Careers in Conservation
Early Career, Internships & Volunteering
Whether you are just out of high school, college, or looking for a change in your career path, figuring out how to get your foot in the door can be hard! It’s also a time where you might want to try some things out to see what you like and don’t like.
Internships and volunteering are both great options to learn more about the conservation world, meet potential employers, and get your feet wet. Check out the options below and get started!
This movement was founded to address a critical issue in the horticulture industry – the lack of enough qualified candidates for all of the open jobs across the art, science, technology and business of plants. Learn more »
Internships & Fellowships
The James River Stewardship Program offers 12-week positions to support James River riparian buffer maintenance. Internships typically start in late May to late August and recruitment starts in February. More info »
The Virginia Department of Forestry offers paid summer internships each year. They have entry level jobs that do not require a forestry degree. Many have significant fire-response duties. Careers in Forestry brochure »
The Virginia Cooperative Extension, a Virginia Tech program, offers paid summer internships across the state, primarily in agriculture or 4-H youth development. More info »
The Student Conservation Association offers stipened internships across the country. Reach out to them directly and ask for advice on curating your profile to get matched with an opportunity that is right for you. More info »
The National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates offer fellowships that can help if you are looking to get into a Masters program. More info »
The Appalachian Conservation Corps partners with land management agencies and organizations to accomplish critical conservation projects and offers internships and AmeriCorps positions . More info »
The Allegheny Mountain Institute offers tuition-free farm fellowships designed for individuals interested in rural agriculture and sustainable farming. More info »
Volunteering
The Virginia Master Naturalist Training runs intensive volunteer training courses that cover all kinds of ecology topics. Learn more »
Your city may have an active Tree Stewards group. Here are a few from around Virginia:
Join the James River Association and Chesapeake Bay Foundation to plant riparian buffers or become a Riparian Steward to help care for them. Volunteer information »
If you have a volunteer event to add to the Consortium calendar, please email event information to Rachel Bensink at rbensink@thejamesriver.org.
