Exploring Environmental Studies Internship Opportunities at UCSC

UCSC Environmental Studies students have a wealth of opportunities to gain practical experience through internships with diverse organizations, both locally and globally. These internships bridge the gap between academic concepts and real-world applications, allowing students to test theories, observe workplace dynamics, and deepen their understanding of various environmental fields. Work done outside the classroom brings new depth and meaning to the work done inside the classroom, and enlightens the student to the importance of their academic work.

The Value of Internships

Internships provide invaluable experience, enabling students to apply classroom knowledge in professional settings. As an intern, you can see how people relate with one another, test out the theories learned in classes, and observe the inner workings of the work environment in a myriad of different fields and disciplines. This hands-on experience enhances learning and clarifies career interests. Past opportunities have included sea otter monitoring, pest management, looking at the effects of climate change on pine trees, and conservation of fish.

The Environmental Studies Field and Internship Program

The Environmental Studies Field and Internship Program is an integral academic component of the environmental studies major at UCSC. Open to all UCSC students, the Environmental Studies Field and Internship Program is an integral academic component of the environmental studies major, and it augments the research and professional development of undergraduate students (see Environmental Studies). Interns are placed, individually and in groups, in both on-campus and off-campus agencies, where their work often results in publications and resource documents, and in many cases serves as the primary basis for policy formation within a particular agency or organization. Placements have included research for small businesses; learning all aspects of running an organic farm; writing policy documents for state agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and planning departments; assignments as natural history interpretive guides for state and national parks; and apprentice positions with consultants, architects, solar-energy designers, agroecologists, and teachers.

Program Details

Location: Opportunities are available both on and off-campus.
Time Period: Internships are offered year-round, including Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer quarters.
Compensation: Interns typically receive academic credit.
Application Deadline: Contact the specific program for application deadlines.
Eligibility: All undergraduate UCSC students, regardless of major, are welcome to apply.

Featured Internship Opportunities

Each university quarter, UCSC undergraduates from a variety of majors intern with UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserve staff. The UCSC Environmental Studies Internship Office and additional agencies across campus facilitate the ability for students to earn credit for taking part in our offerings. Here are a few examples of the diverse internships available:

Forest Ecology Research Plot (FERP) Internship

This internship offers a unique opportunity to participate in long-term forest ecology research as a field technician.

Description: Interns contribute to a long-term woody plant census project as part of the Smithsonian Institute’s ForestGEO network, a global network of 78 forest plots that are allowing us to track the dynamics of forest structure and composition around the world. The FERP is part of the UCSC Upper Campus and is about a 25 minute walk from Science Hill.
Responsibilities: Collecting data on forest structure and composition within the FERP.
Requirements: A sense of adventure, willingness and ability to work off-trail in sometimes challenging terrain.
Schedule: Shifts run in a 6-hour block, once per week.
Credit: Interns earn 2 units of credit by enrolling in ENVS 84 via the ENVS Internship Office. You will complete at least 54 hours of project work: 9 of 10 field shifts during the Quarter (54 hours total) and a few simple FERP assignments if needed (6 hours).
Special Notes: Dress in layers, wear sturdy shoes, and bring water and food. If you know you are highly sensitive to poison-oak oils, the FERP is not for you -we wear gloves and full-body coveralls, but your footwear, and your skin if you’re not careful, will be exposed to poison-oak oils. It is a woody plant, so it’s actually part of our study and we do actually measure it!We will be out in the woods for a full 6 hours! In addition to the above information about staying warm, fed and hydrated, you may want to bring other supplies to keep yourself comfortable out there.

Campus Natural Reserve (CNR) Internship

CNR internships focus on various aspects of land management and ecological monitoring within the UCSC Campus Natural Reserve.

