Environment for the Americas

Start/End Dates: May 11, 2026 - July 31, 2026
Compensation: $640 per week stipend; 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 required for this position.

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. There are opportunities to connect with the Natural Resources team and engage in raptor monitoring.

Responsibilities:

• Regularly facilitate birding and bird education programs in the monument and surrounding areas.

• 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 World Migratory Bird Day activities

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

• 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: 

Colorado National Monument, and the Grand Valley, are high-desert Colorado Plateau environments: pinyon pine, juniper, rabbitbrush, sagebrush communities punctuated by riparian corridors along the Colorado River and tributaries that host cottonwoods, willows, and tamarisk. The valley floor is around 4,500 feet in elevation, and the highest elevation in the monument is around 6,500 feet. The duty station and park housing are at 5,700 feet in elevation. Rain and clouds are rare from May to August, but they can and do occur. Temperatures range from the 60s Fahrenheit at night up to over 100 during the afternoons in July. Most of the summer is in the mid to upper 90s, with humidity below 30%, so it’s hot and dry, which makes the desert community thrive and makes river recreation more special. A one hour drive to the east can get you to the top of Grand Mesa at elevation over 10,000 feet, which is where many locals escape the heat for summer recreation in national forest lands and lakes. An hour and a half to the west and you can be in Moab, UT. 

From the visitor center, the nearest grocery store is about a 20-minute drive into the city of Fruita. Within a 30-minute drive are many more grocery stores you would normally expect in a city or suburb, like Sam’s Club, Walmart, Sprouts, Target, Natural Grocers, etc. Both Fruita and Grand Junction have hospitals, medical centers, and specialist offices. The Grand Valley is the major halfway hub between Salt Lake City to the west and Denver to the east, about a four hour drive in either direction.

The intern will need to drive a park vehicle to accomplish work duties. A personal vehicle is not required but is recommended to commute between housing and the worksite and to access groceries and other needs on days off. Carpools can be arranged but some people may feel challenged or isolated without a personal vehicle.

Housing:

Housing may be available on site. Local candidates will be preferred. Alternatively, Environment for the Americas will secure housing for the intern in Fruita or Grand Junction.

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.