Volunteer: Internships

 

Current Internship Opportunities

Point Reyes National Seashore is not currently recruiting for any internship opportunities. Please check back later.

 

General Internship Inquiries

For general internship inquiries, please email the following information to the park's volunteer coordinator:

  • Name, email, phone number
  • Resume and/or list of classes completed
  • Type of work requested
  • Availability
  • Need for housing and/or reimbursement for meals and transportation

Once we receive this information, we will forward it to the park staff and inquire as to what opportunities might be available.

If you have any questions, you may contact us at 415-464-5225 or by email.

 

Past Internship Opportunities

See below for some of the internships we have included in the past. Get to know some of our former interns.

 
Three individuals standing ankle-deep in water use a finely woven net attempt to catch juvenile fish in a tree-lined creek.
Coho salmon broodstock seining in Olema Creek.

NPS Photo / Michael Reichmuth

Latino Heritage Internship Program: SFAN Coho and Steelhead Monitoring Program Summer Fisheries Intern

The Latino Heritage Intern will assist with the San Francisco Bay Area Inventory and Monitoring Network (SFAN) Coho and Steelhead Monitoring Program (CSMP) based at Point Reyes National Seashore. The Intern will be placed within the SFAN Inventory and Monitoring Program (I&M) in a 12-week (May 20, 2024, through August 9, 2024) biological field assistantship where they will collect vital information on endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead within Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. By assisting with the SFAN I&M Coho and Steelhead Monitoring Program, the intern will receive in-depth education on techniques used to monitor endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead along with other fish species. In addition, members will be exposed to restoration techniques being applied to increase the chance of species survival for the enjoyment of generations to come.

The application deadline was February 5, 2024.

 
Closeup of a tiny orange nudibranch on the purple arm of an ochre star just below the surface of a tidepool.
A red sponge nudibranch (Rostanga pulchra) on the arm of an ochre sea star (Pisaster ochraceus) in a tidepool at Steep Ravine.

NPS Photo

Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship Program: San Francisco Bay Area Inventory and Monitoring Network Science Communication Assistant

The Mosaics in Science Diversity Intern will be an integral part of the San Francisco Area Inventory and Monitoring Network (SFAN) Science Communication Team for 20 weeks (May 13, 2024, through September 30, 2024). They will help spread the word about the network's monitoring work at Point Reyes National Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and other national parks in the San Francisco Bay Area, and what scientists are learning from it, to parks and the public. Besides participating in regular network and team meetings and communication tasks, the intern’s primary duties will involve developing an ArcGIS StoryMap or NPS.gov article series exploring how parks have been putting network monitoring data to use to further their conservation goals.

The application deadline was January 21, 2024.

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Two people traverse the the top of a vibrant, scrub-covered coastal dune, towards the ocean, on their way to a plant community monitoring plot.
Two San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network Biology Assistants walking to a dune plant community monitoring plot.

NPS Photo / Mackenzie Morris

Scientists in Parks Internship Program: San Francisco Bay Area Inventory and Monitoring Network Biology Assistants

The San Francisco Area Inventory and Monitoring Network (SFAN) is accepting applications for two intern positions to assist in the implementation of our vegetation protocols.

One intern will join the Invasive Species Early Detection (ISED) crew and will have the opportunity to occasionally work on the long-term Plant Community Monitoring team. The Invasive Species Early Detection intern will be part of a two-person team tasked with surveying roads and trails in all park units to monitor the introduction and spread of several high priority invasive species.

The second intern will join the Plant Community Monitoring (PCM) team and will have the opportunity to occasionally join the Invasive Species Early Detection team. The long-term Plant Community Monitoring intern will be part of a two-person crew revisiting permanent plots throughout the Network parks, identifying plants within several different habitats, and carrying out a range of standard plant community monitoring techniques.

Both internships start on May 5, 2024, and last for 20 weeks.

The application deadline was January 21, 2024.

 
A large green and red-colored salmon swims in a creek's shallow water.
Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch).

NPS Photo

Scientists in Parks Internship Program: SFAN Coho and Steelhead Monitoring Program Biology Assistant

The Scientists in Parks Intern will assist with the San Francisco Bay Area Inventory and Monitoring Network (SFAN) Coho and Steelhead Monitoring Program based at Point Reyes National Seashore. The intern will be integrated into the year-round CSMP and paired with the SFAN Inventory and Monitoring Program (I&M) fishery biologist in a 52-week (June 3, 2024, through May 30, 2025) biological field assistantship to collect vital information on endangered endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead within Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. By assisting the SFAN I&M CSMP, the intern will receive in-depth education on techniques used for restoration and monitoring of salmonids, along with other sensitive aquatic species.

