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Internship Opportunities
National Park Service

The U. S. National Park Service (NPS) National Capital Region (NCR), Office of Natural Resources and Science (NRS) is seeking to fill paid internship positions. Interns will work closely with the NPS Urban Ecology Research Learning Alliance’s Science Education Coordinator.

UERLA is a National Park Service Research Learning Center that serves 16 parks in National Capital Region. They translate complex research results into readily understandable information, providing research, education, and technical assistance for parks. UERLA also provides science communication outreach to park managers and external audiences via websites, workshops, and publications. UERLA maintains research and education partnerships with universities, not-for- profit, education, and other federal agencies. The education activities of UERLA include providing training opportunities for NPS staff and partners, participating in science education programs, and building external partnerships that support science education in parks. Within the Natural Resources and Science Office, other science programs, such as botany, wildlife, geology, air resources, and inventory and monitoring, aquatic ecology work with the Urban Ecology Research Learning Alliance on interdisciplinary projects.

Students must be enrolled in a degree program at the University of Maryland. The positions are University of Maryland paid internships. Students should consult with their academic advisor to determine if they can also receive academic credit for their internship.

These positions are currently open:


Air Quality Monitoring - Sampling Design Internship (New Application deadline 11-23-18)
The U. S. National Park Service (NPS) National Capital Region (NCR), Office of Natural Resources and Science (NRS) is seeking an upper level student with a background in Experimental Design, Air Monitoring, Ground-level Pollution, or related fields. The intern will design a monitoring system and protocols to evaluate air pollutant exposure to visitors within urban parks. The highly urbanized and rapidly growing region around NCR parks makes them increasingly important as a critical refugia for urban visitors and other species in a changing climate. We anticipate that the internship will begin in October of 2018 and continue through May of 2019, as needed.


Picture Post Citizen Science engagement Internship (Application deadline 9-28-18)
The U. S. National Park Service (NPS) National Capital Region (NCR), Office of Natural Resources and Science (NRS) is seeking a student with a background in science communication, science education, science outreach, public engagement or related fields. The intern will evaluate visitor participation at the 5 picture post locations in the National Parks of the National Capital Region. The intern will consider the current photo contributions seeking mechanisms for increasing citizen engagement and improving use of the images. The highly urbanized and rapidly growing region around NCR parks makes them increasingly important as a critical refugia for biodiversity as species expand their ranges from the south in response to climate change. This internship will begin in October of 2018 and could continue through May of 2019.


For more information, contact Ann Gallagher, Ann_Gallagher@nps.gov