National Parks Service Social Science Program Graduate Summer Internship

The NPS Social Science Program offers semester-long (and a summer session) graduate student internships based in Denver, CO. Graduate student interns with the NPS Social Science Program will work with program staff on research and technical assistance projects that deliver usable knowledge to NPS managers and the public.

Introduction
Semester-long graduate student internships are available with one of the nation's premier land management agencies - the National Park Service (NPS). The mission of the NPS is to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of present and future generations. Understanding the relationship between people and parks is critical for protecting valuable resources while providing for public enjoyment. The National Park Service Social Science Program plays a critical role in achieving the NPS mission by conducting and promoting state-of-the art research relevant to NPS management. The NPS Social Science Program focuses on economics, geography, psychology, political science, sociology, and interdisciplinary studies. As a graduate student intern with the NPS Social Science Program, you will work with Social Science Program staff on research and technical assistance projects that deliver usable knowledge to NPS managers and the public. You can learn first-hand how the NPS operates and carries out its mission, gain practical experience, and develop valuable job skills. 

The internship positions are located in Denver, Colorado. Graduate student interns receive a stipend of approximately $1,300 per month.

NPS Social Science Program Activities
The NPS Social Science Program is engaged in many activities, including:

* Overseeing projects related to high priority national needs for social science research (such as trends in tourism and recreation, impacts of parks on surrounding economies, the social aspects of ecosystem management, issues related to gateway communities and so forth).

* Conducting social science needs assessments for national parks and NPS programs.

* Producing the Social Science Research Review Series - individual reviews of social science literature and theory on issues critical to NPS managers.

* Developing and maintaining the NPS Social Science Program website.

* Maintaining the Social Science Studies Collection within the NPS library and digital document system.

* Supporting the NPS Sabbatical in the Parks Program.

* Conducting visitor surveys and other studies in units of the National Park System. Previous Graduate Student Intern Projects As part of their internship, graduate students conduct a major project of benefit to the NPS Social Science Program or other NPS managers.

Examples of past graduate student intern projects include:

* Helping to develop formal policies for the NPS Social Science Program.
* Creating an action plan for the Sabbatical in the Parks Program.
* Preparing an annotated bibliography regarding leisure choice behavior.
* Developing atlases of socioeconomic trends for individual national park units and their regions.
* Preparing the booklet A Look Ahead: Key Environmental Forecasts Relevant to the National Park Service.
* Preparing An Administrative Atlas for National Park Service Ecosystem Management.
* Preparing an archive plan for NPS Social Science Program and other research reports.
* Creating the Social Science Studies Collection in cooperation with the NPS Library Program.

Internship Requirements
Applicants should be:

* a U.S. citizen currently enrolled in a relevant graduate program or planning to attend graduate school,
* available for a semester-long internship for 40 hours per week,
* willing to work in Denver, CO * able to work creatively and independently, and
* able to interact professionally and confidently with social scientists and NPS managers around the country.

Application Information
* To apply, send a resume and cover letter describing your interests and availability to the contact below.
* Include the names and contact information for three references who can speak to your academic and work experience.

Application Deadlines
* For winter/spring internships: 15 November
* For summer internships: 15 April
* For fall internships: 15 June

Contact:
Megan McBride
NPS Social Science Program
(c/o Air Resource Division)
PO Box 25287
Denver, CO 80225
303-969-2814
Megan_McBride@contractor.nps.gov
http://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/activities.cfm#Internships