The application deadline was January 21, 2024.

 
Two female park employees squat near the hind flippers of a young elephant seal lying on a beach.
2023 SIP intern, Jess, and NPS marine ecologist, Sarah, prepare to attach an identification tag to a hind flipper of a young elephant seal.

NPS / Ed Chandler

Scientists In Parks Internship Program: Point Reyes National Seashore, Natural Resource Management Assistant

This is a 20-week internship (December 2023–April 2023) with the park's Science and Interpretation Divisions. The intern will be responsible for assisting Point Reyes National Seashore staff in educating the public on the natural history, research, and protection of elephant seals, ensuring the safety of the elephant seals and visitors at Drakes Beach, and monitoring elephant seals within the park.

This position is offered through the National Park Service's Scientists in Parks (SIP) Program in partnership with Stewards Individual Placement Program and the Geological Society of America's (GSA) Scientist in Parks Program

Learn more about the position and apply at Natural Resource Management Assistant at Conservation Legacy.

The application deadline was June 11, 2023.

 
Hundreds of tan adult elephant seals with dark-skinned pups lying on a sandy beach in the lower left with a bay to the right.
Elephant seal colony on Drakes Beach. NMFS Permit No. 21425.

NPS Photo

Pinniped Monitoring Intern

This was a four-month internship (January 4–May 2, 2023) through Point Reyes National Seashore Association assisting the park's Natural Resources Management Division. The intern's primary responsibilities will be to help monitor elephant seal and harbor seal populations in Point Reyes, but they will also gain some experience in educating the public on the natural history, research, and protection of elephant seals. The intern will receive training and experience in wildlife monitoring and management. They will be an employee of the Point Reyes National Seashore Association, while NPS staff will provide day-to-day technical guidance in the field.

The application deadline was October 28, 2022.

 
A man and a woman dressed in red volunteer vests holding a white board with a title of "Elephant Seal Report" at the edge of a beach.
Interns Kevin and Ada at Drakes Beach on January 23, 2021.

Scientists In Parks Internship Program: Point Reyes National Seashore, Natural Resource Management Assistant

This was a 12-week internship (December 2022–March 2023) with the park's Science and Interpretation Divisions. The intern will be responsible for assisting Point Reyes National Seashore staff in educating the public on the natural history, research, and protection of elephant seals, ensuring the safety of the elephant seals and visitors at Drakes Beach, and monitoring elephant seals within the park.
This position is offered through the National Park Service's Scientists in Parks (SIP) Program in partnership with Stewards Individual Placement Program and the Geological Society of America's (GSA) Scientist in Parks Program.

Visit the Geological Society of America's Online Application System for more details about the position.

The application deadline was June 12, 2022.

 
Children, some with hands raised, face a young Latino man in a picnic area.
LHIP Intern Kevin talking to children visiting Bear Valley.

Latino Heritage Internship Program: Point Reyes National Seashore Visitor Services and Interpretation Intern

The intern was an integral part of the Division of Interpretation during the busy summer season, providing park orientation, presenting interpretive programs, and furthering outreach to under-resourced communities. These were all mitigated through COVID-19 safety precautions.

There were two crucial parts to the intern's work. One was to promote diversity, relevancy, and inclusion through outreach and community engagement, especially in partnership with the Point Reyes National Seashore Association for Latino Conservation Week events. The second was to promote interpretation and resource education through digital communication, helping create Section 508-compliant content for social media and the park website. 508 compliance means the park's social media will be accessible to all. And, in turn, Point Reyes is a more inclusive place for visitors to have the opportunity to forge connections with park resources.
The application deadline was February 6, 2022.

 
A ranger, a Community Volunteer Ambassador, and a volunteer stand together behind a table under a canopy.
2019 Community Volunteer Ambassador May Slen with Ranger Doug and Volunteer John.

Community Volunteer Ambassador

Are you, or do you know, someone who is 18–30 years old (35 years old if a veteran), and who is interested in a career with the National Park Service? During the late fall of 2021, Point Reyes National Seashore was recruiting for a Community Volunteer Ambassador intern (CVA) who would have service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve natural resources. In particular, the CVA works alongside park staff to develop, grow, and diversify the Visitor Services and Trail Patrol volunteer programs. The CVA had ample opportunities to exercise program development skills, including identifying and devising new solutions and approaches, planning, and implementation. The CVA also performed program administration by helping to manage the operations of both programs. The internship was a one-year, paid internship for those 18–30 years old (35 years old if a veteran).

