your university. The internship runs 10 weeks between June to August. The specific start/end dates, hours, and schedule will be determined in collaboration between the intern and supervisor. The Chesapeake Bay is one of the most productive and ecologically significant estuaries in the world—and it’s also one of the most studied. Our mission is to advance understanding of the Bay’s complex ecosystem, with a special focus on phytoplankton, the microscopic plants that form the foundation of its food web. By combining environmental science with computational tools, we aim to uncover patterns, predict changes, and inform conservation strategies that protect this vital resource for generations to come. As a Scientific Coding Intern, you’ll help transform raw environmental data into meaningful insights about phytoplankton dynamics. Your work will directly support ongoing research into how climate change, nutrient inputs, and seasonal cycles influence the Bay’s primary producers. The code you write and the analyses you run will contribute to real-world environmental management decisions and scientific publications.

Requirements

• Students or recent grads in environmental science, biology, or anyone curious about water quality and public health.
• A GPA of 2.5 or above is required for academic credit.
• Experience with coding in R.

Nice To Haves

• Proficiency in at least one scientific programming language (Python, R, MATLAB).
• Familiarity with data visualization libraries (e.g. ggplot2, Seaborn), working with large data sets and data manipulation tools (e.g., Pandas, dplyr).
• An interest in marine ecology, environmental modeling, or climate science.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently while communicating effectively with a team.
• If you’ve worked on a project you’re proud of—whether it’s a class project, code, or something you built—send us a link or description!

Responsibilities

• Analyze large datasets from monitoring programs and satellites.
• Write and refine code for data processing, visualization, and modeling.
• code to group species into classes and pull phytoquant data by species
• create Phytoplankton IBI
• merge algae cell count data with water quality
• plot annual/ long term graphs
• analyze species vs temp and salinity
• Collaborate with scientists and data analysts.

Benefits

• Hands-on experience applying coding skills to real-world environmental research.
• Mentorship from a multidisciplinary team.
• Flexible schedule.
• Potential for academic credit (if approved by your institution).
• Real research experience for your resume or portfolio.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed