Yosemite Leadership Program Internships

 

Change yourself. Change the park.

The mountains of Yosemite are the setting for YLPSI, a summer of leadership, professional development, and stewardship.

Learn job skills working alongside rangers in one of a variety of specialties. Previous years’ interns have worked with either engineering, wilderness, restoration, compliance, IT, education, interpretation, or safety, among others. Read the list of this year’s internship internship descriptions [580 kb PDF].

Build networks and develop your leadership style during weekly seminars hosting leaders from the Yosemite National Park community.

Explore the park and learn outdoor skills during structured ranger-led YLPSI hikes and backpack trips.

Strengthen Yosemite. Each summer the park hosts fourteen UC Merced students and up to two previous Youth in Yosemite participants (Adventure Risk Challenge, Parks in Focus, NatureBridge, YCC, and WildLink). Because UC Merced students are the most ethnically and culturally diverse among all University of California campuses, YLPSI interns bring life experience, insights and perspectives that always enrich Yosemite’s workforce, greatly benefiting the park and the public we serve.

This internship provides direct pathways to employment. Upon successful completion of the YLPSI program and college graduation, participants are eligible for non-competitive Direct Hire Authority with the federal government for two years.

Life in Yosemite

A stipend of $75 per week is included in each internship.

Housing is provided at no cost by UC Merced and is located in Wawona, CA. Rooms are shared.

Shopping is available 45 minutes away.

Free shared backpacking and outdoor equipment is available to check-out.

Vehicles are available for work-use only.

How to Apply

Due to the impacts of COVID-19, YLPSI program managers are currently making safety assessments and evaluating the program status for 2021. Please check back later for information updates.

Determine if you qualify. Currently enrolled UC Merced students, and previous participants in any Youth in Yosemite programs such as Youth Conservation Corps, NatureBridge, WildLink, Adventure Risk Challenge, Parks in Focus, Youth Conservation Corps, are eligible.

Send questions to [e-mail]