Internship Opportunities – Crystal Cove Conservancy

Why Our Internships?

Our programs are built around one idea: real work and real environmental impact.

Interns are supported to move beyond shadowing. They lead projects that address actual park management needs, collaborate across agencies, and present findings to California State Parks staff and community stakeholders. Throughout each program, interns gain both hands-on field experience and professional development skills.

Our former interns have even secured jobs at California State Parks, presented research at regional conservation councils, and walked away with the kind of field experience and professional networks that take years to build on your own.

Come find out if the world of environmental science is in your future!

Fire Ecology Internship

| High School Students

As fires in California become more common year after year, fire plays an increasingly large role in shaping Orange County’s landscapes. Each year, students are invited to help Crystal Cove Conservancy, Crystal Cove State Park, and Irvine Ranch Conservancy study the impacts of fire in Orange County by joining us for the Fire Ecology Internship Program.

Over the course of the internship, high school volunteers collaborate with land managers and researchers to study the impact of fire on our ecosystems in open spaces across Orange County. Student interns gain valuable experience working in the field of restoration, fire ecology, and land management, and help local land managers address real conservation challenges.

The program runs from December through May. The program includes a combination of in-person field days on Saturdays and virtual meetings over Zoom to be held on weekdays after school.

Natural Resources Internship

| Undergraduate & Graduate Students

Each summer, Crystal Cove Conservancy and Crystal Cove State Park invite undergraduate and graduate students to work alongside park staff, scientists, and conservation partners on projects that directly support state park management.

Undergraduate interns collaborate as a team to collect field data, analyze findings, and present results to park managers and community stakeholders. Graduate interns take on a leadership role, guiding undergraduate teams while overseeing project development from proposal to final presentation. All interns participate in weekly cohort meetings and professional development workshops covering careers in natural resources and State Parks pathways.

The program runs from late June through early September, averaging 15 hours per week over 11 weeks.