INTERNSHIPS
Interns are an integral part of our stewardship community who have the opportunity to explore the environmental conservation career path through fieldwork and hands-on training.
We offer two different internship programs. In summer, we offer a cohort-based internship program that explores a variety of working and learning opportunities. From fall through spring, we offer paid positions for interns to engage with the communities we work in and learn new skills alongside our staff.
HABITAT RESTORATION INTERNSHIP
Applications for the 2025-2026 Habitat Restoration Internship will open on May 14, 2025.
Please subscribe to our newsletter or check back on May 14
for more information about the application process.
Grassroots Ecology’s 10-month paid habitat restoration internship allows emerging professionals to explore the environmental conservation career path through hands-on fieldwork, community engagement, and in-depth training. The program's goal is to support personal and professional growth for those underrepresented in the environmental field, such as those identifying as Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQIA+, low-income, and/or first-generation college students. Responsibilities include invasive plant management, native plant revegetation, site maintenance (e.g. watering, mulching), volunteer event facilitation, and monitoring. The internship starts in September and ends in June. Interns work 10 hours per week on average.
Please contact Emily Sharp at emily@grassrootsecology.org for any questions regarding the Habitat Restoration Internship.
Habitat Restoration Interns assist with regular field maintenance such as pruning and deadheading.
Interns attend regular trainings to learn technical skills like weed management through mowing.
As event facilitators, Habitat Restoration Interns teach volunteers of all ages about restoration tasks like planting.
Interns gain skills in a variety of monitoring methods, including bird box monitoring.
“I have gained valuable field experience and knowledge
on native riparian and wetland ecosystems.
I have also gained wonderful friendships
and increased my network in the environmental field.
I now have field experience to pursue a career in conservation.”— Nitza, '22-'23 Habitat Restoration Intern
Thanks to our partners and donors who support the Habitat Restoration Internship:
SUMMER 2025 NATURALIST INTERNSHIP
Habitat Restoration Training and California Naturalist Certification Program
Applications for the summer 2025 Naturalist Internship are now closed.
Please subscribe to our newsletter or check back in spring 2026
for information about the next application cycle.
Grassroots Ecology's 9-week Naturalist Internship (June 17th to August 15th, 2025) provides college students and recent graduates an opportunity to explore a career in environmental conservation and to deepen their understanding of California natural history. Through outdoor education and hands-on field training, interns gain local ecological knowledge, habitat restoration skills, a robust professional network, and valuable experience in the environmental field. Interns will earn the California Naturalist certification (a value of $480) as part of the program. This program is designed to provide an empowering space for growth, with a focus on leadership, communication, and community-building skills.
Questions? Contact Hannah Cunningham at hannah@grassrootsecology.org.
Every Monday, Summer Interns focus on an education topic related to habitat restoration — such as the role of macroinvertebrates in water quality monitoring.
Every Wednesday and Friday, Summer Interns learn about and implement hands-on restoration techniques, including invasive weed removal using hand tools.
Interns spend a day helping with propagation at our Native Plant Nursery.
Summer Interns work and learn as a cohort of 12-14 participants, gaining skills in teamwork and leadership.
“It was satisfying to see the results of all the work we did at the restoration sites, and I really appreciated getting the chance to dip my toes into the kind of work a job in the field could expect of me.
I’m walking away with a California Naturalist certification and the ability to identify dozens of plants I couldn’t have named before, and I couldn’t be happier about it!”
— Pamela, 2022 Naturalist Intern
Thanks to our partners and donors who support the Naturalist Internship:
