Deadline: January 4, 2026
Applications are open for the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) Environmental Education Internship – Spring 2026. This is a full-time, paid internship for college students, recent graduates, and graduate students who are interested in environmental education, science communication, and outdoor learning.
Based at SERC’s 2,650-acre campus on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Edgewater, Maryland, this internship offers an immersive, hands-on experience working with K–12 students, teachers, volunteers, and live estuarine animals.
Responsibilities
As an intern with SERC’s Education Department, you will:
- Assist with and lead K–12 field trip programs
- Support teacher professional development workshops
- Learn how to help care for turtles and fish in educational aquaria
- Help maintain educational equipment, supplies, and teaching spaces
- Work alongside volunteers and education staff to support public engagement programs
- Participate in two required Saturday programs over the course of the internship
You will also complete an independent project on a topic that you and SERC education staff select together. Interns gain broad exposure to SERC’s public engagement, participatory science, and science communication initiatives.
Benefits
- Interns will receive $700 per week.
Eligibility
This internship is ideal for undergraduate juniors/seniors, recent graduates, and graduate students who have:
- Experience working with K–12 students or in environmental/outdoor education
- An interest in science, nature, and the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem
- Willingness to work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions
- Comfort entering the water in chest waders and handling live animals
- Flexibility and adaptability when working with different groups and schedules
- The ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team
The SERC community strongly encourages candidates from all backgrounds to apply. They recognize that each applicant for this role will bring unique skills, knowledge, experiences, and background to this internship.
Application
Email a letter of interest and a resume with three references to Karen McDonald at [email protected].
For more information, visit Environmental Education Internship.