Wildfire Vegetation Management Plan (WVMP) Support

General project background:UC Santa Cruz is currently finalizing a comprehensive Wildfire Vegetation Management Plan (WVMP) which will result in significant fuel reduction and forest health projects to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and increase forest resiliency. CNR interns worked in 2015-2017 to inventory a series of 16-m radius circular Continuous Forest Inventory (CFI) plots in Upper Campus, collecting a wide variety of vegetation and fuels data that will serve as baseline data in areas that will undergo WVMP projects. Beginning in winter 2024, we began adding some wildlife survey protocols to these plots, allowing us to track the impacts of fuel reduction and forest health projects on small mammal, bird, and amphibian communities.

Description: Interns assist in pre-treatment baseline field surveys for amphibians, mammals and vegetation throughout UCSC’s Upper Campus, learning field survey skills, identification, and data management. Interns will help set and process camera traps, conduct salamander surveys until it gets too dry, and conduct vegetation monitoring on a series of circular plots throughout the UCSC Upper Campus as baseline data before future forest vegetation treatments occur.
Skills Learned: Camera trap usage, amphibian identification, vegetation monitoring, and data management.
Special Notes: Make sure you’re prepared with gear, etc.: We will provide you with tools, gloves, and other equipment needed for your specific project, but you’ll be responsible for keeping yourselves comfortable and nourished. This means dressing in layers, having rain gear if it’s going to rain, having sturdy shoes or rain boots if it will rain, a hat if it’s sunny, etc. We have a few sets of rain gear and several pairs of rain boots. If you want to get your own you can get a cheap pair of rain pants and rain jacket online-doesn’t have to be fancy, can be ~$20. Also make sure to bring enough water and food, including snacks and lunch if your shift straddles that time period. A good attitude, willingness to work hard and have fun, and lots of curiosity and enthusiasm are really helpful as well. If you know you are highly sensitive to poison-oak oils, this project is not for you! We will be out in the woods for a full 4 to 6 hours! In addition to the above information about staying warm, fed and hydrated, you may want to bring other supplies to keep yourself comfortable out there.

Avian Point Count Surveys

Description: Interns will continue conducting avian (bird) point count surveys on our Upper Campus CFI plots, as well as on the newly acquired Younger Ranch property adjacent to the main campus.
Responsibilities: Interns will learn the vocalizations (calls and songs) of common songbirds of the Santa Cruz Mountains via training, practice, and in the field while working with more experienced birders. Our surveys will begin at sunrise, which is ~6:45 am at the start of Spring Quarter and ~5:45 am by the end of Spring Quarter, so you will need to arrive up to 30 minutes earlier than these times to get to your first plot by sunrise. That means by the end of the Quarter you’ll be waking up in the wee hours where the clock still says 4:something am. Interns will do at least one survey per week. Surveys will usually end by 10:30 am. Additional internship time will be dedicated to data entry and training.
Requirements: Off-trail travel, punctuality, and a willingness to learn.
Special Notes:Make sure you’re prepared with gear, etc.: We will provide you with tools, gloves, and other equipment needed for your specific project, but you’ll be responsible for keeping yourselves comfortable and nourished. This means dressing in layers, having rain gear if it’s going to rain, having sturdy shoes or rain boots if it will rain, a hat if it’s sunny, etc. We have a few sets of rain gear and several pairs of rain boots. If you want to get your own you can get a cheap pair of rain pants and rain jacket online-doesn’t have to be fancy, can be ~$20. Also make sure to bring enough water and food, including snacks and lunch if your shift straddles that time period. A good attitude, willingness to work hard and have fun, and lots of curiosity and enthusiasm are really helpful as well. If you know you are highly sensitive to poison-oak oils, this project is not for you! We will be out in the woods for a full 4 to 6 hours! In addition to the above information about staying warm, fed and hydrated, you may want to bring other supplies to keep yourself comfortable out there.

