Environmental Non-Profit Internships: A Launchpad for Your Green Career

For individuals passionate about environmental stewardship and seeking to make a tangible difference, internships with environmental non-profit organizations offer invaluable opportunities. These internships provide hands-on experience, skill development, and networking connections, serving as a launchpad for a fulfilling career in the environmental sector.

Navigating the Landscape of Environmental Internships

Finding the right internship can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, resources like Climate Internships exist to streamline the process. This service, provided by Green Jobs Network, simplifies the search for environmental, sustainability, climate, and green internships. Green Jobs Network, since 2008, has connected job seekers to jobs, career resources, and community.

Green Jobs Network also provides climate job seekers with free access to a suite of AI-powered career services at ClimateJobs.AI. Services include an AI Climate Career Coach, cover letter creation, resume review, interview preparation, and job ideas + employer leads.

Featured Internship Programs

Several noteworthy internship programs stand out for their comprehensive approach to training and development:

MassCEC Clean Energy Internship Program

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program plays a crucial role in cultivating the next generation of clean energy professionals. By providing funding for internships at Massachusetts clean energy and water innovation companies, the program offers college students and recent graduates the chance to gain practical experience and build connections within the clean energy sector. Interns can create a profile on the online Workforce Portal to get matched with potential employers for MassCEC-sponsored internships. The internship program runs all year, with Spring, Summer, and Fall sessions.

Read also: EE Internship Guide

MobilizeGreen

MobilizeGreen connects students and recent graduates to conservation internships through federal career pathway programs such as the Resource Assistants Program (RAP) and Public Lands Corps (PLC). Participants gain on-the-ground experience in national forests, parks, and public lands while building skills in ecology, resource management, and environmental leadership. Interns receive a living allowance and may qualify for special hiring eligibility with federal agencies, helping launch long-term careers in conservation and public service.

Minorities in Fisheries and Infrastructure Program (MIFIP)

MobilizeGreen also collaborates with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) to offer the Minorities in Fisheries and Infrastructure Program (MIFIP), opening pathways to technical and federal careers. Fellows work in supportive cohorts on projects that sustain wildlife refuges, visitor facilities, and public lands across the country. Participants gain hands-on experience in engineering, maintenance, construction management, data analysis, hydrology, GIS, and program administration. Each fellowship is paid and includes benefits, travel, and housing. Assignments typically last six months, with the option to extend up to three years, providing a strong foundation for careers in infrastructure and environmental stewardship.

National Environmental Public Health Internship Program (NEPHIP)

The National Environmental Public Health Internship Program (NEPHIP) is a 400-hour internship opportunity that links environmental health undergraduate and graduate students with funded internship placements at qualified state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) environmental public health agencies. This workforce initiative supports the establishment of qualified applicant pipelines to help meet current and future environmental health professional workforce needs across the nation and encourages environmental health students to consider careers in governmental environmental public health following graduation. Since 2015, NEPHIP has successfully helped environmental health student interns gain valuable work experience, develop meaningful professional relationships, and ultimately introduce them to the many diverse and rewarding career opportunities that exist in STLT environmental public health agencies following graduation.

Examples of Internship Opportunities

The range of available internships is broad, encompassing various environmental focus areas:

Forest Service (Weaverville, CA): Offers opportunities in forest management and conservation.
Urban Land Stewardship and Engagement Intern, The Nature Conservancy (Madison, WI): Focuses on urban conservation and community engagement.
Utility Urban & Community Forestry Policy & Program Management Graduate Intern, City of Seattle (Seattle): Provides experience in urban forestry policy and program management.
Western Montana Public Lands Intern, The Wilderness Society (Missoula, MT): Involves work in public lands conservation and wilderness preservation.

TreePeople: A Case Study in Community-Based Environmental Action

TreePeople stands out as a leading environmental non-profit in Southern California. Since 1973, the organization has been uniting communities to create greener, cooler, and more water-secure homes, neighborhoods, and schools, as well as to protect regional watersheds and wildlands. TreePeople specializes in strategic priorities including environmental education, watershed coordination, community forestry & green infrastructure, wildlands restoration & conservation, and policy & research.

