The chance to work alongside seasoned scientists, learn about Puget Sound, and get his hands dirty with a variety of marine fieldwork were among the many reasons Tyler Ransier applied for a position as a marine and environmental monitoring technician through the Washington Conservation Corps (WCC).
Nine months into his 11-month internship, he’s still thrilled with that decision. Among other things, he’s had the opportunity to work with benthic invertebrates under a microscope, collect marine water samples from boats and float planes, and conduct tissue sampling on fish.
“It’s been an amazing experience. The work I’ve been able to be a part of was a lot of fun,” he said during a phone interview. “I’ve seen a lot of different aspects of how Ecology works and how the research is done. It’s been a huge variety of opportunities and I’ve really enjoyed every bit of it”.
A position with many benefits
Ransier said there were numerous opportunities within the WCC but the individual placement position with Ecology’s Marine Monitoring Unit was the most appealing. With a bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University in Environmental Science with a marine emphasis, he wanted to put his education to work.
During his time with Ecology Tyler Ransier conducted a variety of fieldwork. He said collecting water samples via float plane was one of the highlights of his time with the Marine Monitoring Unit.
“The variety of work that you get the opportunity to do in this position was unique among not just the WCC but a lot of jobs in general,” Ransier said. “On top of that most of the WCC positions are forestry-based or they’re land-based positions — not a lot of them have marine-centered work.”
It wasn’t just the work that made his time with Ecology’s Environmental Assessment Program so rewarding, Ransier said. The people he had the opportunity to work with and learn from added to the value of the experience.
“Everyone is really nice — very informative and very open. People were always willing to answer questions and help me get the most out of the program,” he said. “I think that my biggest takeaway is the connections I’ve been able to make with this position. I’ve met so many different people from so many different pools of work and research. I’ve widened my personal network a lot. I think that is very valuable for me.”
There's still time to apply
Ransier’s time with Ecology will end in September.
There’s still two weeks to apply for a chance to replace him. He that recommends anyone with an interest in marine research should consider applying for the position.
“This would be an amazing opportunity for them because they get to work with people who have been in this field for decades. It’s really cool to work with people who are in the top of their fields,” he said. “Anyone who is interested in getting the chance to really play around with decades of data, anyone who is interested in learning about the Puget Sound.”
Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) is an AmeriCorps program that creates future leaders through community involvement and mentorship. Our WCC program provides hands-on experience, field skills, and training opportunities to young adults between 18 and 25 and military veterans. Recruitment is now open for the WCC Individual Placement: Marine and Environmental Monitoring Technician position for 2020-21. Applications will be accepted through July 31st.
https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/ezshare/SEA/WCC/PositionDescriptions/EAP.pdf