Who We Are:

We’re the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, a regulatory organization that’s committed to protecting the environment and public health by ensuring compliance with federal and state laws. (We do this through some innovative, interesting, and fun work!)

What We’re Looking For:

Seasonal Environmental Intern – Fall 2026

**This posting is hiring for three positions within the division.

Where We Need You:

Ohio EPA wants you to serve in this role within our Division of Surface Water.

Why We Need You:

As a Seasonal Environmental Intern with Ohio EPA, you’ll help protect Ohio’s water resources while gaining hands‑on experience in environmental permitting and wastewater oversight. You’ll work side‑by‑side with technical staff to support real‑world regulatory projects by performing tasks such as:

• Collecting and summarizing wastewater data for Permit to Install (PTI) applications, to assist technical staff with evaluating treatment system capacity, treatment design, and environmental impact.

• Reviewing PTI applications and detailed plans for completeness, accuracy, and alignment with state environmental rules and standards.

• Compiling and organizing key data for wastewater discharge permits to support the regulatory process that protects water quality across the state.

• Preparing reports and tabulating technical information to turn raw data into clear summaries used by technical staff and decision-makers.

• Assisting with field inspections at wastewater treatment plants to observe operations firsthand and help document a facility’s permit compliance.

This is a great opportunity to learn about environmental permitting, see how wastewater systems function up close, and assist with the vital work we do to protect Ohio’s waterways.

If you’re detail‑oriented, curious, and eager to contribute, we’d love to have you join us this fall!

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems ( such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation ( Ohio Deferred Compensation)

*Benefits eligibility is dependent on a number of factors. The Agency Contact listed above will be able to provide specific benefits information for this position.

• Must be currently enrolled in a college degree program directly related to the position or have recently graduated within the quarter/semester immediately preceding the start date.
• Major area of study: Environmental Science, Water Resources, Chemistry or Engineering (Environmental, Civil, Chemical) or relevant field of study.
• Knowledge of safety practices, public relations, Agency policies and procedures and permits as applicable.
• Skills in computers (word processing and database work)

Job Skills: Environmental Services, Facilities Maintenance & Inspection, Data Analytics, Data Entry, Organizing and Planning, Written Communication, Customer Focus

DIVISION: Surface Water

LOCATION: Columbus, Dayton, or Bowling Green - TBD on selection

EEO Statement:

The Ohio Environmental Protections Agency is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender/sex, gender identity or expression, national origin (ancestry), military status, disability, age (40 years of age or older), genetic information, sexual orientation, status as a parent during pregnancy and immediately after the birth of a child, status as a parent of a young child, or status as a foster parent as those are defined in applicable Ohio law, federal law, and any Executive Order, in admission or access to the operation of its programs, services, activities or its own employment practices. Employment practices are any employment related decisions including, but not limited to hiring, layoff, transfer, termination, promotion, demotion, discipline, rate of compensation, eligibility for in-service training programs, or terms and conditions of employment.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is committed to providing access, equal employment opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation, contact the Office of Employee Services at 614-644-2100 prior to testing or interviewing.

Follow us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/ohio-epa

Background Check: The final candidate selected for the position will be required to undergo a criminal background check. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position. An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.

Ohio is a Disability Inclusion State and strives to be a model employer of individuals with disabilities. The State of Ohio is committed to providing access and inclusion and reasonable accommodation in its services, activities, programs and employment opportunities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws.

The State of Ohio is a drug-free workplace which prohibits the use of marijuana (recreational marijuana/non-medical cannabis). Please note, this position may be subject to additional restrictions pursuant to the State of Ohio Drug-Free Workplace Policy (HR-39), and as outlined in the posting.