Environmental Scientist Intern

Job Description

AECOM is seeking an Intern Environmental Scientist for the Arlington, Virginia office. This internship within our Federal Group will participate in a team to help execute a variety of Federal investigation/remediation projects with oversight from senior managers and technical experts. The ideal candidate will require a strong focus on health and safety, be detailed orientated, excellent written and verbal communication skills, ability to work independently, and will be capable of working collaboratively as a member of a high-performance team.

Internships at AECOM offer students in undergraduate and graduate programs the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience in engineering, design, and infrastructure projects that make a real-world impact. Interns work with cutting-edge technology, learn industry best practices, and collaborate with experienced professionals in a globally recognized firm. The program fosters both technical and professional skill development while providing networking opportunities that can enhance future career prospects. Additionally, AECOM’s dedication to innovation and sustainability enables interns to contribute to meaningful projects that help shape communities and the built environment.

This position is expected to begin in December/January 2026.

The responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Utilize basic scientific principles, theories, practices, and existing technologies to develop solutions for technical problems with limited scope.
• Prepare technical work plans and reports.
• Interpret and record data, conduct analyses, compare findings to relevant studies and local, state, and federal regulations to ensure compliance.
• Plan, execute, analyze, and report on environmental measures in natural systems.
• Apply standard field practices and techniques using basic field equipment to collect samples of soil, soil vapor, groundwater, surface water, sediment; prepare samples for shipping, and complete chain-of-custody or similar paperwork.
• Apply knowledge of natural sciences (e.g., chemistry, physics, biology, geology, hydrology, and mathematics) to explain observations.
• Prepare preliminary data and scientific documents.
• Review analytical data for general indicators of quality for routine analyses based on well-defined guidelines.
• Coordinate with task and project managers, working with on-site subcontractors and field staff, supporting sampling, data collection, and field documentation.
• Manage personal workloads, apprising project managers of progress and obstacles and presenting project outputs for final delivery.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• Candidates must be pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and must have completed at least three years of study at an accredited college or university. Candidates who have graduated with a Bachelor’s degree and plan to continue with the Master’s degree are eligible to apply for these positions. Graduates must have been enrolled in their bachelor’s degree in the most previous school term with an interest in pursuing an advanced degree in the same or similar discipline at the conclusion of the internship.
• Due to the nature of the work, US Citizenship is required.
• Valid U.S. Driver’s License required to visit project sites, clients, and other AECOM offices.
• As a condition of employment, selected candidate must pass a Motor Vehicle Records review.
• Ability to operate large pick-up truck or SUV on jobsites.
• Frequent repetitive bending/stooping to perform duties to conduct groundwater/surface water sampling and soil/sediment sampling.
• Frequent exposure to variable seasonal outdoor weather conditions including heat, cold, wind, dryness, moisture.
• Frequent moving and lifting bags of sand, buckets of groundwater, and field equipment up to 25 pounds unassisted and up to 50 pounds with assistance.
• Position requires wearing personal protective equipment, such as safety glasses, vest, gloves, hard hat, and field boots all day while performing field work.
• Occasional work in remote work areas.

Preferred Qualifications:

• General knowledge of the environmental sciences.
• Proficiency in standard office suite software applications Ability to demonstrate professional demeanor in written and verbal communications with clients, regulatory officials, and fellow employees.
• Ability to write and speak conveying complex thoughts and ideas in a clear, concise manner.
• Ability to learn through on-the-job experience.