Careers at DNR

Want to join something GREAT and make a difference?

At the Department of Natural Resources, your career can take many paths – from forestry and engineering to finance, IT, geology, and more. Discover the diverse roles that support our mission to protect and manage Washington’s natural resources.

Find the path that inspires you and apply today!

Wildfire and Emergency Response

Our Wildfire and Emergency Response teams are the first line of defense in protecting Washington’s people, landscapes, and natural resources. From Wildland Firefighters and Aviation crews on the front lines, to Dispatchers behind the scenes. Every role contributes to building safer communities across the state and beyond.

Below are a few examples of Wildfire & Emergency Response careers:

Seasonal Firefighter: With the largest on-call fire department in the state, DNR needs seasonal fire fighters every year. This is an excellent opportunity for motivated individuals and students who desire a career in natural resource management or to gain fundamental forestry experience through fire crew employment. Individuals must be capable of safely performing strenuous outdoor work and be willing to accept direction and act responsibly. The experience and training gained as a Wildland Firefighter can form the foundation for a successful career in forestry and other natural resource professions. The duration of these positions is generally 3-6 months with work beginning as early as May and ending in late September. Find out more about our Seasonal Firefighting Team!

Fire Unit Manager: Oversees unit's fire suppression, preparedness, regulation and prevention programs while working closely with region specialists and management. Each of these units encompass a diverse range of landscape, and complex fire management. In a typical workday, you can go from the heights of White Pass, to the shores of the Long Beach Peninsula. In this dynamic environment positive interagency relationships and cooperation is essential for the success of our agency and those we work with. 

Natural Resource Police Officer: Natural Resource Police Officers are committed to protecting public safety, state assets, and the environment. Officers are assigned to geographical areas to investigate, identify, and initiate prosecuting those individuals who commit crimes on state-protected lands. Natural Resource Police Officers often work alone in remote areas where they must independently determine the best course of action to resolve a situation effectively.

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View Open Jobs Wildfire and Emergency Management

Interested but Not Ready to Apply? Sign up for job alerts or connect with our team to set up an informational interview to gain more specific knowledge about a DNR career field. We will connect you with an appropriate staff person or manager. The informational interview may not necessarily be in person but could be by phone or email.

Natural Resource Management

DNR safeguards Washington’s natural areas—the finest remaining examples of native ecosystems in state ownership. Whether you’re monitoring forest health, restoring aquatic habitats, or planning land use, careers in this field offer the chance to make a lasting impact in our community.

Below are a few examples of Natural Resources Management careers:

State Lands Forester: Coordinates with landowners and interdisciplinary specialists to apply the best available science to protect natural resources while maintaining a vibrant forest products industry. State Lands Foresters works under the guidance of the Habitat Conservation Plan, Forest Practices Rules, the Policy for Sustainable Forests, the Sustainable Harvest Calculation, the Endangered Species Act, and all other applicable laws, rules, regulations, and agency policy, procedures, and guidelines to accomplish the Agency’s objectives

Geologist: The Washington Geological Survey contributes to the safety and economic well-being of Washington’s citizens by educating the public, government, and industry about the consequences of geologic events. These positions use knowledge of geophysical methods, field instrumentation and troubleshooting, GIS, and database management. These positions require interaction with the public and property owners, so good communication skills are a must. 
Aquatic Specialist/Biologist: Researches aquatic environments to confirm the best available science is used to ensure and improve the long-term health of aquatic lands owned by the people of Washington; hands-on management of aquatic lands to include writing leases, contracting for the cleanup of toxic materials, fight noxious weeds, and restore habitats.

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View Open Jobs in Natural Resource Management

Interested but Not Ready to Apply? Sign up for job alerts or connect with our team to set up an informational interview to gain more specific knowledge about a DNR career field. We will connect you with an appropriate staff person or manager. The informational interview may not necessarily be in person but could be by phone or email.

Information Technology

Technology powers nearly every aspect of our mission at DNR. From protecting forests to responding to emergencies. Our IT professionals keep systems running, data secure, and tools accessible for our teams across the state. This includes traditional IT roles in network administration as well as specialized positions in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) that bring spatial data to life.

Below are a few examples of Information Technology careers:

GIS Analyst/Programmer: Works with computer-based geospatial data such as aerial photos, satellite imagery, GPS and digital map overlays to perform mapping and analysis tasks relating to daily business operations support, strategic planning, data visualization, and business intelligence. Qualified candidates with relevant computer programming experience in languages such as Python, C#, SQL Java, and PHP are especially sought after.

Application Developer: Serves as the professional application development and code specialist for the DNR Wildland Fire Management Division, producing custom applications, extending the function of applications, implementing workflows when accuracy requirements are subjective or data involves many variables, and conducting research using collaborations with the IT Department and professional code resources. 

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View Open Jobs in Information Technology

Interested but Not Ready to Apply? Sign up for job alerts or connect with our team to set up an informational interview to gain more specific knowledge about a DNR career field. We will connect you with an appropriate staff person or manager. The informational interview may not necessarily be in person but could be by phone or email.

