Marine Debris Intern
At Pacific Seafood, we do more than just provide the world with the healthiest proteins on the planet. We are a family-owned business that is committed to innovation. As a leader in the seafood industry, we know that the key to our success is investing in our people and inspiring our shared commitment to the health of our oceans and seafood supply. We are excited to partner with Oregon Applied Sustainability Experiences (OASE) for this paid intern position. The OASE program focuses on pairing third- and fourth-year college students and graduate students with business to reach waste prevention and sustainability goals. They provide technical and program support to interns, in addition to the business teams the interns will be working with daily. (For more information and to apply: https://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/OASE/oase-students). Do not apply on this page, apply directly through OASE.
The Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Intern will gain exposure and experience in the organization, curation, and development of EHS training content. Our EHS Team is a vital group dedicated to ensuring all Pacific Seafood locations remain in compliance with federal, state, and company regulations. We consistently do our best and always strive to be better so that we can mitigate risks and create a safe working environment for all team members. As the selected intern, you will help craft the training program that will ensure a safe and healthy work environment for all team members.
Project goals and outcome:
The marine debris intern will focus on the materials used in shellfish aquaculture to identify opportunities to reduce environmental impact from the industry. The intern will collaborate with Pacific Seafood’s Aquaculture team to understand the current practices, materials, and methods for oyster farming. They will then collaborate with Pacific Seafood’s Sustainability and EHS team to identify emerging materials that could be used as alternatives to the industry standard of polypropylene rope.
They will assess the effectiveness of these alternative materials, the feasibility of implementing the new material in terms of both access and cost and propose any additional recommendations for improvements.
The intern will work to reduce the marine debris that enters the ocean through both larger forms of material as well as the breakdown of plastic into microplastics.
OASE project details:
• Conduct a literature review of plastics and microplastic in the current industry
• Quantify the plastic use
• Visit and coordinate with Pacific Seafood oyster farm locations to determine the types of practices currently being implemented
• Collate research for identifying potential alternative materials or methods for oyster farming
• identify solutions to reduce plastic pollutants from entering the environment
• Evaluate materials for longevity and resilience
• Assess costs for implementation
The intern will work within the Environmental Health & Safety Department. The Supervisor has a background in environmental science and sustainability and the team has a strong technical background in environmental compliance and sustainability. Additionally, the intern will collaborate with our Aquaculture team who are experts in the field at farming oysters and the processes that surround shellfish aquaculture.
Degrees/Skills identified by host:
Engineering, Environmental Science/Sustainability, Physical science, process engineering, creative and innovative thinking, analytical nature, previous projects with life cycle analysis or material engineering are a plus.
Additional considerations:
- US Citizens only
- Interns will have the opportunity to work on site in Clackamas (Tillamook or Coos Bay are also options if the student is local to those areas)
- Some travel to our aquaculture facilities will be required
- A company computer will be provided
- Drug tests or other tests are required for access to the work location
- Driver’s license required, vehicle preferred but not required
- Low cost housing may be available at the Hatfield Marine Science Center
- OASE paid internship $5,000 stipend
- Not eligible for college credit
If interested, apply directly through OASE. Instructions for application are located here: https://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/OASE/oase-students. Applications submitted on this page will not be reviewed.
Pacific Seafood is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.