2010 Positions with Campus to Careers
1. Federal Internships:
2. Non-federal Internships supported by UPS Foundation
National Park Service Climate Change Internship Program
The National Park Service has awarded a five-year grant to the National Council for Science & the Environment's (NCSE) Campus to Careers Program to develop and administer the Climate Change Internship Program (CCIP). CCIP will involve science-based research, resource conservation, data collection, monitoring, communication, policy development, sustainable operations, and other projects to support adaptation to and mitigation of the effects of climate change on lands administered by the National Park Service.
Each internship will be about 12 weeks in duration, May to September, and pay $10-12 per hour. Housing is provided unless otherwise specified.
13 internship openings are currently available:
Arcadia National Park - Bar Harbor, ME
Intern will develop curriculum-based education programs that will highlight the potential impacts of climate change and facilitate student stewardship actions. They will also develop middle school level activities as well as staff training and development resource guides, an audio-visual podcast for school-aged children via the park’s website addressing emerging climate change issues, and staff a climate change information station for a large family-oriented and partner/park supported event in July.
Colorado National Monument - Fruita, CO
Intern will conduct Level 1 inventories of springs, seeps and the sensitive plants to:
1) identify those springs and seeps where a response to climate change is most likely to be apparent and where spring and seep discharge can be accurately measured; and
2) identify sensitive plants found in the springs and seeps because they too are indicators of climate change.
Monitoring spring and seep ecosystems will enable a more thorough understanding of the impacts of human activities on these ecosystems.
Crater Lake National Park - Crater Lake, OR
Intern will work with Science and Learning Center Staff and faculty members with its academic, Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) and Southern Oregon University (SOU), and industry partners to begin designing a small mobile photovoltaic system with an onboard interactive kiosk. They will also assist with a concept design for an onboard interactive kiosk. Our goal is to develop an interface that would allow park visitors to track the power demand associated with individual park vehicles and/or facilities.
Devils Postpile National Monument - Mammoth Lakes, CA
Devil's Postpile is currently engaged in several climate-related research projects, including an examination of lodgepole pine establishment in and around the Monument’s meadows; a continuing investigation of cold-air pooling in the San Joaquin River valley; and a newly installed streamgage to measure river stage and water flow.
The intern will be involved in fieldwork, with supervision and mentoring, for all three of these projects, as well as for other projects that may arise during the field season. The intern will then use preliminary findings and lessons learned from these projects to begin developing climate change adaptation strategies for the Monument. This work will culminate in a written report at the end of the internship that will serve as the basis for the Monument’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy
Denver Service Center - Denver, CO
Genetic Conservation and Sustainability of Native Grasses for Use in the Western U.S. Intern will:
1) work to identify which native grass species are already being studied by federal and other agencies;
2) identify which studies are complete or identify completion dates for on-going studies;
3) solicit western federal, state and agencies as to what species they need genetic range information for and generate a list of those species;
4) identify governmental and private groups that are already working together to produce native seed and identify their BMPs;
5) make all of this information available on the internet through an appropriate NPS or other site; and
6) determine next steps for facilitating government agencies and other groups in working together to develop native grass seed species.
Rocky Mountain National Park - Estes Park, CO
The internship is structured to provide exposure to and experience with a variety of research and management projects related to assessing climate change in a high elevation alpine national park. The intern will test hands-on methods and equipment in high-elevation ecosystems while retaining wilderness values and park objectives. Projects include monitoring permafrost, inspecting soil properties, assisting in borehole operations, quantifying snow quality and quantity. Additional studies include analyzing sampling schemes to monitor pika and marmot occupancy and abundance and monitoring accumulation and ablation of glaciers utilizing time-lapse photography.
The intern will also participate with various citizen science projects (water and beaver blitz) and the existing internship mentoring and professional development programs at the park.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Gatlinburg, TN
Intern will develop climate change education products for high school audiences, and develop materials for climate change teacher workshop.
