Internships
The Department of Environmental Conservation participates in many programs that provide college or university students an opportunity to gain on-the-job training to enhance and supplement their academic course work. Each of the Divisions and Regions within DEC determine their level of participation in internship programs. Internship positions with DEC may be paid or unpaid, with the majority being unpaid. Typically an internship is done following completion of either the sophomore or junior year of study or during a graduate program.
As used in this section, the term intern is defined as: a college student who works in a temporary capacity with an emphasis on on-the-job-training to gain experience in their field of study. Experience is frequently for either school credit or as a class/graduation requirement. Students seeking experience that is related to their studies should also review the information under Seasonal Employment if academic credit is not required.
Existing DEC Internship Programs
Naturalist Intern Program - Ten to twelve week internships starting in January, April, June and September.
Rogers Environmental Interpretation Institute REII - Four week internship program starting in January and early spring.
Summer Interpretation Internships - These are located at DEC campgrounds in the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserves.
Partnership Programs
The following are programs where DEC participates with sponsoring organizations to provide internships or similar experiences.
AmeriCorps Members in DEC - Student Conservation Association partnership with DEC for five and ten month positions.
Requesting an Unpaid Internship at DEC
As indicated earlier, most internships with the the Department of Environmental Conservation are done on an unpaid basis and are most frequently the result of a students request. The internship may be for either academic credit or to gain experience. A DEC Division or Region may develop an internship where a mutually beneficial experience for both the student and the Department can be identified.
To request development of an unpaid internship, the student should research the appropriate Division(s) and Bureau(s) from information contained on our website. For an internships in the Albany Office, request should be made to the specific program by using the "Email Us" on the topical webpage that corresponds to the academic area of interest. For an internship in a Regional Office, the request should be sent to the appropriate Regional Office and should identify the specific program area of interest. If the region does not indicate a "Email Us" address, please call for the region for further information.
All requests for an unpaid internship should include the following information: Your name and contact information, the specific geographic location where you are seeking the internship; indicate if the internship is for college credit/requirement or not; the college or university you are attending; your major(s) and minor(s), the number of college credits already completed or that will have been completed by the time that you are requesting the internship to commence; a list of all pertinent courses that you have/will have completed prior to the start of an internship; when you are seeking the internship to commence and end; the total number of hours that you are seeking to work; a statement of why you are seeking an internship with the DEC and your career objectives; Also indicate any prior employment, internships and skills you have that are related to your request. This information is best submitted by an email which includes an attached cover letter and resume.
