2025 Intern – Environmental Engineering Intern

SALARY
$23.42 /Hour

DESCRIPTION:

As an intern for the Process Engineering, Research and Development, Air Quality (PERDAQ) department, you will have the opportunity to practice field sampling, laboratory techniques, and engineering principles. Your role will be to help conduct applied research to optimize full-scale system performance and decrease operational costs. Your work experience will include literature review, in-situ wastewater monitoring, full-scale sampling, kinetic rate experiments, time series data analysis, and technical writing and presentations. 

You will work with our team to help understand and address enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) upsets at an MCES treatment plant. Frequent EBPR upsets cause high effluent phosphorus concentrations and incur significant costs to chemically remove phosphate. You will collaborate with staff engineers to monitor and characterize the secondary treatment performance through field sampling and bench-scale experiments.  Your role will be to conduct bench-scale experiments to quantify the aerobic uptake and anaerobic release of phosphate in the secondary treatment process during periods of good EBPR performance and during upset periods. As part of our R&D function, you will have opportunities to participate in experimental design and troubleshooting. In coordination with real-time monitoring, historical data analysis, and field sampling, the results are anticipated to help elucidate and address the root cause of effluent phosphorus excursions.

Beyond technical work under the guidance of experienced mentors and in collaboration with a range of personnel and background expertise (engineers, scientists, operators, and management), we will provide the intern insight into the opportunities and challenges of research at a public utility, and support for their career/educational path development.

• Internship Length: Full-Time Summer
• Start Date: 06/09/2025
• Location: 2400 Childs Rd, St. Paul MN 55106 & 6957 County Road 101 E, Shakopee, MN 55379
• Hours a Week: 40 hours a week

What does a 2025 Internship with the Metropolitan Council entail?
As a 2025 Intern with the Metropolitan Council, you will benefit from on-the-job training and mentoring along with participation in team projects, social events and professional development.  Interns will receive the opportunity to build professional relationships and enhance their interpersonal skills.  Interns will also interact with their coworkers and participate in projects that directly impact business value.
 
Who is the Metropolitan Council?
The Metropolitan Council is made up of several operating divisions that service the Twin Cities Metropolitan area in a number of ways.

• Metro Transit provides bus and light rail public transportation for the greater metropolitan area
• Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) manages wastewater treatment plants and the regional wastewater collection system for the seven-county metropolitan region
• Community Development is responsible for helping the Council shape its regional growth plan and Metro HRA provides affordable housing programs in the region
• Metropolitan Transportation Services (MTS) is responsible for the transportation planning functions as the Twin Cities metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for transportation
• Regional Administration provides support services (Finance, Payroll, HR, etc.) for the Council

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Collaborate with staff engineers to design and accomplish steps to monitor and characterize secondary treatment and phosphorus removal performance through field sampling, process monitoring with online analyzers, and bench-scale experiments.
• Conduct bench-scale experiments to quantify the anaerobic phosphate release rate, aerobic phosphate uptake rate, and residual phosphate uptake rates of mixed liquor during periods of good EBPR performance and during upset periods.
• Analyze data generated through sampling and experiments, identify biological phosphorus removal upset causes and potential performance optimization steps, and share findings in technical presentations and a summary report.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Must be enrolled in a degree seeking program (Associate's, Bachelor's, Master’s, or PhD) OR be a recent graduate (within 12 months from posting date) from a degree program.
• Candidate's residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin during the internship. 
• An UNOFFICIAL/OFFICIAL transcript is required to be attached to application. 

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Declared major undergraduate or graduate student.
• Completion of relevant laboratory courses (ex. Water quality, environmental engineering, chemical engineering, unit operations).
• Completion of coursework that covered mass balances.
• Completion of at least two years of college level education.

DEGREE PROGRAM/AREA OF STUDY PREFERRED

• Civil/Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Bioproducts/Biosystems Engineering, or related field.

What you can expect from us: 

• We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area. 
• We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits and a good work/life balance.

More about why you should join us!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Union: American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Safety Sensitive:  No
 
What steps the recruitment process involves:
1.    We review your minimum qualifications. 
2.    We rate your education and experience. 
3.    We conduct a structured panel interview. 

Once you have successfully completed the steps above, then:
If you are new to the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (safety sensitive positions only), and a background check which verifies education, employment, and criminal history.  A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the job.  If you have a criminal conviction, you do not automatically fail. The Metropolitan Council considers felony, gross misdemeanor and misdemeanor convictions on a case-by-case basis, based on whether they are related to the job and whether the candidate has demonstrated adequate rehabilitation.
 
If you are already an employee of the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (if moving from a non-safety sensitive position to a safety sensitive position) and criminal background check if the job you're applying for is safety sensitive, is a supervisory or management job, is in the Finance, Information Services, Audit, or Human Resources departments, or has access to financial records, files/databases, cash, vouchers or transit fare cards.  A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the position.
 
IMPORTANT: If you make a false statement or withhold information, you may be barred from job consideration.

The Metropolitan Council is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and veteran-friendly employer. The Council is committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity of the region and strongly encourages persons of color, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply. If you have a disability that requires accommodation during the selection process, please email HR-OCCHealth@metc.state.mn.us.