Start/End Dates: November 2, 2026 - October 1, 2027 (50 Weeks)
Compensation: $640 per week, plus park housing, round-trip travel assistance to the site, and gear support. Medical insurance is available upon request.
Application Due: September 4, 2026
Environment for the Americas in partnership with Golden Gate National Recreation Area seeks to engage young professionals in resource management careers. To participate, you must:
Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident
Be between the ages of 18 - 30 (35 if a veteran)
Undergo a background check if selected
Have a valid driver’s license to operate a government vehicle
Have access to a personal vehicle, which is recommended for this position
Position Description:
The Aquatic Resource Intern will work with the Natural Resource Division at Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), supporting a wide range of field-based and analytical tasks related to aquatic ecosystems. The intern will assist with:
Water Quality & Hydrologic Monitoring
Deploying, calibrating, and maintaining water quality and water level sensors
Downloading, managing, and QA/QC of hydrologic datasets
Conducting streamflow and low-flow water quality monitoring
Supporting harmful algal bloom monitoring in Rodeo Lagoon (in partnership with USF)
Biological Monitoring
Amphibian breeding surveys
Snake and western pond turtle monitoring (including trapping and nest surveys)
Herpetofauna camera trap image processing
Salmonid and fisheries monitoring
Night-time California grunion surveys (recruiting, training, and leading volunteers)
Habitat & Restoration Support
Restoration project support (e.g., photo monitoring, planting, wildlife pre-surveys)
Physical habitat surveys of beaches, streams, and wetlands
Topographic surveys using optical level, RTK GPS or total station (training provided)
Data & Program Support
Data entry, mapping, and documentation
Tool and equipment maintenance
Public outreach and communication
Occasional cross-disciplinary work with other Natural Resource Division projects
Work Products:
Program summaries: Occasional written summaries with photos and graphics of aquatic resource activities.
Data Collection and Management: Collect and maintain hydrologic and biological datasets with clear documentation
Volunteer coordination and training materials
Program Support: Tool cleaning and maintenance, coordinating schedules and events, attending relevant meetings and trainings
Maps and visualizations using ArcGIS (if applicable)
Qualifications
Required
Comfortable working in aquatic environments and handling wildlife
Physically fit (able to carry up to 30 lbs and work in variable weather)
Strong organizational, communication, and time-management skills
Basic computer literacy (Microsoft Word, Excel)
Interest in aquatic ecology, restoration, and stewardship
Ability to work independently and with diverse teams
Desired
Coursework or degree in Ecology, Biology, Hydrology, or related field
Experience with GIS, water quality instrumentation, or field data collection
Familiarity with ArcGIS (desktop or AGOL), total station, or RTK GPS
CPR/First Aid or Wilderness First Aid certification
Passion for protecting native ecosystems on public lands
Housing:
Housing is bunkhouse-style at Fort Cronkhite, Marin Headlands, in Marin County. Housing is rustic. Each intern has a private bedroom with shared common areas. Each housing unit can accommodate ~ 8 people. Housing is walking distance to the main office and other facilities. There are no stores or other conveniences within the park, but they are located nearby in the town of Sausalito and City of San Francisco.
About Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Spanning over 80,000 acres across Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties, GGNRA is one of the largest urban national parks in the world. It is part of the California Floristic Province, a global biodiversity hotspot, and home to 37 federally threatened or endangered species. The park includes 91 miles of shoreline and a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial habitats.
This position earns 2000 hours towards PLC.
Public Land Corps Non-Competitive Hiring Authority (PLC)
The Public Land Corps Non-Competitive Hiring Authority is a special hiring authority available to qualifying interns. The intern must be between the ages of 18 and 30 years old, inclusive, or a veteran up to age 35 and complete 640 hours of work on an appropriate conservation project to be eligible for this hiring authority. Upon successful completion of the PLC project(s), the intern is eligible for two years to be hired non-competitively into a federal seasonal, term, or permanent position. The applicant must apply to a PLC-eligible position advertised on USAJobs.gov and selected off a non-competitive certificate of eligibility. For more information, see DOI Personnel Bulletins 11-02 , 12-13, and 17-03.
EEO Statement
Environment for the Americas provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
