Local Food Initiative Graduate Intern

Commitment to Equity Racial and Social Justice:

King County named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. We prioritize equity racial and social justice making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Local Food Initiative Graduate Intern you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at now for a rewarding career at King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP). Join our talented workforce in protecting and restoring the natural environment and promoting more resilient sustainable and equitable communities.

What You Will Be Doing:

• Coordinate the publication of the Local Food Initiative monthly newsletter. Identify story ideas interview partners and staff draft articles and blog posts coordinate with the Public Affairs team and manage the publication and distribution of the newsletter.

• Support the King County Food System Advisory Council (KC FSAC). Assist with planning and coordinating quarterly meetings preparing agendas and meeting materials communicating with council members documenting meeting outcomes and maintaining council records.

• Develop communications for key Local Food Initiative programs and projects. Research write and create content that highlights King County initiatives such as the Farmland Leasing Program Farm King County Farm to Community programming and other Local Food Initiative projects for partners stakeholders and the public.

• Conduct research and policy analysis. Research emerging issues best practices funding opportunities and policy trends related to food systems agriculture farmland preservation food access and economic development to inform Local Food Initiative implementation.

• Support collaborative projects and stakeholder engagement. Assist with planning and implementing Local Food Initiative projects by coordinating with farmers nonprofit organizations public agencies food businesses and other partners while providing project management and administrative support for meetings events and outreach activities.

Qualifications You Bring:

• Demonstrated interest and relevant experience in farming local food systems food access sustainability and advancing racial equity and social justice.

• Ability to communicate clearly in both written and verbal formats build and maintain constructive working relationships and adapt communication style to meet the needs of varied audiences.

• Demonstrated strong written communication skills with the ability to craft clear concise creative and persuasive messages for diverse audiences.

• Ability to think critically and strategically when developing communications including analyzing audience needs setting goals selecting effective tactics and evaluating results.

• Demonstrated ability to analyze issues objectively identify root causes and propose practical well-reasoned solutions.

• Basic understanding of local government and public policy.

• Workingknowledge of software products including Word Excel PowerPoint SharePoint Outlook Google Sites and WordPress.

• Manages Complexity: Making sense of complex high quantity and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Strategic Mindset: Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.
• Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency high energy and enthusiasm.
• Plans and Aligns: Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Self-Development: Actively seeking new ways to grow and be challenged using both formal and informal development channels.

Working Conditions:

• Work Location: The DNRP Directors Office team works in a hybrid model with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is King Street Center 201 S. Jackson Seattle Washington 98104.
  Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
  King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the departments hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.
• Work Schedule: This part-time position works up to 20 hours per week (up to 40 hours during summer). This position is covered under the provisions ofthe Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is not represented.

We welcome applications from all qualified applicants. We value diversity diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

Application materials will be screened for clarity completeness and alignment with the experience qualifications knowledge and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.

• Panel Interview: Virtual via Teams mid to late October 2026
  • Candidates invited to the panel interview may be asked to provide a writing sample.

• Complete Application
• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Responses to the supplemental questions

Are you ready to make a differenceCome join the team dedicated to serving one of the nations best places to live work and play.

Application Process

If you are interested in pursuing this position and supporting King Countys vision for unified equitable and high-performing government please follow the application instructions carefully. Provide us with your work history as applicable ensuring that you provide details that highlight your ability to fulfill the requirements for this position.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format or you would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process please contact Rodney Dungo at

King Countys Vision Mission and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles engage directly with communities and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards embrace change stay curious and continuously improve. Across all interactions we listen first act quickly and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision Mission and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex race color national origin ethnicity religious affiliation disability sexual orientation gender identity or expression age except by minimum age and retirement provisions pregnancy status as a family caregiver parental status marital status military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the persons sexual orientation or gender identity or expression citizenship or immigration status genetic information or other protected class. However to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law regulation or government contract it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions including but not limited to recruitment hiring selection for training promotion transfer demotion layoff termination rates of pay or other forms of compensation.