National Park Service

Environmental Health Sciences Intern

June - September 2019 • Packwood, WA

What I liked

This was a life changing internship experience that allowed me to broaden my opportunities in a future career in environmental health. I got to work in a beautiful place outdoors and work with amazing people that I have built life long friendships with.

What I wish was different

I wish my internship could be longer, I already miss my friends and the mountain was my second home.

Advice

Push yourself out of your comfort zone. You’d be surprised at what you are capable of once you step outside your familiar bounds. There’s a world of exploring to do!

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Interpretive Park Ranger

May - August 2018 • Moose, WY

What I liked

I really liked the people that I worked with. My supervisors and co-workers were so supportive of me and made sure I felt comfortable. The beginning of the internship was fairly overwhelming but I was able to lean on them which helped me a lot. They built me up so that I could do the best possible job while I was there.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Seasonal Park Ranger

May 2019 • Porter, IN

What I liked

I was able to network with scientists and educators to help inform visitors about the ecology, culture, and history of the Indiana Dunes National Park. I was able to apply the skills I learned in the classroom to real world scenarios in order to educate others. I was part of the Pathways program which will allow me to continue to work full-time every summer and part-time throughout the rest of the year until I graduate. Once I graduate, I will have priority access to other jobs in the National Park Service or related branches if I wish to apply.

What I wish was different

Advice

This is a great opportunity for people across a variety of interests and majors. Whether you're interested in biology, education, or history, you will have something to gain from this experience. The amount of networking you will be able to do is unrivaled compared to many other workplaces. Also, working for the federal government is something potential employers take seriously when they see it on a resume.

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Trail Maintenance Worker

May - August 2019 • Estes Park, CO

What I liked

The people!! We all have very similar values and interests that made working in a team environment incredibly fun and beneficial. I also really love the work that I do, which involves hiking around and maintaining trails. This can include digging drains, building bridges, walls, fishing piers, fences, etc., and maintaining trails. The mountains are an incredibly plus as well!

What I wish was different

Nothing. There's a lot of interaction between new employees and more experienced employees, which helps everyone learn the skills necessary to do well at the job. The expectations are always clear and fair.

Advice

Be willing to put in the hard work, even on days where you don't really feel like it. This contributes to a postive working atmosphere, and shows your coworkers that you care! Be excited to learn and experience something new - the world is full of awesome opportunities, and the work environment can open up those opportunities. Meet new people and make friends - this really makes or breaks the experience in the work field.

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Restoration Biotech

June - August 2019 • Point Reyes Station, CA

What I liked

All of the staff are extremely intelligent and kind. They care deeply about the work they do and they helped me understand all aspects of the internship and work they do for the environment.

What I wish was different

Honestly, nothing. Everything aspect was an amazing learning experience and even the toughest days of manual labor.

Advice

Be prepared to get dirty and work hard. A lot of the work is outdoors, and being in good physical shape is extremely helpful.

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Education intern

May - August 2019 • Zion National Park, UT

What I liked

I really enjoyed working with the education department in Zion National park. Everyone was so kind and willing to share their knowledge. I also loved meeting people from all over the world who came to experience Zion for the first time.

What I wish was different

I wish I had more experience working with other departments in the park service. I would have loved to work with vegetation or fire crews there as well as the education department.

Advice

That you get what you put into an internship. At the first of the season I was very nervous and didn’t put in my best effort in teaching. But once I got out of my comfort zone and got involved in the work, it was so fulfilling.

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Cleaning and Maintenance Worker

May - August 2019 • Estes Park, CO

What I liked

Working in the National Park

What I wish was different

Nothing

Advice

Amazing

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Maintenance and Trail Worker

October 2017 • Fort Payne, AL

What I liked

Everything!

What I wish was different

Nothing!

Advice

Work for the NPS! It's a great opportunity

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Park Guide

May - August 2019 • Mineral, CA

What I liked

That I got to spend a lot of time outdoors and my job was centered around educating the public on the park's natural and cultural resources.

What I wish was different

I wish I wouldn't have spent so much time behind the front desk of the visitor center.

Advice

You must be patient with visitors and it's okay to not know everything.

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Park Ranger

May - August 2019 • Bar Harbor, ME

What I liked

I especially liked working with visitors, my hiking patrols, and cooperating with coworkers to help people.

