Conservation Internship Program
Northwest Youth Corps’ Conservation Internship Program is designed to provide training and experience to those interested in experiencing hands on, “real work” internships in resource management and interpretation, and for pursuing employment opportunities with land and water resource management agencies, and other outdoor programs. The Conservation Internship Program is a cooperative effort between Northwest Youth Corps and our partners (mostly federal land management agencies) designed to address community, environmental, and resource management projects, needs and initiatives. Through these partnerships, public agencies and community organizations host a Conservation Intern to directly address pressing community resource needs for a three to ten month period. Northwest Youth Corps supports the partnership by supplying placement, administrative, and training support. Our Conservation Intern Program is open to applicants aged 18 or older - current college students and recent graduates are strongly encouraged to apply!
Conservation Interns work on a diverse array of projects, including (but not limited to):
- Improvement and Restoration of Public Lands and Waters
- Habitat Restoration & Impact Mitigation
- Invasive Species Inventory and Treatment
- Trail Maintenance and Recreation Infrastructure
- Interpretation of Natural, Cultural and Historical Resources
- Natural Resource Data Collection
The Internship program is an effective way for Federal, State, and Municipal agencies and non-profit organizations to harness the passion and energy of young adults interested in natural resources, public lands management and stewardship. The program engages the citizen stewards of tomorrow on projects that will help them learn, grow, and gain valuable experience while also providing real work outcomes to the partnering agencies.
Northwest Youth Corps is also working in partnership with the USDA Forest Service to run their national Resource Assistants Program (RAP), which is a rigorous, immersive, paid internship program for individuals interested in US Forest Service careers. Through direct training, experience, and exposure, Resource Assistants gain the tools to launch their natural and cultural resource careers. Upon completion of a Resource Assistant Program term, interns are eligible to receive Direct Hire Authority with the United States Forest Service. Preference will be given to the selection of individuals who are enrolled in an institution of higher education or are recent graduates from an institution of higher education, with particular attention given to ensure full representation of women and participants from historically Black, Hispanic, and Native American schools.
- To learn more about the program, visit the USDA website: https://www.fs.fed.us/working-with-us/volunteers/resource-assistants-program.
- To see available RAP positions in partnership with Northwest Youth Corps, please click here.
Below are all current internship positions available with Northwest Youth Corps in Idaho, Northern California, Oregon and Washington.
OPEN INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT POSITIONS:
Visitor Center Interpretation Intern
Seattle Area National Park Sites | Seattle, WA
Application deadline: August 11, 2021
This position is located at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park - Seattle in Pioneer Square. The intern will be responsible for providing informal and formal interpretive programming as part of the Visitor Center team as well as contribute significantly to the park’s social media presence. Individuals will work with a supervisor and mentor to develop and present an original interpretive product.
OPEN AMERICORPS POSITIONS:
AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs, made up of three primary programs that each take a different approach to improving lives and fostering civic engagement. AmeriCorps positions include an Education Award upon successful completion of a term of service. To learn more, please visit americorps.gov.
Trail Steward
Trailkeepers of Oregon | Mt. Hood National Forest - multiple reporting locations
Application deadline: Open until filled
Trailkeepers of Oregon (TKO), in partnership with the USDA Forest Service (FS), is recruiting one AmeriCorps member to provide trail maintenance assistance on hiking trails through volunteer engagement at three different sites in Oregon. This steward will report to FS workstations in the Mount Hood National Forest 1-2 times per week to work directly with FS trail crews/staff on trail maintenance projects. They will also collaborate with TKO staff, volunteers, and FS personnel to coordinate and/or lead 1-2 weekly trail stewardship events and 1-2 trail ambassador events for community volunteers. This steward will also assist TKO in hosting trail stewardship training and outreach events to expand stewardship expertise in the region.
Trail Steward
Trailkeepers of Oregon | Brookings, OR
Application deadline: Open until filled
Trailkeepers of Oregon (TKO), in partnership with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD), is recruiting one AmeriCorps members to provide trail maintenance and education assistance on hiking trails and trailheads through volunteer engagement of southern Oregon Coast communities. This steward will report to OPRD workstations in the Harris Beach Management Unit 1-2 times per week and work directly with OPRD trail crews/staff on trail maintenance projects. They will also collaborate with TKO staff, volunteers, and OPRD personnel to establish, lead, and document 1-2 weekly trail stewardship events and 1-2 trail ambassador events. This steward will also assist TKO in hosting trail stewardship training and outreach events in the Southern Oregon Coast region.
Outdoor Educator/Youth Development Specialist - Field Coordinator
Twin Rivers Charter School | Eugene, OR
Application deadline: July 25, 2021
The Outdoor Educator/Youth Development Specialist – Field Coordinator position is both highly demanding and highly rewarding, serving high school students identified as at-risk of academic failure and/or presenting behavioral challenges. Outdoor Educator/Youth Development Specialists spend most of their time in direct contact with students, either providing direct student instruction in small groups in a classroom setting, providing environmental education in the field, or facilitating conservation-based, service-learning projects.
OPEN RESOURCE ASSISTANT POSITIONS:
The Resource Assistants Program is a rigorous, immersive, paid internship program for individuals interested in Forest Service careers. Through direct training, experience, and exposure, Resource Assistants gain the tools to launch their natural and cultural resource careers. Upon completion of a Resource Assistant term, interns are eligible to receive Direct Hire Authority with the United States Forest Service. Preference will be given to the selection of individuals who are enrolled in an institution of higher education or are recent graduates from an institution of higher education, with particular attention given to ensure full representation of women and participants from historically black, Hispanic, and Native American schools.To learn more about the program, visit: https://www.fs.fed.us/working-with-us/volunteers/resource-assistants-program
Latinx Engagement Coordinator
Pacific Northwest Regional Office | Portland, OR
Application deadline: August 22, 2021
Through a partnership with Northwest Youth Corps, the selected Resource Assistant will support the Pacific Northwest Regional Office of the U.S. Forest Service in conducting culturally and linguistically relevant outreach with Latinx community members across urban and rural settings. Ever the more critical in a COVID environment, these efforts will focus on conveying information in Spanish and in English through contemporary engagement practices that promote public involvement and awareness of Forest Service functions; enhance public safety and health in relation to wildfire; convey opportunities associated with employment, special uses, and special forest products; and increase public knowledge of natural resource and land management topics.
Architectural Historian Resource Assistant
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest | Naches, WA
Application deadline: Open until filled
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest seeks an Architectural Historian Resource Assistant to work in the Public Services Staff Area in Naches, Washington. The selected applicant will play a key role in supporting and growing the heritage program on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. This position will focus on field surveys within developed recreation sites and along trails, as well as within future forest vegetation management areas.
Submit Your Application
Please use the following form to submit your application. If there are no open positions, you may submit an incomplete application and follow-up with an email to andrewt@nwyouthcorps.org to request more information.
For questions or concerns regarding the application process, please contact the Internship Program Officer:
Andrew Tagge
(541) 357-8210
andrewt@nwyouthcorps.org