Position Information

Employer

Olympic National Park

Division

N/A

Title

Wilderness Volunteer Internship

Description

Olympic National Park is one of the most popular National Park Service wilderness areas for backpacking. Volunteer Wilderness Interns make visitor contacts to check with wilderness permits, encourage Leave No Trace ethics, and give Preventative Search and Rescue messaging. Interns perform routine trail and backcountry utility maintenance.

Duties: Volunteer Interns work closely with seasonal and permanent Wilderness Rangers to coordinate project work and area coverage. Volunteer Interns may work with other Park work groups including, but not limited to Trail Crew, Marmot Monitoring and Fisheries.

Volunteer interns will accompany staff on backcountry patrols, carrying 40 lbs backpacks over miles of rugged terrain in inclement weather, sometimes for days at a time.

Volunteer Interns may be involved in emergency medical and/or search and rescue operations.

Volunteer Interns may also staff a front-country visitor contact station which includes staffing an information desk, issuing wilderness permits and bear canisters, and providing other visitor services.

Skills: Backpacking experience and good physical condition is required. Volunteer Interns must be able to hike 10 miles distance while carrying 40 lbs. backpack, and be comfortable backcountry camping for several days at a time. Volunteer Interns must be able to professionally communicate with visitors from diverse backgrounds, and work as a member of a team where an atmosphere of respect, motivation and teamwork are valued. Volunteer Interns must be able to work with limited supervision. A valid driver’s license is required.

Training Provided: 

All-employee seasonal training for basic overview of NPS and Olympic National Park.
Basic Search and Rescue
CPR/First Aid
Backcountry Utilities
Basic Trail Maintenance
Reimbursement: Full-time volunteer interns are eligible for reimbursement for food up to $400 per month. Housing is provided in shared, bunk-house style residences.

Locations: Positions are available at Lake Quinault and the Sol Duc Valley.

Dates: Begins early June and lasts through late August.

Contact: Jed Friedman – jedediah_friedman@nps.gov

Note: Applications accepted through https://www.volunteer.gov/results.cfm?ID=17934