WATER POLICY INTERNSHIPS FOR SPRING 2026

APPLY BY JANUARY 16, 2026

The Interstate Council on Water Policy (ICWP) has immediate openings for up to three interns to assist in accomplishing its mission for Spring 2026.

About:

There are numerous benefits including the opportunity to develop a broad understanding of current national water policy issues and the opportunity to meet leaders in national water policy through ICWP- sponsored events and committees.

Interns will receive a $1,000 stipend and complimentary registration to the ICWP Washington DC Roundtable to be held at The Reservoir Center for Water Solutions in Washington DC on April 22-23, 2026.

They also have opportunities to network with water managers from across the nation throughout the duration of their internships and are invited to participate in ICWP committee meetings (Legislation and Policy, Water Data and Science, Water Planning, and Interstate Water Management) and virtual events.

2026 Project Topics:

Interns will work with a supervisor to select one or more projects based on interests and skills. The list below reflects ICWP’s project priorities for 2026. Selected projects may include a combination of these topics or others not listed, should a candidate submit a worthy proposal.

• Data Centers – ICWP has established a limited-duration committee that is exploring water policy issues related to data center development across the country. The committee is managing the centralization of research and resources for ICWP members as well as developing communication channels for sharing information, including future virtual events. The intern’s work would primarily support the Committee’s efforts.
• Soil Moisture and Evapotranspiration – Build on last year’s findings demonstrating the need to show the value of soil moisture data products. Research topics include how states diversify funding, account for operations and maintenance (O&M) costs, and what they budget for O&M. The intern may develop templates or tools to support funding requests for soil moisture monitoring. This research could also contribute to ICWP’s work with NOAA’s NIDIS National Coordinated Soil Moisture Monitoring Network Valuation of Soil Moisture Data White Paper.
• Water Data Governance – Explore the development of water data resources for ICWP members, including: compilation of resources such as grants and workshops currently available; funding advocacy (i.e.- EPA); resource list of webinars, conferences, or training nationwide on water data accessibility and open source initiatives; information and resources on sustainable and affordable open source software.
• USGS Streamgaging – Support ICWP’s streamgage support efforts including providing recommendations to assist with our annual stakeholder support letter and identifying supporting information for citation in ICWP’s streamgage advocacy efforts.
• US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Planning Assistance to States (PAS) – Build on last year’s findings to support ICWP’s work to garner increased funding for PAS program outreach and capacity and provide information and outreach about the USACE PAS program to states.

Additional details:

Interns will work from the convenience of their own office using their own computer. Interns are expected to participate in weekly calls with their supervisor. These are self-directed projects with flexible working hours for the duration of six months (or less). The culmination of the internships will be a presentation of project findings to ICWP membership at the end of the spring semester. Internships may be extended based on availability and interest.

Preferred education: Seniors or Graduate students in natural resources, planning, or water policy related field.

ICWP is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against on the basis of any non-job related factor.

To apply:

Please send a cover letter, resume and indication of your internship project interests to ICWP Executive Director Beth Callaway (beth@icwp.org) by 5:00 PM Eastern on January 16, 2026.