fbpx
Internships

Shaping Our Next
Generation’s Leaders

The Internship Experience

Build your resume with an ecology-focused internship! At Nature Collective, you can develop expertise in conservation fields that truly make a difference, today and into the future. Dive into the space where San Diego nature is at a critical juncture – right where the ocean meets our receding coastline.

With mentorship from Nature Collective professionals, your internship can propel you toward an advanced degree – and career – in life science + environmental education.

“It is natural to protect what we love. To fall in love with nature, we need a personal connection.”

ANNIE DUNNE, WILD WISDOM FOUNDATION

Our Internship Programs

Channel your love of nature and science into a rewarding internship program. Choose from the following options – even combine 3 – to focus your efforts on a special project and build an impressive resume.

We offer stipends for our internships.

Adult teaching a child about nature

Education

The Education Internship provides experience facilitating, planning, and developing educational activities and programs in nature-based settings, such as the San Elijo Lagoon. This internship supports school and family learning programs that inspire curiosity, enhance inquiry skills, connect to nature, and empower participants to take action to care for their environmental communities.

Intern planting at San Elijo Lagoon

Habitat Restoration

The Habitat Restoration Internship provides enthusiastic and detail-oriented individuals an opportunity to gain experience in habitat restoration, learning how to operate a plant nursery from seed collection to propagation. In addition, the internship focuses on promoting Nature Collective’s mission and vision through public engagement at community restoration events.

Intern at Nature Collective's plant nursery

Integrated

The Integrated Internship provides enthusiastic and detail-oriented individuals the unique opportunity to gain experience learning over nine months in habitat restoration, land stewardship, water quality and/or the volunteer program.

Photo of habitat restoration sign in the brush along trail

Land Stewardship

The Land Stewardship Internship provides enthusiastic and detail-oriented individuals an opportunity to gain experience in habitat restoration and scientific monitoring activities. In addition, the internship focuses on invasive vegetation control and monitoring.

Intern looking at San Elijo Lagoon

Outreach

The Outreach Internship provides enthusiastic and detail-oriented individuals an opportunity to gain experience in creating social media content to engage with Nature Collective’s audiences, developing outreach materials, and event planning in a nonprofit setting. In addition, the internship focuses on promoting Nature Collective’s mission and vision through social media and outreach events.

Intern at San Elijo Lagoon

Volunteer Program

The Volunteer Program Internship provides enthusiastic and detail-oriented individuals an opportunity to gain experience in engaging the community by providing information to the public on how to enjoy the natural world sustainably. In addition, the internship focuses on promoting Nature Collective’s mission and vision through public engagement, tours, restoration, and events.

Water Quality

The Water Quality Internship provides enthusiastic and detail-oriented individuals an opportunity to gain experience in monitoring water quality at six different locations in the San Elijo Lagoon. In addition, the internship focus is on promoting Nature Collective’s mission and vision through public engagement at restoration events.

Intern Year-Round at
Nature Collective

Session Start Date End date Duration Accepting Applications
Summer May/June August/September 2-4 months Until April 30
Fall August/September December 3-4.5 months Until July 31
Spring January/February May/June 3-4.5 months Until November 30

Meet Our 2022/2023 Interns

  • Steffany Chavez

    2022/23 Integrated Intern

    Steffany Chavez

    2022/23 Integrated Intern

    Steffany is currently studying for a BS in Environmental Systems/Ecology, Behavior and Evolution from the University of California, San Diego. She looks forward to learning about the native flora and fauna in San Elijo Lagoon while completing her Integrated Internship.

  • Brett Stoner-Osborne

    2023 Volunteer Intern

    Brett Stoner-Osborne

    2023 Volunteer Intern

    Brett has a BA in Environmental Science from Willamette University, Oregon. He is excited to support the Volunteer Program and engage with the community at Nature Collective events and volunteer opportunities.

  • Serena Herold

    2023 Habitat Restoration Intern

    Serena Herold

    2023 Habitat Restoration Intern

    Serena currently pursuing a BA in Environmental Studies and Spanish Cultural Studies from Tufts University, Massachusetts. She will be on the ground with Nature Collective mentors learning best practices in conducting community habitat restoration.

  • Kelly Fuller

    2023 Land Stewardship Intern

    Kelly Fuller

    2023 Land Stewardship Intern

    Kelly holds an MS in Conservation Biology from the University of West Alabama. She will be helping monitor Nature Collective’s lands while focusing on invasive vegetation control and habitat restoration.

  • Raylene Rivera

    2023 Water Quality Intern

    Raylene Rivera

    2023 Water Quality Intern

    Raylene is currently working towards a degree in Biology and is excited about the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and experience through the water quality internship program.

  • Finn Schwartz

    2023 Habitat Restoration Intern

    Finn Schwartz

    2023 Habitat Restoration Intern

    Finn is currently pursuing a BS in Environmental Systems/Ecology, Behavior and Evolution from the University of California, San Diego. He’s on the ground with Nature Collective mentors who are leading Finn in best practices in conducting community habitat restoration.

  • Micaela Rodriguez

    2022/23 Volunteer Intern

    Micaela Rodriguez

    2022/23 Volunteer Intern

    Micaela is currently working towards a BS in Environmental Systems/Policy at the University of California, San Diego. She looks forward to supporting the Volunteer Program by engaging with the community at Nature Collective events and volunteer opportunities.

  • Lili Sanders

    2023 Outreach Intern

    Lili Sanders

    2023 Outreach Intern

    Lili holds a BS in Environmental Management and Protection from California Polytechnic State University. She is excited to use his knowledge of the natural world to drive a passion for nature through community outreach