Are you interested in environmental science? Looking for a summer job in King County? If so, the King County Department Natural Resources and Parks has an opportunity for you.

The Department of Natural Resources and Parks will soon be recruiting environmental aides for “The Stream Team,” according to the county.

Environmental aides will capture and study bugs in 200 streams across the county. The samples they collect are part of an ongoing research project to measure the health of the streams, according to the county.

The “benthic macroinvertebrates,” which is a fancy way of saying small aquatic bugs, play a vital role in the health of the larger ecosystem. Studying them helps scientists gauge the health of a stream, according to the Department of Natural Resources and Parks.

“They really are some of the best, most efficient tools we have to track water quality across the county,” said Kate Macneale, a King County environmental scientist who leads the research. “Their health helps indicate how well we’re managing urban growth, stormwater and forests across the county.”

The job entails long hours and tough work in the elements, but it offers experience and can be rewarding. Members of The Stream Team can take pride in the fact that the work they do is helping to improve the health of the region’s ecosystems.

Recruiting begins in mid-March. For more information, contact Jenée Colton at jenee.colton@kingcounty.gov.