Environment for the Americas

Start/End Dates: May 25th, 2026- August 7th, 2026 (11 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: No personal vehicle is required for this position.

Position Description

The intern will work within the Division of Resource Management at Biscayne National Park, gaining hands-on experience in marine and coastal resource management with a primary focus on recreational fisheries monitoring and sea turtle nest conservation. The internship supports critical data collection, analysis, and outreach efforts that inform fisheries management decisions under the park’s Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) and contribute to endangered species protection under the Endangered Species Act. Through fieldwork, public engagement, and data management, the intern will help ensure sustainable fisheries, protect sea turtle nesting success, and support long-term conservation goals at the park.

Responsibilities

• Conduct recreational creel surveys at local marinas to monitor fishing activity and compliance with park fishing regulations
• Interview recreational fishers and examine catches to identify species, measure landings, and collect biological data
• Provide educational outreach to fishers regarding updated fishing regulations when appropriate
• Enter and manage collected fisheries data within the park’s Creel Survey Database
• Analyze fisheries data to assess species composition, regulatory compliance, and fisher satisfaction
• Assist with long-term trend analysis using historical creel survey data as skills allow
• Patrol Elliott Key beaches to locate and protect sea turtle nests using predator-exclusion screens
• Identify and document failed nesting attempts and potential causes
• Conduct post-hatch nest excavations to assess hatching success
• Accurately collect, record, and upload sea turtle nesting data into the park’s Sea Turtle Database
• Support reporting requirements to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
• Prepare and deliver a formal presentation to park staff and visitors summarizing internship work and findings

Qualifications

• Pursuing or completed a degree in Biology, Ecology, Zoology, Environmental Science, or a related field
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; comfortable engaging with the public
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish strongly preferred
• Comfortable working on boats and in the water, including swimming and snorkeling
• Able to work outdoors in hot, humid conditions with sun exposure and insects
• Physically capable of fieldwork in marine and coastal environments
• Outgoing, adaptable, and field-hardy with an interest in conservation and resource management
• Attention to detail and ability to accurately collect and manage scientific data

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 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.