Internship - NOAA Data Gathering & Analysis

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Internship dates: June 2 - August 24, 2025 = 12wks

About Us:

The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is the largest provider of hands-on conservation programs for youth and adults. Program participants protect and restore national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, marine sanctuaries, cultural landmarks, community green spaces, and much more across the country.

NOAA Background: NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS) provides data, tools, and services that protect our ecosystems. This project is designed to improve tracking and compliance of the entire NOS Data Inventory which covers the range of 8 Program Offices including the Office of Coast Survey, National Geodetic Survey, Office for Coastal Management, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Office of Response and Restoration, and the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System Program.

Position Description: This internship project aims to develop a prototype dashboard that will visualize and manage key dataset, metadata record, and data management plan metrics maintained by NOS. The dashboard will be an interactive tool for NOS researchers, data managers, and stakeholders to easily access, analyze, and track critical data metrics. The student will work closely with NOS staff to understand the requirements for the dashboard, familiarize themselves with existing data sources and investigate tools such as Google sheets, Excel, and other web-based visualization tools to document findings and recommendations, design a prototype plan, and build the tool with support for NOS Staff. Students will engage in professional development activities including immersion in NOAA, federal employment, and other appropriate opportunities. The student will present findings at the close of the internship.

Member Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Requirements Gathering and Analysis
  • Collaborate with NOS staff and stakeholders to define the dashboard's functional requirements.
  • Conduct interviews or surveys to understand user needs and priorities.
  • Analyze existing data sources, including datasets, metadata records, and data management plan tracking sheets.
• Research and Evaluation of Tools
  • Explore and evaluate potential tools for dashboard development, including Google Sheets, Excel, and web-based visualization platforms.
  • Document findings and provide recommendations based on functionality, compatibility, and scalability.
• Dashboard Design and Prototyping
  • Create a design plan for the dashboard.
  • Develop an interactive prototype using the selected tool or platforms.
• Implementation and Testing
  • Build the dashboard prototype, integrating key datasets and metrics.
  • Test the dashboard for functionality, usability, and accuracy.
  • Incorporate feedback from NOS staff and stakeholders to refine the tool.
• Documentation and Reporting
  • Document the development process, including methods, tools, challenges, and lessons learned.
  • Provide clear and detailed user documentation for the dashboard.
  • Prepare a summary report with recommendations for further development or deployment.
• Professional Development and Engagement
  • Participate in immersion activities to learn about NOAA's mission, operations, and federal employment opportunities.
  • Attend relevant workshops or training sessions to enhance skills.
  • Network with professionals in data management and visualization.
• Final Presentation
  • Develop and deliver a presentation summarizing project outcomes, including the prototype, key findings, and recommendations.
  • Engage with NOS staff and stakeholders for feedback and discussion.

Member Required Qualifications

Minimum qualifications are experience with spreadsheets or google sheets. This project could be completed by a range of professions and experience from entry level administrative skills to GIS skills to programming skills. The path can vary based on the experience or lack thereof.

Member Preferred Qualifications

Passionate or excited to work in environmental science/climate science.

Member Benefits:

• $600 per week living allowance
• $1,130 one-time relocation travel allowance
• $1,000 per month housing allowance

Likely Working Conditions applicable to the member

Remote and/or office setting