Environment for the Americas

Start/End Dates: May 11, 2026 - July 31, 2026
Compensation: $640 per week stipend; housing provided, plus assistance with round-trip travel to the site and the purchase of field supplies
Application Due: February 1, 2026

Environment for the Americas seeks to engage young professionals in natural resource careers. For the Let's Go Birding Internship Program, we also welcome applicants with experience managing visual, hearing, or mobility challenges, or who are neurodivergent.

To be eligible for the position, you must be:

• A U.S. citizen or legal resident.
• Between the ages of 18 and 30 or up to age 35 if a veteran. 
• Be willing to undergo a background check upon hiring. 
• Available for on-site work. 
• Have a valid driver's license and a good driving record.

*A personal vehicle is recommended for this position but not required. 

Position Description: 

Let’s Go Birding is a program funded by the National Park Service (NPS) and administered by Environment for the Americas in partnership with Birdability. Our goal is to improve accessibility  in birding and bird conservation for individuals with mobility challenges, blindness or low vision, chronic illnesses, neurodivergence, and hearing impairments. The intern will focus on implementing and leading community outreach programs focused on birds. 

Responsibilities:

• Regularly facilitate birding and bird education programs

• Review park facilities and programming to identify opportunities for accessible programming.

• Develop activities tailored to specific accessibility challenges

• Establish or build upon bird programs

• Coordinate and host a World Migratory Bird Day event

• Create new or leverage existing relationships with local organizations serving individuals with disabilities to develop programs

• Participate in local community events such as Blue Heron Day and in park events, such as public bird banding demonstrations

• Develop a Junior Ranger Challenge program focused on birding.

• Create web-based content as well as social media posts that highlight the work of the park, Birdability, and Environment for the Americas to promote birding.

• Meet deadlines for Environment for the Americas program requirements 

Qualifications:

• Passion for wildlife conservation.

• Interest in birds, conservation, and environmental education and interpretation.

• Prior experience with training or addressing accessibility challenges is a plus.

• Knowledge of birds and birding, including the use of binoculars, is desirable.

• Strong commitment to communication and learning.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and abilities. Candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

About This Site: 

The interns will be stationed at the Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center (CVEEC) where they will be a part of a team of professionals from the National Park Service and the park partner, the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. CVEEC is in Peninsula, Ohio.  Peninsula, Ohio is between 700 and 1000 feet in elevation.  Summers are hot and humid with potential for severe thunderstorms.  Daily meetings assess weather conditions and safety protocols exist to minimize risk. Poison ivy is not uncommon, and ticks are abundant throughout the area.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park is unique in that the park itself is part of a rural/suburban environment but is located within a reasonable (less than 40 minutes) driving distance to Cleveland or Akron, Ohio. There are several nearby communities within 10 miles of the town of Peninsula that have grocery stores and other facilities. The intern has access to world-class medical care, museums, shopping, live music, and more. We recommend that an interested candidate have their own car. The distance from park housing to the intern’s primary work location is 2 miles. Within the park there are numerous cultural, recreational, and educational experiences available for  the intern to participate in throughout the year. Cuyahoga Valley National Park has many trails for hiking, mountain biking, casual biking, trail riding, running, and more.  All cultural, recreational, and educational activities are either within walking, biking, or driving distance from park housing. 

Housing

An accessible multi-bedroom house in Peninsula, OH where the interns will have their own bedroom with a keyed lock on the door for privacy. The common living areas may be shared with up to two other park interns or seasonal staff. Bedrooms and shared living room and dining room are furnished. The house has clothes washing and drying machines available for use by the intern, free of charge. The house also has a landline line telephone, internet access, and basic cable television. The park will cover the cost of heat, air, water, electricity, sanitation service, internet, and general maintenance.  The distance from park housing to the intern’s primary workstation at the Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center is 2 miles. Seasonal NPS staff and interns live in a community of park housing that is within walking distance from each other. 

Application Process

We are committed to providing a fully accessible application process. If you require accommodations during the application, interview, or selection process, please contact accessiblebirding@environmentamericas.org to schedule an interview via voice or video relay. Alternative application materials, such as video applications or other preferred formats, are welcome.

Support and Accommodations

We understand that individuals with disabilities have diverse access needs. We are committed to offering:

• Flexible work arrangements

• Necessary accommodations to help you perform your tasks effectively and comfortably.
  We aim to create an inclusive and supportive work environment tailored to your needs.

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.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 employment and 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.