Mississippi River Fellowship

This 10-week fellowship is a paid opportunity for underrepresented young adults ages 18-25 to explore professional careers in the outdoors. Learn from different branches of the National Park Service including Visitor Services, Interpretation & education, Natural & Cultural Resource Management, and the Volunteer Program. The fellows work directly with National Park Service Rangers, Mississippi Park Connection staff, and other park partners to facilitate educational programs, habitat restoration events, and wildlife monitoring on the Mississippi River.

Pay: $20/hour

Benefits:

• Professional Development training
• Fieldwork training
• Non-motorized boat training
• CPR/First Aid certification

Required Qualifications:

• Interest in working a career in the outdoors
• Interest in learning about and protecting the Mississippi River.
• Able to work outdoors in all weather conditions
• 18-25 years old

Hours: Approximately 32 hours per week; total of 10 weeks. May include weekend or evening hours. May require days that are longer or shorter than eight hours.

Location: Field work within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

Applications will open February 15th and remain open until Mid-April 2026.

The anticipated start date is early June.

To Apply:

Please send your resume and cover letter to education@parkconnection.org on or after Feb 15th.

No resume? No problem! Record a short video describing why your are interested in the position, and what you hope to gain from the experience. Send that video to education@parkconnection.org on or after Feb 15th.

Please include “Mississippi River Fellowship” in the subject line of the email.

Good To Know:

• Local applicants may be eligible to extend their fellowship part time into the school year to complete a Public Lands Corps (PLC) certificate. The PLC us a non-competitive hiring authority that allows you to apply for permanent federal positions within the National Park Service and other federal agencies. Please reach out if you have any questions.
• A transportation subsidy may be available to remove barriers for fellows accepted to the program.