Updated: Nov 14, 2023
Internship Duration & Application Deadlines
Spring 2024: February 26 - May 4, 2024
Accepting applications: January 1 - February 2, 2024
Summer 2024: June 3 - August 10, 2024
Accepting applications: April 15 - May 17, 2024
Fall 2024: September 9 - November 16, 2024
Accepting applications: July 22 - August 23, 2024
Texas Conservation Alliance (TCA) is seeking interns who are passionate about protecting Texas wildlife and their habitats. TCA’s Careers in Conservation Internship Program is helping train the future conservation leaders of Texas. Participants work alongside TCA’s seasoned conservation professionals and experience the frontlines of saving wildlife and their habitats in the state. Internship projects vary, but the opportunity to develop technical acumen, exercise transferable skills, and cultivate conservation leadership is integral to every TCA experience.
Successful candidates will work with TCA staff to implement wildlife conservation projects. The 10-week internship offers opportunities to make positive impacts for wildlife and provides valuable, hands-on, learning experiences and professional development opportunities applicable to future careers in sustainability and conservation.
To Apply:
Download and complete the application, then send it along with your resume and cover letter (both are required) to Jose Lopez at jose@tcatexas.org.
Stipend:
TCA is pleased to provide an internship stipend of $1000/semester. Funds are distributed bi-weekly.
Requirements
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Minimum Age: Must be at least 18 years old
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Eligibility: Must be eligible to work in the United States
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Time Commitment: Approximately 15 hours of service per week including occasional weekends over the 10-week internship
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Regular Reporting: Must submit progress reports bi-weekly. Must participate in virtual weekly check-in meetings from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM each Monday throughout the 10-week internship
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Flexible Locations: Projects are conducted locally in regions across Texas, and paired with online check-ins, reporting, and intern cohort collaborations
Potential Projects
Organize wildlife habitat restoration events.
Restoring degraded wildlife habitat is critical to the conservation of species. Interns will research opportunities, build community partnerships, and coordinate event logistics. Potential projects include litter pollution removal from Texas waterways, planting native plants, and removing invasive species to restore prairie, and reforestation through community tree-planting events.
Lead bird collision surveys (spring and fall only).
Lights Out is a behavior-change campaign aimed at saving migratory birds by encouraging businesses and residents to turn off non-essential lights during spring and fall migration. Bird collision surveys are an important component of scientific research. TCA leads surveys in downtown Dallas and Fort Worth as well as on-campus at Texas A&M University, College Station, during spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) migration seasons. Interns will help lead the survey two days each week in addition to another small project.
Promote Lights Out for Wildlife certification program.
Interns will strengthen the Lights Out for Wildlife brand by promoting the behavior-change campaign through social media campaigns, marketing techniques, and presentations. You will also help reach out to municipality officials, business owners, and community members to encourage taking action during bird migrations. Lights Out for Wildlife is a program to certify homes, businesses, and/or buildings by taking Lights Out action to save birds and other wildlife impacted by light pollution. Interns will assist in promoting the certification program and create strategies to encourage participation.
Create a fundraiser.
Fundraising is essential to non-profit success. Simple fundraising campaigns are great ways to develop these skills which are valuable assets for a budding career in conservation. Interns will create a social media fundraiser, create an adopt-an-animal campaign, or experiment with a custom campaign of their own to engage new communities in the work of wildlife conservation.
Create social media/marketing content.
Identify, conceptualize, design and execute content to boost engagement, educate, and inform TCA followers on social media. Tasks include creating content-post calendars, developing and distributing text, designing infographics and video content, and monitoring social media channels.
Custom project.
Propose a project of your own design.