Environmental Education Intern
Environmental Education Intern
Who We Are:
The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. We’re rooted in our Mission and guided by our Values, which includes a Commitment to Diversity and Respect for People, Communities, and Cultures. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube or on Glassdoor.
What We Can Achieve Together:
Join TNC Virginia as a Short-Term Experience Program (STEP) Intern!
The goal of STEP is to create pathways for people seeking to gain experience with a conservation focused organization. We currently offer paid internships in a range of disciplines across our Virginia Teams. With a focus on recruiting and developing a diverse staff, we strive to create an environment where people of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities feel welcomed to participate in conservation. Wherever you are in your educational journey; community college, technical school, four-year program, or graduate school, STEP may have an opportunity for you to consider!
All STEP interns will participate in an orientation, professional development webinars, and a group field trip. Along the way, interns will have the opportunity to broaden their experiences through interactions with Nature Conservancy staff and partners. At the end of their internship, STEP interns will give a short presentation about their time at TNC to the Virginia staff. This position will close on February 15, 2026 at midnight. Zoom interviews will occur in early March with final hiring decisions made by March 31.
Schedule: 35 hours/week for 10 weeks from May 29 – August 7, 2026
Orientation: All interns are required to attend a two-day orientation in Charlottesville on May 27-28, 2026
Pay: $18.25/hour
Location: Nassawadox, VA
Housing: Shared housing is available at this location with the rental value included as non-cash taxable income
The Position:
The Volgenau Virginia Coast Reserve (VVCR) Team is looking for an Environmental Education Intern to work with local students on the Eastern Shore. This position will work closely with our education team to provide summer school programming to rising 5th and 6th graders in Accomack and Northampton County public schools. This programming will build on existing curriculum focused on local environmental topics related to conservation projects. This is a fantastic opportunity for an aspiring educator, formal or non-formal, to get hands-on experience developing lesson plans, field and classroom activities, as well as working with a diverse group of students.
The intern will also have opportunities to work with other VVCR conservation staff that are focused on land protection and marine restoration, migratory birds, and community engagement as well as other seasonal staff and interns. Interns will dedicate 5% of their time to professional development activities through STEP.
Main responsibilities include:
- Working with TNC staff and volunteers, teach educational program content to groups of elementary aged students of varying levels and abilities
- Assist in development of written and digital education materials for multiple age groups for use in the classroom or field
- Organize and maintain resources/supplies for use during lessons and activities
- Represent TNC at community events and activities
- Perform duties under general supervision and established guidelines
- Perform administrative functions as required
- May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations for long periods of time in isolated settings, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances in areas where ticks & mosquitos can be a frequent nuisance.
- Travel to and from preserves, meetings and events which are essential to the service of this position
What You’ll Bring:
Required Qualifications
- A current undergraduate student, recent graduate (within one year), or current graduate student majoring in Education, Environmental Studies, Biology, or a similar field
- Experience with public speaking and community outreach/engagement, specifically with elementary aged students
- Experience with writing, editing, and proofreading written materials
- Must have valid driver’s license, safe driving record, and provide own transportation and automobile insurance
- Ability to meet all Conservancy Youth Qualification requirements and background checks
Desired Qualifications
- Experience with environmental or conservation education
- Experience creating lesson plans
- Knowledge of Eastern Shore communities or history
- Multi-cultural or cross-cultural experiences are appreciated
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Experience with Microsoft Office and Canva
- Comfortable working outdoors and on the water, including kayaking
STEP is designed for people early in their careers or with limited prior professional experience.
What We Bring:
We’re proud to offer a work-environment that is supportive of the health, wellbeing, and flexibility needs of the people we employ!
STEP Interns are eligible for limited benefits including: Housing assistance, 401(k) employer match, paid time off (sick and personal), paid holidays, workers comp disability coverage, employee assistance program, employee discounts, and other life and work wellbeing benefits. Learn more about our benefits at in the Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.
This description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required for this job.
Our Competencies:
The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, gender identities, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.
TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.