Night Sky Interpretation Intern – ONSITE – Canyonlands National Park

Start/End Dates: May 25th, 2026 – October 5th, 2026 (20 weeks)
Compensation: $688 per week
Medical Insurance: Not Provided
Application Due: March 1st, 2026

The Latino Heritage Internship Program seeks to engage young professionals in natural resource and cultural heritage careers. Applicants must meet the following additional requirements:

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

Note: A personal vehicle is required for this position.

Position description

This internship supports Canyonlands National Park’s night sky interpretation program. The intern will work with experienced night sky educators and the park’s lead ranger to develop and deliver interpretive programs, assist with astronomy events, enhance community outreach, and contribute long-term educational resources. The role offers training in science communication, public speaking, interpretive design, curriculum development, and partnership-based environmental education.

Responsibilities

• Welcome and orient visitors at the front desk, assist with trip planning, and provide general park information.
• Develop two 20-minute ranger talks (one on Canyonlands geology and one on a topic of choice) and expand these into a 45-minute night sky program incorporating constellation storytelling, cultural perspectives, and dark sky preservation.
• Present interpretive programs to the public throughout the internship.
• Support major astronomy events such as AstroFest, the Perseids meteor shower, and night sky photography programs through logistics, visitor engagement, and interpretive contributions.
• Shadow experienced rangers to build night sky interpretation skills and provide peer coaching to seasonal staff as confidence increases.
• Participate in youth and community outreach events, including Community Arts & Agriculture Day, the Summer Lunch Program, Youth Garden Project, and the Moab Science Festival.

Qualifications

• Interest in astronomy, natural sciences, cultural heritage, environmental education, or science communication (no previous astronomy coursework required).
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to connect with diverse audiences.
• Comfort with public speaking or willingness to improve interpretive presentation skills.
• Ability to work outdoors at night in remote desert conditions with careful attention to safety.
• Basic research, writing, and interpretive content-development skills.
• Professionalism, reliability, and flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and special events.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with park staff, partner organizations, volunteers, and youth groups.
• Commitment to inclusion, community engagement, and equitable access to science and public lands.
• Valid driver’s license.

Interns in this program will receive 640 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.gov and 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.