Project Management and Policy

Behind every successful initiative at DNR are thoughtful planners, strategic leaders, and policy experts who help guide our work statewide. From managing cross-agency projects to shaping natural resource policy, professionals in this field help turn vision into action.

Below are a few examples of Project Management & Policy careers:

Real Estate Specialist: Works with the sale and purchase of lands, the acquiring and granting of road access easements, responding to large public projects to be placed on state lands (transmission lines, gas lines, state highways, etc.).

Policy Advisor: Provides strategic advice, consultation and research on policy issues and manage a variety of agency priority policies, plans and projects. The Policy Advisor works on policy/division portfolio areas and when developing policy coordinates with applicable DNR agency staff, external partners, Washington State agencies, federal and Tribal governments and any consultants or contractors.

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View Open Jobs in Project Management and Policy 

Interested but Not Ready to Apply? Sign up for job alerts or connect with our team to set up an informational interview to gain more specific knowledge about a DNR career field. We will connect you with an appropriate staff person or manager. The informational interview may not necessarily be in person but could be by phone or email.

Administrative and Support Staff

Human Resources Consultant: Serves as a strategic advisor providing expert guidance to appointing authorities, managers, and employees on complex human resources matters such as: employee performance management consultation and training, collective bargaining agreement interpretation, organizational planning, recruitment, and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within assigned divisions and regions.

Fiscal Analyst: Supports the DNR in our mission, goals, and objectives by developing systems and processes that ensure that every employee is paid accurately and timely. This position interacts with HR Consultants, agency employees and supervisors, other state and federal agencies, other HR/Payroll staff in the agency, and assists with the development of fiscal procedures, development of automated and manual reporting processes, and interpretation and analysis of payroll data.

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View Open Jobs in Administrative & Support Services

Interested but Not Ready to Apply? Sign up for job alerts or connect with our team to set up an informational interview to gain more specific knowledge about a DNR career field. We will connect you with an appropriate staff person or manager. The informational interview may not necessarily be in person but could be by phone or email.

Internship Program Opportunities at DNR

Think DNR is only about fires and forestry? Think again. Seismology, Silviculture, Entomology, Aquaculture, Hydrology. What do these diverse disciplines have in common? These are just a few of the professionals that DNR hires. In fact, we offer some of the most diverse career opportunities in state government. While the majority of our jobs are professional positions with a natural science focus, we also recruit candidates in many other fields - fields like, engineering, natural resource policy, financial management, business, and communications, just to name a few.

DNR is a multi-faceted agency where its employees are passionate about their work whether it is managing our states trust lands, conserving our natural heritage, or protecting public resources like our forests and clean water.

If you are interested in learning firsthand how a fast-paced agency like DNR conducts business on behalf of the citizens of Washington State, an internship with us is a great way to get started.

Each year we have a variety of internship opportunities available statewide. Our internship program is designed to offer professional development opportunities to students pursuing an associate, bachelors, or graduate degree in relevant fields. The agency provides both paid and unpaid internship opportunities. Most of our internship work takes place between May and September, however, we do have some year round opportunities.

Our internship program is designed to

• Provide high-quality learning experience for students,
• Attract the brightest and best students to DNR,
• Expand our potential pool of future employees,
• Improve workforce diversity objectives in support of our agency goals,
• Promote excellent working relationships with targeted colleges, universities, and the community at large.

What's in it for DNR?

Obviously, internships also benefit us. Internships can provide a mechanism to identify, recruit, and hire diverse, competent college students into the agency. They can also be an effective means of promoting our agency and our programs within the community.

View Open Internships

Interested but Not Ready to Apply? Sign up for job alerts or connect with our team to set up an informational interview to gain more specific knowledge about a DNR career field. We will connect you with an appropriate staff person or manager. The informational interview may not necessarily be in person but could be by phone or email.

Internship Networking

Past interns share their experience

"As a Media and Communications graduate, my internship with DNR's Communications team provided me with valuable hands-on experience. Coming from a background in tutoring and editing, I was eager to gain more direct communications experience, and this role gave me the opportunity to explore that. From developing webpage content, assisting with event design and planning, to supporting internal communications efforts, I developed skills that are essential to pursuing my future career. It has been incredibly rewarding to work alongside a diverse and dedicated natural resource management team as we ensure the protection of our water and lands. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this organization and its mission while learning from experienced and passionate professionals in the field."

Sophia Treadwell, Communication Intern

 

"During my internship, I gained hands-on experience with internal communications while working with talented and supportive employees. WCD staff tailored my internship to my career goals and provided me with opportunities and knowledge that I will apply to future jobs in this field. From working on the agency's newsletter, to writing LinkedIn posts, or creating short videos, the three months I spent with DNR were incredibly valuable. I am so grateful for the chance I had to work with such considerate people while broadening my skillset."

Elena Scott, Workplace Culture and Development Intern