Botany Projects

Description: This spring we will be doing a couple different plant-focused projects: a plant inventory of the newly acquired 214-acre Younger Ranch property adjacent to the main campus and a coastal prairie rare plant study in the UCSC Upper Campus Marshall Fields complex.
Special Notes:Make sure you’re prepared with gear, etc.: We will provide you with tools, gloves, and other equipment needed for your specific project, but you’ll be responsible for keeping yourselves comfortable and nourished. This means dressing in layers, having rain gear if it’s going to rain, having sturdy shoes or rain boots if it will rain, a hat if it’s sunny, etc. We have a few sets of rain gear and several pairs of rain boots. If you want to get your own you can get a cheap pair of rain pants and rain jacket online-doesn’t have to be fancy, can be ~$20. Also make sure to bring enough water and food, including snacks and lunch if your shift straddles that time period. A good attitude, willingness to work hard and have fun, and lots of curiosity and enthusiasm are really helpful as well. If you know you are highly sensitive to poison-oak oils, this project is not for you!

Younger Ranch Biodiversity Assessment

Description: In Spring 2026, interns will play a key role in gathering biodiversity data for UCSC’s newly acquired 214-acre parcel located between Mima Meadows, west of Empire Grade, and Highway 1, adjacent to the main campus and Moore Creek Preserve.
Responsibilities: Working alongside CNR staff, interns will assist with a range of field-based tasks focusing on wildlife monitoring, vegetation management, and stewardship. Work will include deploying and checking wildlife camera traps, placing and monitoring cover boards for amphibians and reptiles, and surveying for adult Ohlone tiger beetles. Additional responsibilities include mapping and removing invasive plant species, assisting with plant surveys, and supporting general stewardship activities across the property, including installing fencing and signs.
Skills Gained: Habitat assessment and practical land management skills.
Requirements: Enthusiastic and motivated attitudes, and the willingness to occasionally get dirty!
Special Notes: Make sure you’re prepared with gear, etc.: We will provide you with tools, gloves, and other equipment needed for your specific project, but you’ll be responsible for keeping yourselves comfortable and nourished. This means dressing in layers, having rain gear if it’s going to rain, having sturdy shoes or rain boots if it will rain, a hat if it’s sunny, etc. We have a few sets of rain gear and several pairs of rain boots. If you want to get your own you can get a cheap pair of rain pants and rain jacket online-doesn’t have to be fancy, can be ~$20. Also make sure to bring enough water and food, including snacks and lunch if your shift straddles that time period. A good attitude, willingness to work hard and have fun, and lots of curiosity and enthusiasm are really helpful as well. If you know you are highly sensitive to poison-oak oils, this project is not for you! We wear gloves and full-body coveralls, but your footwear, and your skin if you’re not careful, will be exposed to poison-oak oils. We will be out in the field for a full 3 to 6 hours! In addition to the above information about staying warm, fed and hydrated, you may want to bring other supplies to keep yourself comfortable out there.

Campus Natural Reserve Volunteer Opportunities

Description: Volunteers may assist with a wide variety of stewardship tasks on the Campus Natural Reserve and surrounding campus natural lands.
Responsibilities: Volunteers may assist with a wide variety of stewardship tasks on the Campus Natural Reserve and surrounding campus natural lands. Work happens in diverse habitats in various portions of the Campus Natural Reserve, allowing for learning the natural history of various plants and animals along the way.
Requirements: Projects require punctuality, a strong work ethic, and the ability to work outside in all weather conditions in rough, uneven terrain and in dense thickets.
Skills Gained: Experience with a wide variety of skills needed to manage and maintain a natural reserve that receives significant human use.
Special Notes: Volunteers should wear closed-toed shoes, long pants, and should have a long-sleeved upper layer they can put on when we work in dense vegetation. Interns should also bring lunch and enough water for the day (1 to 2 liters).

Designing Your Own Project

Description: In addition to our official offerings each quarter, we help students to design their own projects on the UCSC Campus Natural Reserve.
Process: Prospective applicants can contact our office with experiment, project, and thesis ideas. These opportunities are generally set up one or more quarters in advance, so that reserve staff can set aside appropriate time and resources. Select major programs allow for this work to apply toward degree credit.

Earning Academic Credit

The Environmental Studies Department offers our internship program to allow our majors and non-majors to earn academic credit for internships. Our internship program aim to connect students with internship experiences that provide career exploration and enhance their career readiness. Students and alumni can also explore exciting career paths and opportunities. Browse through resources and organizations that align with your professional goals and interests. Build Experience. Earn Credit. Boost Your Resume.

