Inside HydroTerra Rentals: How our Interns keep environmental monitoring running smoothly

Intern, Ed McIntyre, with a Oizom dust monitor

Testing of a bladder pump

At HydroTerra Rentals, every day is hands-on as we manage, prepare, and deliver environmental monitoring equipment to our clients. Our team includes John our Rental Manager, Dominique the Rentals Coordinator, Ryan our Instrument Technician and, of course, our hardworking interns. Our interns are university students from diverse backgrounds, all pursuing degrees in environmental science or related fields.

Interns play a crucial role in the daily operations. They calibrate, clean, pack, and help deliver the rental equipment. Keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

The day begins by reviewing the incoming orders and planning the workload. Some of our most rented items include water quality meters, gas analysers, and Inspectra lasers. These instruments all require precise calibration, so the interns get to work at the various calibration stations throughout the HydroTerra workshop, using calibration liquids and specialty gases to ensure accuracy.

If everything goes to plan, the morning is spent calibrating and preparing gear until around midday. Once equipment is ready, we pack it into our electric work van, ready for delivery.

In the afternoon, the intern team usually splits up. One intern will hit the road, delivering equipment across Melbourne’s many suburbs to our valued clients. Meanwhile, the other stays in the workshop, taking care of returned equipment. This involves a thorough cleaning process to prevent any risk of cross-contamination between clients, as well as assisting Ryan with minor repairs and maintenance on our instruments.

It’s a busy, hands-on role but a rewarding one, giving interns practical experience in environmental technology, logistics, and teamwork.