Internships

You never know what you might learn during a park archeology internship. Photo by Southeast Conservation Corps.

Want to gain hands-on experience in archeology? Wondering if archeology is the right career path for you?

Internships are a great way to gain practical skills in archeology and get a foot in the door for a possible future career. In parks, you might participate in an archeological excavation, process artifacts, conduct historical research, and lead interpretive tours. In an office setting, you might help with policy work, develop educational curricula and training, and conduct research.

When looking for an internship, think about what you want from the experience. Ask yourself:

• Is there an aspect of archeology that I want to learn more about? Do I want to be in a specific geographic area or learn about a particular cultural group?
• Do I need to earn credit for school?
• Is a paid position necessary? Do I have a place to stay or will I need to figure housing into my budget?
• When am I available to do an internship?

Internships are advertised online, but watch out for application deadlines, which may be earlier than you might think. Some internships are for students only, while others are available to everyone.

• The Jobs and Internships page lists internship programs with positions throughout the National Park Service. These positions may be in parks or in program offices.
• Use the Find A Park tool to identify parks near you, or parks that align with your archeological interests. Use the Contact Us information to call or email to see if a park has internships available.
• USA Jobs is the federal government's online job application system. Visit USAJobs to search for internships and learn about special hiring authorities associated with them.