Russell Cave National Monument - Bridgeport, AL
This 10-12 week internship provides a unique opportunity to work with nationally recognized Archaeologist, Dr. Sarah Sherwood, in assessing prehistoric climate change conditions from soil samples.
Intern duties:
- Create interpretive presentations on analysis results comparing prehistoric climate change scenarios to current climate change conditions.
- Outline and create curriculum-based materials for presentation of findings and theories.
- Field support will involve participating in soil sample collection, photography, and detailed documentation.
Intern should have completed coursework in Earth Sciences (geology, soil science - botany would be most relevant), have education and/or previous volunteer or internship experience in some combination of education, archaeology, anthropology and history, and possess Microsoft Office skills in Word and PowerPoint as well as Excel and Access.
South Florida Caribbean Network - Palmetto Bay, FL (Housing not provided)
This 16-week internship will involve site establishment, field data collection, data entry, and analysis related to establishing vital signs that will monitor :
1) ecotonal movement of mangrove into freshwater marshes due to sea level rise;
2) soil elevation monitoring to determine if mangroves can keep up with sea level rise; and
3) monitoring of colonial bird nesting to see if the forage base is impacted.
For more details, please visit: http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/sfcn/
Voyageurs National Park - International Falls, MN
The intern will be participating in the ongoing study “Investigate the Effects of Climate Change and Other Factors of the Viability of Moose in Voyageurs National Park”. The intern will help to measure operative temperatures experienced by moose using temperature data loggers. The intern will also assist in creating black globe thermometers, deploying the loggers in various habitats, and retrieving loggers to off-load data.
Fire Island National Seashore - Patchogue, NY
As a coastal park climate change adaptation strategy, and to allow natural shoreline processes to prevail, the intern will;
1) identify and map human-caused barriers to landform migration at Fire Island National Seashore;
2) identify the current function of the structure or barrier (e.g., protecting a cultural resource); and
3) identify and map landforms where shoreline migration may be enhanced by removing or mitigating the human- caused structures/barriers.
Washington Wilderness Stewardship Division - Washington, DC (Housing not provided)
The intern would assist the Wilderness Stewardship Division to develop and implement the three of the Division’s Climate Change Communication goals:
1. Develop a standardized message on wilderness and climate change
2. Develop a strategy on how to educate and effectively communicate to the wilderness audience about climate change
3. Create national level outreach materials as well as templates to be tailored at the park or regional level.
National Capital Region - Washington, DC (Housing not provided)
Intern would incorporate climate change activities into projects produced by youth participating in the "2nd Nature" pilot partnership program with the National Park Service (NPS) and the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC). Youth will reflect on their experiences through art, media and digital storytelling. Throughout the creative process youth will better connect with NCR parks and communicate these experiences with their friends, family, and community. The intern would specifically be tasked with coordinating field experiences based on climate change in NCR national parks, and working with LAYC youth to create action plans in their own communities to address climate change.
Students and recent graduates interested in applying for these positions should visit how to apply. All inquiries will receive a response including further directions on pursuing the current intern positions.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Internships
In our third year of a Co-Op agreement with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), NCSE has been asked to fill 9 internships at FWS sites throughout the Midwest.
Internships will involve biological or scientific work in indigenous species surveys, invasive species monitoring, GIS data collection, wetland/grassland restoration, and similar projects. Visitor Service/ Education internships are oriented toward Wildlife Refuge visitor services and education. Refuge operations internships are oriented to the overall management of a refuge.
Each internship will be 12 weeks in duration, beginning in May or June, and pays $11.50 per hour. Housing is provided and health insurance is available. Eligibility is open to recent graduates or to students having completed their sophomore year in a natural sciences curriculum; the program is built with a strong, but not exclusive, emphasis to promote applicants of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. These programs may lead to but do not guarantee career opportunities within the Fish & Wildlife Service.
6 internship openings are currently available.