What I wish was different

Often expectations from supervisors is not always clear.

Advice

Take advantage of every moment of the experience. Especially enjoy all the visitors you get to meet.

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Intern

June - August 2019 • Lowell, MA

What I liked

Helpful permanent park rangers.

What I wish was different

I want the internship to be longer.

Advice

Take advantage of the helpful staff and follow the standard operating procedures.

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Fire Effects crewmember

May - August 2019 • Yellowstone National Park, WY

What I liked

Exploring the national Park and all the great helicopter flights.

What I wish was different

I wish school didn't start so early, so I could have worked longer.

Advice

Keep your head on a swivel if you are in the park in the spring when elk are having their babies. They are stealthy, and aggressive.

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Historical Interpreter Intern

May - August 2019 • Keystone, SD

What I liked

It was a good experience to be somewhere very different and to get to see some of the ins and outs of NPS and what is like to work in a National Park. The area is breath-taking and the people where very kind. They also set you up with housing.

What I wish was different

The first month or so was very overwhelming and lonely but that is to be expected.

Advice

It was very good and growing to have this experience. It was good to live in a place I had never been to before. If you are trying to get a job like this try and have some speech and debate background or speaking skills/experience as well as customer service and dealing with lots of people all at once.

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Entomology Research Intern

June - September 2019 • Denali National Park and Preserve, AK

What I liked

Supervisors and our projects, opportunity to recreate on the job (why I love field work), daily happenings and scenery, free entertainment activities each week, housing provided, witnessing seasonal changes, viewing wildlife, opportunities to try out experiences with other scientists for a day or so, paid environmental STEAM internship, experiential learning, getting outside the park, getting to interact with local Alaska youth from various backgrounds, community science

What I wish was different

More opportunities to practice taxonomy skills, opportunity to learn more about the data analysis portion of the research, more field work, more racial/ethnic and socioeconomic diversity in NPS staff and partner NPOs working in the park, higher stipend, safety day training and related materials being shared with interns at the start of their experience, knowing about the staff recreational rentals at the start of my position

Advice

Look at opportunities through Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Programs, Mosaics in Science, Geoscientists in the Parks, and Future Park Leaders of Emerging Change for paid National Park Service STEM/STEAM educational opportunities

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Beach Lifeguard

May - September 2019 • Patchogue, NY

What I liked

Good Boss, worked outside, lots of free time

What I wish was different

Advice

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Visitor Resource Protection Intern

May - August 2019 • Flagstaff, AZ

What I liked

I like being able to work in an outdoor environment and being able to learn more about both Law Enforcement and Interpretation in the NPS.

What I wish was different

I wish there would have been more "hands-on" and structured format to my internship. Most days, it was up to me to decide what I wanted to do with the day. This worked out well for me, but I could see it being an issue with future interns.

Advice

This internship was a great way to learn more about the functioning of the NPS at a smaller park site and I would recommend it to anyone interested in Law Enforcement or Interpretation with the NPS. One piece of advice I can share to new interns would be to be prepared to create your own schedule and your own goals and objectives for each day and for the whole of your internship.

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Interpretive Ranger

May - August 2019 • Packwood, WA

What I liked

The interpersonal experiences between myself, the other Rangers, and the visitors

What I wish was different

More time to interact with visitors and greater priority over other locations within the park by management

Advice

Become a Park Ranger!

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Tour Guide

July - August 2019 • San Francisco, CA

What I liked

The experience of getting to see what was in the rock.

What I wish was different

More hours of work.

Advice

Do not stop yourself from believing you can escape.

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Biological Science Technician Volunteer

May - August 2019 • Buxton, NC

What I liked

Hands-on biology experience with a variety of shorebirds and sea turtles; educational opportunities with the public to increase conservation/preservation awareness; intense physical labor; opportunities for bird banding, sea turtle and marine mammal stranding response, necropsies, sea turtle nest excavations, etc.

What I wish was different

Advice

Be prepared for long days out in the sun, with summer heat indexes up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit!

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Park Ranger Intern

June - August 2019 • Munising, MI

What I liked

I loved that I got to help a lot of different groups of people find their way through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. It was so hands on and we got to do an independent project, work with law enforcement and wildlife biologists as well!