Fish and Feathers Internship Program - ONSITE - Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Location: Copper Center,Alaska,United States

Start/End Dates: May 11, 2026 - July 31, 2026
Compensation: $640 per week + housing
Application Due: February 1, 2026

Fish and Feathers Internship Program seeks to engage young professionals in
natural resource careers.
You must (additional requirements):

• Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.

• Have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record.

*No personal vehicleis required for this position.

Position Description: 

Fish and Feathers is a program funded by the National Park Service (NPS) and administered by Environment for the Americas. Our goal is to provide our national park partners with talented interns who are eager to learn and to engage with local communities. The intern will focus on supporting, implementing, and leading community outreach programs that focus on fishing and birding activities. The overall goal is to increase diverse community engagement with NPS partners during the program and in years to come.

Responsibilities:

• Reach out to local communities through outreach and educational activities to increase engagement in fishing and birdwatching

• Create new materials (i.e., social media, educational games/activities, signage, etc.) to provide visitors with information about fish and birds at the NPS site

• Understand regulations regarding fishing and ethical birding and communicate this information to participants

• Establish or build upon fishing and birding programs at the NPS site

• Manage and maintain program equipment

• Host World MIgratory Bird Day Event

• Meet deadlines for Environment for the Americas program requirements. 

Qualifications:

• Ability to hike and conduct field operations as part of a team and/or independently in an outdoor setting.
• Experience giving presentations and ability to learn new skills and transfer the knowledge to participants.
• Interest in learning fishing regulations and bird identification for program development and implementation.
• Ability to learn methods employed in fish and wildlife management.
• Strong interpersonal, oral, listening, and written communication skills.
• Interest in learning new skills such as rafting, canoeing, and kayaking.

Major studies relevant to this position: 

Successful candidates will have a background and/or coursework in the following areas or a strong interest in the outdoors with experience fishing and/or birdwatching.

• Biology
• Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences
• Ecology
• Aquaculture
• Communications/Marketing
• Environmental Science
• Recreation
• Interpretation/Education

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About this Site: 

Park Headquarters in Copper Center is 1,000 feet above sea level. Weather patterns change frequently and rapidly throughout the year, with extreme weather possible during any season. While the intern will be based out of the Headquarters Copper Center area, they will have opportunities to travel to locations around the park, including coastal Yakutat, and Slana and Kennecott, both over 2,000 feet in elevation. 

In the summertime, average temperatures range from lows in the 40s to highs in the 60s and 70s, but they can easily drop below freezing and soar to the 90s between May and September. While drier than coastal Alaska, the area can still get quite a lot of rain throughout the summer. Mosquitoes, present during the peak summer months, are numerous. Plan to cover up with long sleeves and/or bug repellent, especially in June and July.

The town of Glennallen is a 12-mile highway drive north of Park Headquarters. This town includes amenities like a grocery store, a bank, gas stations, vehicle repair, and general stores. Halfway between the Headquarters and Glennallen is a medical clinic and a gas station with a convenience store.

Wrangell-St. Elias employs staff from the lower 48 as well as the local community. The Headquarters area has beautiful views of the park and the Wrangell Mountains and is situated along the Alaska Highway system. Exploring the local communities or taking a hike or backpack inside the park does require transportation. Publi