TreePeople staff works with interns to give them a leg-up in the environmental field and specialized training across our departments’ specialities. Interns at TreePeople contribute to various projects, including:

Wildfire prevention and habitat restoration in the Angeles National Forest and Santa Monica Mountains.
Removing invasive species and planting native trees and plants.
Mobilizing volunteers to care for the land.

Interns also deepen their understanding of local ecology, plant identification, and best practices in environmental stewardship while gaining relevant certifications.

Skills and Experience Gained

Environmental non-profit internships offer a diverse range of opportunities to develop valuable skills and gain practical experience. These may include:

Community Outreach
Data/Quantitative Analysis
Environmental Education
Environmental Justice/Equity
Event Coordination & Planning
GIS / Mapping
Google Suite
Habitat Restoration
Home Hardening/Defensible Space
Landscape Management
Microsoft Office Suite and Teams
Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
Native Plant Management
Traditional Ecological Knowledge
Tree Planting/Care
Volunteer Management & Engagement

The Value of Mentorship

Intern supervisors are not just managers - they are also mentors.

External Internship Opportunities

Several campus programs offer academic year and/or summer internships that are project-based or research-based. In Environmental Studies, they understand that students don’t just want to learn about environmental issues in class. They also want to apply their knowledge & skills on the ground to make a positive impact in our community. The Impact Internships embed students within St. Louis organizations, engaging with the environmental issues that impact people’s lives every day. This program allows Environmental Studies to support important environmental work that organizational partners lead in the community. The Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change (ESCC) Internship Program is a multi-stakeholder program that places students in internships, research, and project teams, while simultaneously providing professional development and enrichment training.

Read also: Impact of Environmental Education

Voices from the Field

Interns consistently report positive experiences, highlighting the value of the skills they develop and the impact they make. As one intern, Margalit, noted, "The work I've done and the teams I've been a part of have also helped me gain independence -- I feel more confident and comfortable in my abilities, ideas, and knowledge. I learned to address challenges by coming to the table with suggestions on how to improve them.”

Another intern, Landy, shared, “This has been a great experience so far, I have learned so much and look forward to spending more time in the field and on continuous learning. I am thankful for the people that have guided me. I love the work I get to do and hope to find a permanent position at the end of my fellowship.”

Additional Internship Providers

Beyond the featured programs, numerous other organizations offer valuable internship experiences:

Deep Roots Cooperative Market: Accepts interns for ongoing special projects tailored to specific interests and skill sets.
Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit: Offers customized internships involving nature trail development and exploring the spirituality of place.
The Farm at New Garden: Provides opportunities to work on ecosystem regeneration and food production.
Edible Schoolyard Greensboro: Immerses interns in a teaching garden environment, assisting with garden maintenance and seed-to-table education.
Piedmont Environmental Center: Involves interns in environmental education projects for schoolchildren and other groups.
Greensboro Science Center: Offers internships rotating through various departments (zoo, exhibits, education, etc.).
North Carolina Sierra Club Chapter: Provides opportunities in public education, community organizing, and environmental research.
Piedmont Plateau Sierra Club Group: Engages interns in local projects related to environmental education, conservation, and lobbying.
UNCG Office of Sustainability: Focuses on environmental education, sustainability reporting, and promoting sustainable practices on campus.
Kathleen Clay Edwards Branch, Greensboro Public Library: Offers internships working with the environmental librarian.
Piedmont Land Conservancy: Involves interns in land conservation efforts.
Guilford County Environmental Health: Provides experience in environmental health inspections and spill response.
Guilford Courthouse National Park: Offers opportunities to work with Park Rangers on various tasks.
Carolina Fibre Corporation: Focuses on recycling and identifying new sources of recyclable materials.
Commissioning WorCx: Involves interns in helping organizations optimize their heating and cooling systems.
City of Greensboro, Water Resources Department: Provides experience in maintaining the purity of Greensboro’s water supply.
Office of Research and Economic Development: Offers internships in environmental and science writing.
League of Conservation Voters: Focuses on political organizing and advocating for sound environmental policies.

EDF Climate Corps

EDF offers a range of paid internships designed to introduce students to environmental careers and, in many cases, provide hands-on experience with leading experts in the field. Interns follow fall, spring and summer cycles. Fall positions are posted in early August. Spring positions are posted in November. EDF hosts the greatest number of interns in the summer season, ranging from 80-100 interns, who work full time from June through August (a 10-12 week term).

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