The internship started on February 7, 2022. The CVA received:

  • Free housing
  • A baseline living allowance of $500/week
  • An AmeriCorps Award of $6,345 (pretax), and
  • Public Land Corps Hiring Authority upon completion of the internship (non-competitive hiring status for federal jobs for two years following the completion of the internship)

The application due date was Friday, December 17, 2021. See CVA Listings & How to Apply | Become a Community Volunteer Ambassador (cvainternships.org) for more information about the internship and how to apply.

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Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship Program: San Francisco Bay Area Inventory and Monitoring Program Coho and Steelhead Monitoring Intern

The Mosaics in Science Diversity Intern was paired with the San Francisco Bay Area Inventory and Monitoring Network (SFAN) fishery biologist in a 12-week-long (June 6, 2022, through August 29, 2022) biological field assistantship where they had opportunities for in-depth learning while collecting vital information on endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead within Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. By assisting with the SFAN I&M Coho and Steelhead monitoring program, the Mosaics in Science Intern received in-depth education on techniques used to monitor endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead, along with other fish species.
The application deadline was Sunday, January 23, 2022.

Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship Program: San Francisco Bay Area Inventory and Monitoring Network Science Communication Assistant

The Mosaics in Science Diversity Intern was an integral part of the San Francisco Area Inventory and Monitoring Network (SFAN) Science Communication Team for 12 weeks starting around May 23, 2022. They helped to spread the word about the network's monitoring work at Point Reyes National Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and other national parks in the San Francisco Bay Area, and what scientists are learning from it, to parks and the public. The intern's primary duties involved producing sets of web and social media-based communication materials about their experiences with 3–4 of the network monitoring programs. They joined monitoring program leads/teams in the field for several days apiece. They spent some of their field time as a member of the monitoring team, learning about and participating in program specific monitoring activities. For the remainder of their field days, the intern was responsible for recording and documenting their experiences and the work of the monitoring teams via their preferred medium (photography, videography, audio, drawing/painting/illustration). Network and/or partner-owned photo, video, and audio equipment was available for intern use as needed. Back in the office, the intern considered what resonated with them about the monitoring programs, worked with the Science Communication Team to set goals and plan out their projects, and assembled their finished communication products.
The application deadline was Sunday, January 23, 2022.

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Scientists in Parks Internship Program: San Francisco Bay Area Inventory and Monitoring Network Biology Assistants

In early 2022, the San Francisco Area Inventory and Monitoring Network (SFAN) recruited two interns to assist in the implementation of our vegetation protocols. One intern joined the Invasive Species Early Detection (ISED) team with the mission of finding, mapping, and collecting biological data on new invasive species occurrences throughout our network parks. This involved electronic data collection and mapping with handheld devices, analysis of spatial data, many hours of field experience in a variety of ecosystems, and the opportunity to pursue an independent project of interest. Our second intern joined the Plant Community Monitoring (PCM) team, re-visiting established permanent plots as well as installing new plots in target community types throughout the SFAN parks. The PCM team collects an array of standard vegetation data including woody species cover transects, forest fuels measurements, and understory plant and ground cover; and we spend plenty of time on unknown plant identification too! The PCM intern also had the opportunity to complete an independent research project, and both ISED and PCM interns also had the opportunity to join other network vital signs for a variety of field experiences. Internships started on May 1, 2022, and lasted for 20 weeks.
The application deadline was Sunday, January 23, 2022
Learn more about the Invasive Species Early Detection opportunity and how to apply at https://rock.geosociety.org/eo/viewJob.asp?jobID=3329
Learn more about the Plant Community Monitoring opportunity and how to apply at https://rock.geosociety.org/eo/viewJob.asp?jobID=3328

Scientists In Parks Internship Program: Point Reyes National Seashore, Natural Resource Interpretive Assistant

This was a 12-week internship (January–March 2022) with the park's Science and Interpretation Divisions. The intern was responsible for assisting Point Reyes National Seashore staff in educating the public on the natural history, research, and protection of elephant seals, ensuring the safety of the elephant seals and visitors at Drakes Beach, and monitoring elephant seals within the park.
This position was offered through the National Park Service's Scientists in Parks (SIP) Program in partnership with Stewards Individual Placement Program and the Geological Society of America's (GSA) Scientist in Parks Program.

