Land Stewardship Internship

Tar River Land Conservancy (TRLC) seeks applications for a 12-week internship during the summer of 2026. TRLC plans to hire two Land Stewardship Interns through this announcement. The internship will provide extensive hands on experience working with a nationally accredited land trust. TRLC’s mission is to protect natural resources by working in partnership with private landowners, governmental partners, and supporters to acquire conservation easements and outright ownership of land. Since 2000, TRLC has protected 24,675 acres across an eight-county region of North Carolina between the Raleigh-Durham suburbs and the Virginia state line. TRLC is actively working to acquire additional conservation properties to protect streams, wetlands, wildlife habitat, natural areas, recreational open space, and working farms and forest. TRLC currently maintains 15 miles of public hiking trails on five nature preserves. The Land Stewardship Interns will be based at TRLC’s office in Louisburg, NC, but will travel across TRLC’s eight-county region using company vehicles. Remote work is not available for this position. The Land Stewardship Interns will be supervised by the Executive Director, but will work closely with other staff members, volunteers, and government agency partners to complete core duties. The internship will require ten to fifteen days per month in the field, often working in rugged conditions. TRLC plans to hire two full-time stewardship staff members in fall 2026. Upon successful completion of the Land Stewardship Internship, interns will receive preferential consideration for the upcoming full-time positions.

PRIMARY DUTIES OF INTERNSHIP:

• Conduct inspections of protected properties, including conservation easements and TRLC-owned properties.
• Complete preparatory and follow up tasks to inspect conservation properties, including preparing property inspection reports and maintaining digital and paper files and data.
• Assist in organizing TRLC land stewardship files in accordance with its Records Policy.
• Assist with land management tasks such as property boundary marking, trail maintenance, installing gates, and checking security cameras at nature preserves.
• Organize and work with volunteers to complete stewardship and land management tasks.
• Conduct basic GIS analysis and prepare maps, spreadsheets, and draft reports.
• Collect field data and prepare summaries of properties targeted for acquisition.
• Travel extensively throughout the 8-county watershed (Person, Granville, Franklin, Vance, Warren, Halifax, Nash and Edgecombe Counties) to perform these duties.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Commitment to the mission of the TRLC to conserve private working landscapes and significant natural and cultural resources using conservation easements and other tools.
• Completion of or significant progress towards a degree in natural resources management, forestry, agriculture, wildlife management or a related discipline.
• Excellent writing, organizational, and record keeping skills.
• Proficiency using ESRI ArcGIS and MS Word, Outlook, and Excel.
• Ability to work outdoors in the summer heat and humidity and in rugged conditions using compass, maps, GPS equipment and carrying field equipment.
• Ability to function productively both independently and as a member of a team.
• Ability to work alone in the field for extended periods of time.
• Ability to work efficiently to meet deadlines.
• Possess a valid driver’s license with a safe driving record. Experience driving off paved roads is preferred.