Key Roles

Agency Sponsor: The agency sponsor will be your internship supervisor.
Faculty Sponsors: Our office will assign lower-division interns (ENVS 84 and 83) to an ENVS faculty sponsor.

Expectations

We expect student interns to represent UCSC and the Environmental Studies Department professionally and set a positive example for other interns. You must notify your agency sponsor if you cannot work and actively engage as a contributing member of the agency staff.

Important Deadlines and Tasks

Enrollment: Enroll in a 2-unit or 5-unit internship course by our office deadline to receive academic credit for their internship hours. Accept the internship course Canvas invitation.
Midterm Report: All Interns: Write a midterm report and ask your agency sponsor to sign your report. Submit the signed report on Canvas. Faculty will sign midterm by commenting “I approve” on Canvas.
Timesheets (ENVS 83 and ENVS 84 Interns Only):
- Fill out your timesheet up to the end of Week 5 and ask your agency sponsor to sign it. 2-unit interns have worked 30 hours and 5-unit interns have worked 60 hours by the end of Week 5.
- Fill out your final timesheet up to the end of Week 10 and ask your agency sponsor to sign it. 2-unit interns have worked 60 hours and 5-unit interns have worked 120 hours by the end of the quarter.
Final Assignments: Week 10: Friday, March 13 - Internships end. All assignments are due on this last day of instruction in Canvas.

Additional Opportunities and Resources

2025-2026 Internship Opportunities List

This list includes our 2025-2026 internship opportunities. By collaborating with ENVS faculty, researchers, and local agencies, our program provides diverse on- and off-campus opportunities for academic credit.

Career Exploration Tips

Get Experience: The best way to explore possible career pathways is to start getting experience in different areas of environmental work.
Conduct Informational Interviews: Conduct informational interviews with people who work in career industries of interest to you in order to gain insights into a career field or company and build your network.
Talk to Faculty: Visit during office hours with environmental studies faculty or lecturers and ask them if they have advice for you. Tell them about your interests, passions, and experience (and if you still need to gain experience, that’s okay).
Discover Alumni Paths: Look at what kinds of jobs and graduate school programs environmental studies alumni have gone on to.
Reflect: Take some time each quarter to think about what classes, internships, or other experiences you enjoy, as well as what you don’t want. Sometimes, we speed through life and don’t stop to think about whether our activities are a good fit for our strengths and interests.
Browse Job Boards: Even if you’re not currently looking for a job, browsing job boards is a great way to get a sense of what kinds of jobs are out there and what positions you may be interested in. Explore different job descriptions to see which ones appeal to you and what kinds of experience they expect candidates to have and how you can meet those. If you’re looking for your first job out of college, you should apply for a range of positions: jobs that are slightly below your qualification level through jobs that are slightly above your qualification level. It is okay to apply for a job even if you don’t meet all of the desired criteria. Read the staff bios and the “about” page.

The Environmental Studies Department: A Commitment to Experiential Learning

Environmental studies provides students with abundant opportunities to earn academic credit while getting up close and personal with the natural world and environmental issues. We administer a robust internship program and lead the renowned Natural History Field Quarter program. We also offer several upper and lower-division courses and labs that are taught partially or entirely outdoors. Many students assist professors and Ph.D. students with their research or conduct their own research and write a senior thesis. This can include working with one of our many Affiliated Research Centers and Initiatives.

Key Programs

Internship Program: The Department of Environmental Studies offers a comprehensive internship program that connects classroom learning with hands-on skills and real-world experiences. The program provides diverse on- and off-campus opportunities for academic credit, including summer internships, opportunities on campus or with private businesses, and experiences related to agroecology and plants, energy, conservation, environmental education, public policy, research, water and marine systems, and environmental justice.
Natural History Field Quarter: Natural History Field Quarter is a 15-unit Environmental Studies class taught each spring quarter. While camping at UC’s Natural Reserves, the class focuses on California natural history and land management, while teaching direct personal observation, inquiry, and reflection.
California Ecology and Conservation: California Ecology and Conservation is a 19-unit, 7-week intensive field course that satisfies three ENVS upper-division course requirements.