Visit the Geological Society of America's Online Application System for more details about the position.

The application deadline was June 13, 2021.

Latino Heritage Internship Program: Point Reyes National Seashore Interpretation, Outreach, and Digital Communication Intern

The intern was an integral part of the Division of Interpretation during the busy summer season, providing park orientation, presenting interpretive programs, and furthering outreach to under-resourced communities. These were mitigated through COVID-19 safety precautions.

There were two crucial parts to the intern's work. One was to promote diversity, relevancy, and inclusion through outreach and community engagement, especially in partnership with the Point Reyes National Seashore Association for Latino Conservation Week events. The second was to promote interpretation and resource education through digital communication, helping create Section 508-compliant content for social media and the park website. 508 compliance means the park's social media will be accessible to all. And, in turn, Point Reyes is a more inclusive place for visitors to have the opportunity to forge connections with park resources.
The application deadline was February 7, 2021.

Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship Program: San Francisco Bay Area Inventory and Monitoring Program Coho and Steelhead Monitoring Intern

The Mosaics in Science Diversity Intern was paired with the San Francisco Area Network (SFAN) Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) fishery biologist in a 12-week-long (May 2021 through August 2021) biological field assistantship where they had opportunities for in-depth learning while collecting vital information on endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead within Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. By assisting with the SFAN I&M Coho and Steelhead monitoring program, the Mosaics in Science Intern received in-depth education on techniques used to monitor endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead, along with other fish species.
The application deadline was January 24, 2021.

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Latino Heritage Internship Program: Point Reyes National Seashore Interpretation and Outreach Assistant

The intern was an integral part of the Division of Interpretation during the busy summer season, providing park orientation, presenting interpretive programs, and furthering outreach to under-resourced communities. There were two crucial parts to the intern's work: one was to promote diversity, relevancy, and inclusion through outreach and community engagement, especially leading up to events; the second was to promote interpretation and resource education through the creation of roving materials and actively roving in different sites throughout Point Reyes National Seashore.
The application deadline was February 7, 2020

Latino Heritage Internship Program: San Francisco Bay Area Inventory and Monitoring Program Coho and Steelhead Monitoring Intern

The Latino Heritage Intern was paired with the San Francisco Area Network (SFAN) Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) fishery biologist in an eleven-week-long (May, 2020, through August, 2020) biological field assistantship where they had an opportunity for in-depth learning while collecting vital information on endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead within Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. By assisting with the SFAN I&M Coho and Steelhead monitoring program, the Latino Heritage Intern received in-depth education on techniques used to monitor endangered coho salmon and threatened steelhead along with other fish species. In addition, members were exposed to restoration techniques being applied to increase the chance of species survival for the enjoyment of generations to come.
The application deadline was February 7, 2020

Historic Preservation Team Intern

This intern position was within the Division of Integrated Resource Management at Point Reyes National Seashore. The incumbent worked with the Seashore's Historic Preservation Team under the supervision of the Exhibit Specialist. The work consisted of shop, and fieldwork on structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The position was geared toward hands-on treatment of historic structures and preservation practices as they apply to the carpentry and millwork trades, and will involve working with park preservation team on this years projects. The year's major project included window restoration work at the the historic Lifeboat Station, along with the RCA Receiving and Transmitting Stations. The intern developed hands-on techniques in historic fabric repair and conservation on structures ranging from rustic barns, Victorian-era main houses, and a National Historic Landmark Lifeboat Station.
The application deadline was December 31, 2017

Volunteer Program Management Internship

The intern in this position assumed, under the direction and mentorship of the park's Volunteer Program Manager, primary responsibility in the management, coordination, and supervision of the Tule Elk Docent Program at Point Reyes National Seashore. The Tule Elk Docent Program is designed to help volunteer docents and the general public strengthen their connections with and foster stewardship of Point Reyes National Seashore. This is accomplished by training and supporting docents to provide opportunities for visitors to view, understand, and appreciate tule elk during the rut, or mating season.
The application deadline was June 9, 2017

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Last updated: February 8, 2024

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

1 Bear Valley Road
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

Phone:

415-464-5100
This number will initially be answered by an automated attendant, from which one can opt to access a name directory, listen to recorded information about the park (e.g., directions to the park; visitor center hours of operation; fire danger information; wildlife updates; ranger-led programs; seasonal events; etc.), or speak with a ranger. Please note that if you are calling between 4:30 pm and 10 am, park staff may not be available to answer your call.

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