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Acadia National ParkLight shines on Bald Porcupine Island.
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Acadia National Park
Volunteer and Internship Opportunities
Two volunteers hand visitors sea creatures to examine on the beach.

Volunteers at Acadia have a wide variety of duties.

Current volunteer and internship opportunities are listed on this page. Full listings for most openings are included on the volunteer.gov website; please click on the links below to go to that website. Descriptions of other opportunities—including resource management volunteers, trail work days, and the volunteer bike patrol—are listed below.

(If you're in high school or college, be sure to check out the list of youth job opportunities; the park offers lots of fun summer jobs and internships.)

Internships at Acadia
Acadia offers a number of internship opportunities for students. College credit may be available through your school. Internship opportunities include education interns, raptor interpretation interns, and Schoodic Education Adventure teaching assistants/interns. Available internships, if any, are listed below.

 
Want to learn what it's like to be an intern here at Acadia? Read the intern testimonials, where Acadia's interns share some thoughts about their experience in the park.
 

Current Volunteer Opportunities

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To view more NPS volunteer opportunities, go to www.nps.gov/volunteer or www.volunteer.gov/gov
 
Student Conservation Association Internships
In addition to park-sponsored internships, Acadia also hosts several Student Conservation Association (SCA) interns each summer. SCA internships may be available in a variety of fields, including interpretation, education, and fire information/management. To search for SCA internships, visit the SCA website. Applications are generally due to SCA by mid-February for summer positions.
 

Resource Management Volunteers - Intertidal Habitat Condition Assessment
Several volunteers are need for an observational study of visitors and their activities at five sites on Mount Desert Island and the Schoodic Peninsula from mid-May through mid-October 2008. The data collected will be part of a two-year study to determine how the intertidal zone is being used and, combined with ecological data, will help guide management of the shore within the park.

Volunteers will record the number of visitors, activities, and other information about their visit. Some sites have relatively little traffic, which provides an opportunity to birdwatch, read, and watch the waves. Other sites are very busy, and volunteers will have little “free time.” Most sites require a 10-20-minute walk to reach the site.

An initial meeting and training will occur in late April or early May, and a wrap-up session for all volunteers will be held at the end of the summer. Volunteers will all be acknowledged by name in reports and publications that result from the work.

For more information, contact Dr. Susan Brawley of the University of Maine at 207-581-2973 or via e-mail.

 

Trail Work Days - Spring, Summer, and Fall
Volunteers are needed to work on trails and/or carriage roads every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. from June through mid-October. Others days and times can often be arranged for groups. Considering the camaraderie that develops during these mornings, seldom has the term "work party" been more appropriate! No training or prior experience is required. Bring water, snacks, and lunch and wear comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes. For a recorded message of updated information on work locations and projects, please call 207-288-3934.

For details about volunteering at Acadia, please contact the volunteer coordinator via e-mail or at 207-288-8716.

A girl stands along the stone steps of the Kurt Diederich Path in this historic image taken around 1920.  

Did You Know?
Acadia National Park contains more than 120 miles of historic hiking trails. Many of these trails were established by local village improvement societies in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today many of the historic features, such as stonework, are still visible.

Last Updated: June 10, 2009 at 08:55 EST