'It's a very popular area'

Some summer, the Brainerd lakes area is where it's at for watercraft fun.

• Photos

And watercraft inspector interns.

The DNR is seeking watercraft inspector interns for the upcoming boating season. And of the 75 interns the DNR will hire across the state this year, 17 - about a fourth of all the interns - will be needed for the Brainerd lakes area.

"We have a six-county area that we call Brainerd - Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Aitkin, Mille Lacs and Kanabec. It's a very popular area," said Heidi Wolf, DNR watercraft inspection program coordinator.

The inspectors will be stationed at public accesses on lakes and rivers infested with invasive species such as Eurasian watermilfoil and zebra mussels.

A watercraft inspector intern chatted with a boater near the access at Bald Eagle Lake near White Bear Lake during a summer inspection. DNR

DNR looking for state park interns

The DNR is hiring naturalist interns to present programs at 12 of its 72 state parks this summer.

A naturalist intern mentors under the resident naturalist at a park to conduct campfire programs, hikes and children's activities.

The DNR is looking for young adults who are enthusiastic and creative, enjoy working outdoors with groups of park visitors, and don't mind working weekends and holidays.

To apply, go to www.mnstateparks.info and look for the link to State Park Naturalist Internships. Applications are due by Friday.

For information on additional internships with the DNR, go to www.mndnr.gov and click on jobs and then internships for a list of contacts.

"There are a lot of water bodies (in the Brainerd lakes area) and Mille Lacs is already infested with zebra mussels," Wolf said

To be eligible, applicants must be high school graduates and enrolled in a natural resources or related program that will give them credit for the internship, according to Wolf. Deadline to apply is March 13.

The full-time, temporary internships start in late April and run through the middle of October, with flexibility for students still in school. Besides credit, internships pay $7.50 an hour plus bonuses.

"Most people enjoy it," Wolf said of the internships. "There are some who return multiple years. They can use it on their resume. And for the most part, people are happy to see us out there.

"We're looking for enthusiastic young adults interested in doing important environmental conservation work."

Watercraft inspectors inform and educate the public about aquatic invasive species and the threat they pose to Minnesota waters, assist with access posting and conduct invasive species plant removal and other natural resource projects.

Positions also are available in the seven-county metro area; Wright and Chisago counties; Cook County; Hubbard, Itasca, and Beltrami counties; Wabasha and Winona counties; Otter Tail and Becker counties; locations along the Mississippi River; Duluth, Rainy Lake, Lake of the Woods; and the Spicer/Willmar area.

To view a complete job description or apply online, go to www.dnr.state.mn.us/jobs/watercraft/index.html or contact Wolf at (651) 259-5152 or heidi.wolf@dnr.state.mn.us with questions.

BRIAN S. PETERSON may be reached at brian. peterson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5864.