Wildlife Leadership Academy
Summer Internship
Type of Position: Full Time
Stipend: $350/wk
Start Date: June 1, 2017 (flexible depending on schedule)
Location: Lewisburg, PA + on-site locations for field schools
Application Deadline: Preference to applications received by February 1, 2017
The mission of the Wildlife Leadership Academy is to engage and empower high school age youth to become Conservation Ambassadors to ensure a sustained wildlife, fisheries and natural resource legacy for future generations. A year round program, the Academy begins with rigorous summer field schools that focus on wildlife/fisheries biology and conservation as well as leadership skills development and continues with community outreach through education, service, media engagement, creative arts, and outdoor mentorship.
Position Summary
The Wildlife Leadership Academy seeks a full-time summer Program Intern. The primary responsibility of the Program Intern is to support the Academy Director and Coordinators at the wildlife/fisheries summer field schools to ensure that a high-quality experience is provided to all Academy participants, instructors, and volunteers. The Academy will offer 6 field schools in 2017; each field school includes coordinating a rigorous wildlife/fisheries educational experience for 28 participants (24 youth; 4 adults), managing 20+ visiting professionals as instructors and volunteers, and mentoring/advising high school and college-age staff.
This internship offers the opportunity to learn and improve skills in conservation education, program management, and leadership and mentorship.
At each field school, interns will be responsible for:
- Preparation /organization of field school educational materials for incoming students.
- Preparation /organization / set up of field school equipment.
- Registration/checking out of incoming students and parents upon field school arrival and departure.
- Organize/ instruct /guide team building activities, public speaking activities, development of plant/macro collections, modeling of proper presentation skills, and organizing/proctoring plant/macro quizzes, pre-post tests, and program evaluations.
- Lead /mentor high school age volunteers.
How you will benefit:
- Gain organizational and logistical experience in a high-quality conservation education setting.
- Gain experience in teaching youth about leadership, team work, and our natural resources.
- Network with over 100+ professionals in the field of natural resources.
Necessary Skills and Qualifications
- Excellent leadership skills, including the ability to interact with and positively influence youth from a wide range backgrounds.
- Outstanding organizational and time management abilities needed to structure tasks, establish priorities, multi-task, and set goals.
- Excellent communication skills to ensure effective instruction and administration of duties.
- A high level of maturity, accountability, responsibility, and dependability needed to work with minimal direct supervision or direction.
- At least two years of educational experience with knowledge in wildlife and fisheries biology preferred.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite programs including Word and Excel, with the demonstrated ability to organize information.
- Valid driver’s license, insurable driving record, and acceptable background check.
Physical/Essential Requirements
This position requires that the intern attends at least 5 of the 6 field schools which are in a residential field setting for 6 days, 5 nights with early mornings and late nights. The 2017 field school season runs from June 1 – August 11. Start date is flexible, however, if you are unavailable for any significant portion of the dates, please do not apply. The field schools offered in 2017 will focus on deer, bass, trout, grouse, turkey and bear. The deer field school will serve as the training field school for the intern; the intern will be expected to take the lead on their duties at subsequent field schools. The Academy experience, while rigorous, is very rewarding. You will have the opportunity to gain exceptional skills while engaging and empowering the next generation of conservation leaders and will develop friendships and professional connections that will last a lifetime.
To apply, please fill out the form below which will include submitting a letter of interest, your resume, and two letters of reference.
For more information and link to the application, see http://wildlifeleadershipacademy.org/summer-internship/.
If you have questions about the position, please contact Program and Outreach Coordinator, Katie Cassidy, at kcassidy@wildlifeleadershipacademy.org or 570-939-5109.