Job Details

Nicholas Institute Summer Intern - Ditch Mapping

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Job ID

9285

Job Type

On-Campus Job (work study Not required)

Employer

NICHOLAS INSTITUTEENERGY INITIATIVE (DDEB) Biweekly

Date Posted

Feb 16, 2026

Category

Administrative/Logistical Support

Job Description

Our team at the Nicholas Institute is working to develop high-resolution, updated ditch maps and use them to identify wetland restoration needs and saltwater intrusion vulnerability across the coastal plain. Previous work has focused on collection of new, high-resolution lidar data at selected field sites and using those data to develop a workflow for identifying drainage ditches. During summer 2026, that workflow will be extended to map ditches across the full study area and use the ditch map to create additional data products including maps of peatlands in need of hydrologic restoration and maps of saltwater intrusion hazard and vulnerability.

The intern’s primary role will be developing and implementing spatial analysis methods for the two derived data products (peatland restoration needs and saltwater intrusion vulnerability), beginning with pilot sites for which ditch maps are currently available and extending to the full study area as the broader ditch maps are created. Other project work will include engaging with stakeholders and subject matter experts to get feedback on methods and preliminary maps and drafting project deliverables aimed at end-user groups, such as web maps, StoryMaps, and reports.

This position will report to senior policy associate Katie Warnell under the guidance of program director Lydia Olander. The intern will also work with collaborators including state and federal agency staff, the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuary Program and other partner NGOs, and researchers at Duke and other institutions. This is a full-time (40 hours/week), paid position for summer 2026. Work will be conducted in person or on a hybrid model. This position is open to students enrolled at Duke University.

Job Requirements

Key Tasks

· Identifying, accessing, and cleaning spatial and remote sensing datasets as inputs to spatial data analyses

· Developing spatial analysis workflows (in ArcGIS Pro or Python) to identify peatland restoration needs and saltwater intrusion vulnerability.

· Testing analysis workflows for small areas (pilot sites) for methods development and implementing final analysis method for regional study area

· Creating materials (slides, methods summaries, etc.) to seek feedback from partners

· Engaging with project partners and subject matter experts to get feedback on analysis methods, preliminary results, and deliverables

· Drafting deliverables including data products, written reports, and interactive visualizations

Skills

· Literature review and synthesizing information from multiple sources

· Advanced use of Excel to organize data and perform analysis

· Geospatial analysis (ArcGIS Pro required; Python or R preferred)

· Experience with ArcGIS Online (web maps, web apps, and StoryMaps are particularly relevant to this project)

· Familiarity with or interest in peatland ecology, wetland restoration, and saltwater intrusion

· Expert and stakeholder engagement (e.g., via formal or informal interviews, facilitated discussion, surveys, etc.)

· Strong organizational skills

· Excellent oral and written communication

To apply, please send your resume or CV and a cover letter to Katie Warnell, katie.warnell@duke.edu. We will begin interviews on Wednesday, February 11th on a rolling basis.

Required Skills

Learning Outcomes

Available Openings

Hours

19.5 hours per week

Hourly Rate

$19.00/hour

Time Frame

Summer 1 (May - June)

Contact Name

Katie Warnell

Contact Email

katie.warnell@duke.edu

Work Location Address

Box 90335 Durham NC 27708

Phone

9196134362

Fax

N/A

Work Location

Hybrid

Job Schedule

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