A group of interns pause for a photo while helping with a mussel survey in the river.
NPS / Kyra Bassett
An internship can be a great way to get started in a park-related career. At Cuyahoga Valley you can explore career options related to outdoor education, park management, recreation, natural and cultural resource management, and non-profit management. Some of the benefits of internships include:
Gaining practical experience
Applying classroom learning
Gaining professional skills and self-confidence
Establishing connections and building a network of professional contacts
There are often a variety of internships available in the national park. Positions will be posted as they become available. You can also contact our Volunteer Management Office at volunteer@forcvnp.org.
Current Internships at Cuyahoga Valley
Thank you for your interest in our internships. Positions are posted here as they become available. Please continue to check back. You can also contact our Volunteer Management Office for more information.
Internship Program: Historically Black Colleges and Universities Internship (HBCUI) Program Dates of internship: May 26–August 8, 2025 (11 weeks) Application due date: February 9, 2025 Compensation: $17.20/hour, housing provided.
The Historically Black Colleges and University Internship (HBCUI) program was created to connect students attending HBCUs to park units with connections to African American history and culture. Over the years, the program has expanded in its effort to protect natural, historical, and cultural resources in parks as participants gain exposure to career opportunities in public land management.
The Community Engagement and Interpretation Intern will help Cuyahoga Valley celebrate its 50th anniversary as a national park. They will create and pilot interpretive products such as a pop-up exhibit, interpretive talk, and campfire activity using the park’s new Interpretive Theme Framework and new research about African American history in the area. They will engage in conversations with visitors in the park and travel to events and programs out in surrounding communities. This work will invite people to participate in the 50th anniversary and contribute to building an inclusive future for a national park created by, of, and for the people.
Visit the HBCUI website to learn more and apply to this position.
Natural Resource Management Assistant (Science Communication & Avian Monitoring)
Internship Program: Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP) Dates of internship: May 26–October 10, 2025 (20 weeks) Application due date: February 7, 2025 Compensation: $688/week, housing provided.
The Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP) seeks to engage Latino undergraduates and recent graduates interested in careers in cultural or natural resource management. Applicants must be US Citizens or Legal Residents, 18-30 years of age or up to 35 if veteran. All positions offer park housing, a stipend of $688/week, and professional development opportunities including a week-long career and leadership conference in Washington, DC.
The LHIP Natural Resource Management Assistant will assist the park’s science communication efforts using digital tools and in-person presentations; assist natural resource monitoring efforts, with an emphasis on migratory songbirds; and lead community engagement activities, including developing public programming for Latino Conservation Week.
Visit the LHIP website to learn more and apply to this position.
Cultural Resource Management Assistant: Historian / Historical Archaeologist
Internship Program: Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP) Dates of internship: May 26–October 10, 2025 (20 weeks) Application due date: February 7, 2025 Compensation: $688/week, housing provided.
The Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP) seeks to engage Latino undergraduates and recent graduates interested in careers in cultural or natural resource management. Applicants must be US Citizens or Legal Residents, 18-30 years of age or up to 35 if veteran. All positions offer park housing, a stipend of $688/week, and professional development opportunities including a week-long career and leadership conference in Washington, DC.
The LHIP Cultural Resources Assistant will assist the park’s efforts to survey and research historical settlement patterns in Cuyahoga Valley (specifically the park and adjacent lands) prior to and shortly after the building of the Ohio and Erie Canal (approximately 1800 to 1860). The intern will identify and map (using GIS) the locations of farmsteads, mills, stores, roads, and other structures within the park that were constructed prior to 1860 and will conduct research to document the occupants of these properties, their operations, and the local and external influences that led to their success or demise during this period.
Visit the LHIP website to learn more and apply to this position.
Fish and Feathers Intern
Internship Program: Fish and Feathers Internship Program Dates of internship: May 11–August 1, 2025 (12 weeks) Application due date: February 9, 2025 Compensation: $640/week, housing provided.
The Fish and Feathers Internship Program aims to provide national parks with talented interns who are eager to learn and to engage with local communities. Interns work on supporting, implementing, and leading community outreach programs that focus on fishing, birding, and other outdoor recreational activities in the National Park system. The program has many positions available at national parks throughout the country.
At Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Fish and Feathers intern will: 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 park; understand regulations regarding fishing and ethical birding and communicate this information to participants; and build upon existing fishing and birding programs at the park.
