Fish and Feathers Internship Program – ONSITE – Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Start/End Dates: May 11, 2026 – July 31, 2026
Compensation: $640 per week + housing
Application Due: February 1, 2026

Fish and Feathers Internship Program seeks to engage young professionals in natural resource careers.
You must (additional requirements):

• Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.
• Be between the ages of 18 – 30 years or up to 35 years if a veteran.
• Be willing to undergo a background check upon hiring.
• Have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record.

*A personal vehicle is required for this position.

Position description: 

Fish and Feathers is a program funded by the National Park Service (NPS) and administered by Environment for the Americas. Our goal is to provide our national park partners with talented interns who are eager to learn and to engage with local communities. The intern will focus on supporting, implementing, and leading community outreach programs that focus on fishing and birding activities. The overall goal is to increase diverse community engagement with NPS partners during the program and in years to come.

Responsibilities:

• Reach out to local communities through outreach and educational activities to increase engagement in fishing and birdwatching
• Create new materials (i.e., social media, educational games/activities, signage, etc.) to provide visitors with information about fish and birds at the NPS site
• Understand regulations regarding fishing and ethical birding and communicate this information to participants
• Establish or build upon fishing and birding programs at the NPS site
• Manage and maintain program equipment
• Host World MIgratory Bird Day Event
• Meet deadlines for Environment for the Americas program requirements.

Qualifications:

• Ability to hike and conduct field operations as part of a team and/or independently in an outdoor setting.
• experience giving presentations and ability to learn new skills and transfer the knowledge to participants.
• Interest in learning fishing regulations and bird identification for program development and implementation.
• Ability to learn methods employed in fish and wildlife management.
• Strong interpersonal, oral, listening, and written communication skills.
• Interest in learning new skills such as rafting, canoeing, and kayaking.

Major studies relevant to this position: 

Successful candidates will have a background and/or coursework in the following areas or a strong interest in the outdoors with experience fishing and/or birdwatching.

• Biology
• Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences
• Ecology
• Aquaculture
• Communications/Marketing
• Environmental Science
• Recreation
• Interpretation/education

About this Site: 

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula along the south shore of Lake Superior, between the communities of Munising (population approximately 1,800) and Grand Marais (population approximately 400). Travel time to either end of the park is just over an hour. Munising offers basic amenities, including grocery and convenience stores, a medical clinic, and K–12 schools. More extensive shopping options and a regional medical center are available in Marquette, Michigan, located 43 miles west of Munising. Grand Marais is a small community with limited shopping options but provides basic necessities. Government housing may be available in Grand Marais.

The park encompasses 42 miles of Lake Superior shoreline and is known for its colorful sandstone cliffs, expansive beaches, waterfalls and streams, inland lakes, over 100 miles of trails, and the historic Au Sable Light Station, built in 1874. The surrounding area offers abundant public lands and exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities.

Summers at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore are generally warm and pleasant; however, mosquitoes and biting flies can be especially active during hot, humid days with southerly winds. Interns are encouraged to wear loose-fitting long pants and socks while hiking or working on trails to reduce exposure. Early and late summer temperatures can be significantly cooler than in other parts of the United States, making layered clothing advisable.

Interns in this program will receive 480 hours towards Public Land Corps (PLC) Hiring Authority. See below on information about:

Public Land Corps Non-Competitive Hiring Authority (PLC)
The Public Land Corps Non-Competitive Hiring Authority is a special hiring authority available to qualifying interns. The intern must be between the ages of 18 and 30 years old, inclusive, or a veteran up to age 35 and complete 640 hours of work on an appropriate conservation project to be eligible for this hiring authority. Upon successful completion of the PLC project(s), the intern is eligible for two years to be hired non-competitively into a federal seasonal, term, or permanent position. The applicant must apply to a PLC-eligible position advertised on USAJobs.govand selected off a non-competitive certificate of eligibility. For more information, see DOI Personnel Bulletins 11-02 , 12-13, and 17-03.

EEO Statement

Environment for the Americas provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employmentand prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.