Norris Center Internships

Spring 2026 Application: If interested, the Spring 2026 Norris Center Internship Application will be available at the end of winter quarter.
Internship Variety: The Norris Center offers a variety of internships; including curating and organization collections of; fungi, insects (entomology), plants (herbarium), and vertebrates (i.e. birds and mammals). The Norris Center also offers internships preparing animal specimens for museum taxidermy, and preparing animal specimens for skeletonization and re-articulation.
Internship Types: Depends on the specific internship. There are Fungi, Entomology, Herbarium, Taxidermy and Mammal Interns.
Mandatory Meetings:
- Herbarium Internship: Mandatory weekly meetings for Winter 2026 are on Tuesday and Thursday 9am -12pm, every week for the entire quarter.
- Taxidermy Internship: This internship ONLY meets Thursdays at 12PM-6PM, meeting time is mandatory.
- Entomological Collections: Mandatory weekly meetings for Winter 2026 are on Tuesday and Thursday 2pm-5pm for the entire quarter.
- Fungi Collections: Mandatory weekly meetings for Winter 2026 are Tuesday and Thursday 1pm -4pm for the entire quarter.
- Mammal Projects: Mandatory weekly meetings for Fall 2025 are Tuesday and Thursday 2pm -5pm for the entire quarter.
Specific Shifts: Yes there are specific shifts for each internship offered through the Norris Center.

Partnering with the Environmental Studies Department

The Environmental Studies Department is always looking for new partner organizations for our internship program. Our department is focused on teaching students methods for investigating and addressing the complex issues that emerge from the interactions of natural and cultural systems. Our undergraduates have knowledge and skills in five main areas: agroecology and sustainable agriculture, conservation science and natural history, environmental education and sustainability, environmental policy, and political economy.

Commitment to Experiential Learning

Experiential learning, especially a directed field experience, is an essential component of our undergraduate education. Our internship program reflects this commitment and has been an integral pillar of our academics since 1972. Through internships, our students apply the theoretical and technical information they’ve learned in the classroom to defined projects in an agency or field setting. Students have been placed in public and private organizations locally, nationally, and internationally, where they have provided crucial support for research, education, and policy formation projects while gaining first-hand experience in their fields of study.

Becoming a Partner

We are constantly looking for new placements to meet the diverse needs of our students and to serve the environmental community. Our department maintains a database of internship opportunities listed by our partner organizations, which students use to contact agencies and apply. Students are expected to spend twelve hours (120 total) per week on their internship to receive 5 units of credit or six hours per week (60 total) to receive 2 units of credit. Each quarter at UCSC is ten weeks long. Students may also undertake an internship over the summer.

Field Supervision

Field supervision of the student intern by the hosting agency must be clearly established through the assignment of a field sponsor within the agency. This person is expected to work closely with the student to set goals and delineate responsibilities for the experience, to provide feedback, and to maintain contact with the Environmental Studies Department’s internship program office. Student interns are supported by both the Environmental Studies Department’s internship program coordinator and a sponsoring faculty member. The internship program coordinator handles administration and paperwork to track internships and resulting academic credit.

Read also: Campus Resources at UCSC

Internship Criteria

Specific criteria must be met before establishing an internship with a new agency. Since undergraduate interns are registered for credit, the placement must have an academic component that provides a growth experience. Students may receive lower-division credit for a placement primarily focused on an introductory experience and skill development. Upper-division internships are for more advanced and specialized work. Placements typically last for ten weeks to align with UCSC’s quarter system.

Student Deliverables

We expect interns to keep a journal, write a reflective, analytical paper, and complete an extensive evaluation of their placement. Students have the option to intern multiple times with the same organization, and returning interns can often help prepare fellow students for placements and continue their work through projects and papers in other courses.

Creating an Assignment Description

When writing your assignment description, be as specific as possible regarding the skills and background needed to participate successfully in your internship. Partners may list more than one project on a form and enclose appropriate backup material as available.

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