Do you enjoy spending time outdoors? Are you a student in the field of natural sciences or recreation? Do you love to hike, camp, and fish? Do you have experience working with kids? The Blue Ridge Discovery Center has an opportunity for you to utilize your skills while taking advantage of all that the Blue Ridge Mountains have to offer!

Participate in an internship with Blue Ridge Discovery Center and help us extend our mission throughout the region while developing your skill set and knowledge base.

Naturalist Educator Internship

We are not currently seeking interns, but positions may open seasonally. Please check in later for new openings

Summary

A naturalist educator intern will be responsible for leading and implementing outdoor experiences for adults and children in a small group setting under the guidance of BRDC staff. They will also be responsible for the general safety and development, growth, and skill achievement of the participants. The incumbent will provide high quality outdoor educational and recreational experiences for participants based on the BRDC mission.

Duties & Responsibilities

Responsibilities will include participant safety, assisting in crafts, games, hikes, animal encounters, behavior management, assisting in the preparation of meals and other activities, and assisting in the set-up, clean up, and running of camps and events. Must be willing to spend multiple nights primitive camping. Interns will be expected to use their education and specialized skills to lead related activities.

Qualifications

• Must be 18 years of age

• Must be enrolled in college level courses (college credit may be available)

• Experience working with youth a plus

• CPR and/or Wilderness First Aid certified a plus

• Interest in the fields of Education, Environmental Studies, Biology, or Recreation

• Special interests in aquatic insects, entomology, herpetology, ornithology, dendrology, etc.

• Outdoor/camping skills: fire building, cooking on fire and/or cook stoves, storytelling/games, backpacking

• Specialized skills a plus: fly fishing, watercrafts (canoe/kayak/raft), orienteering, pioneering/bushcraft

Dates

May - August, 2025. The internship begins with our annual Spring Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally (May) and concludes the week following our annual Summer Mount Rogers Naturalist Rally (August). Flexibility with University/School calendar

Stipend

$350 per week, plus housing

How To Apply

Please fill out the internship application at the top of this page. For more information, email applications@blueridgediscoverycenter.org.