Westfield, Iowa, USA

Letts, Iowa, USA
IA301

TITLE: Anna Beal Conservation Internship
JOB FAMILY: Volunteer - $6,900 scholarship offered
DURATION: 11 Weeks: May 19 - August 1, 2025
DEADLINE: Open till filled

Get your start in conservation as an Anna Beal Conservation Intern!
Interns will receive a $6,900 educational scholarship, paid by the Anna Beal Trust of Waterloo, to an Iowa school after completing 11 weeks of stewardship work throughout the state on Conservancy preserves and public agency properties.

This internship is an opportunity for Iowa students from any educational background to learn about Iowa's natural landscapes through outdoor, field-based land management. Interns will develop basic land stewardship skills through hands-on experience in a wide range of ecosystems, providing a good base of essential skills and knowledge to work in conservation. Along the way, interns will have the opportunity to broaden their experiences through interactions with Conservancy staff, conservation partners, and by attending natural resources events.

Don't miss your chance to get a foot in the door!
This work will be a valuable step toward future career paths in land stewardship, fire management, research, biology, and ecology, to name a few. Previous interns have gone on to work in various positions within The Nature Conservancy, as well as with local, state, and federal agencies, academia, other nonprofit organizations, and natural resource contracting.

INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS
* Undergraduate student, attending an Iowa college or university (recent college grads accepted)
* Have need for academic financial aid. Please explain in cover letter.
* An interest in preserving Iowa's ecosystems
* A desire to engage in hands-on working and learning experiences
* An interest in performing physical work outdoors
* A strong work ethic
* Ability to follow directions given by Conservancy staff
* Ability to work independently and in a group
* Ability to communicate effectively in different situations
* Ability to work and live with a wide variety of people in tight quarters and stressful conditions

LEARNING EXPERIENCE
* Learn to safely use & maintain chainsaws & power tools
* Restore native plants and pollinator habitat
* Protect threatened & endangered species
* Identify & control invasive species
* Build & repair fence
* Support the bison program
* Learn about conservation grazing
* Learn prescribed fire skills (opportunity not guaranteed)
* Build lasting friendships
* Develop teamwork & leadership skills

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL EFFORT
The work entails daily outdoor physical labor for extended periods of time in all weather conditions. The Conservancy will provide food and lodging in rustic conditions (camping or bunk houses) during the work week. Interns should provide their own sleeping bag and tent. Pre- and post-weekend travel to work sites is the responsibility of the intern, and therefore the provision of personal transportation, while not required, is encouraged.

* Ability to travel throughout Iowa and camp in rural areas
* Cook and sleep in rustic conditions
* Work and live with a wide variety of people in tight quarters, requiring respect and consideration for others
* Work long field hours in an isolated setting
* Ability to perform exceptionally hard physical outdoor work for extended and irregular periods in all weather conditions and at times on hazardous terrain
* Ability to maintain a positive attitude despite physical or mental adversity
* Work on tallgrass prairie, deciduous forest, oak savannas, and wetland ecosystems
* Ability to safely use and maintain preserve tools and equipment
* Work hard and have fun

This internship requires a valid driver's license and compliance with TNC's Auto Safety Program.

Interns may not drive Conservancy-owned/leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered "high risk drivers." To learn more about the Auto Safety Program, visit https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/careers/recruitment/ under the FAQ section.

Employment in this internship will be contingent upon completion of a Volunteer Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective intern's motor vehicle record.

Interns will receive a $6,900 educational scholarship. Half the scholarship will be paid at the beginning of the internship, and half upon completion.
Scholarship funds must be paid directly to each intern's student account at their Iowa college or university.

To apply for job ID 55978, submit resume and cover letter online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/.
In cover letter, please explain need for academic financial aid. Internships are open till filled.
Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page or contact applyhelp@tnc.org.
Any questions related to this specific internship may be directed to ccarter@tnc.org.

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 culture. 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 orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process.

Do you have military experience? Visit our U.S. Military Skills Translator to match your military experience with our current job openings!

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.

An attractive salary and benefits package is part of TNC's value proposition to our employees. TNC strives to provide competitive pay and bases salaries on the geographic location of the role committing to being equitable across groups and providing hiring salary ranges when possible.

Since we support flexible and remote work for our employees, many positions have a flexible location within countries where we're registered as a Non-government Organization and established as an employer. This may mean we're unable to provide a hiring salary range in the posting for some of our positions. However, candidates invited to be part of our interview process will be provided their location specific range upon request.