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 the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center'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.

Summary

Spring 2026 Environmental Education Intern

Deadline: January 4, 2026

Hours: Full-time; weekdays plus two required Saturdays.

Federal position? No

Stipend: $700 per week

Housing: Onsite dormitory housing is available.

Anticipated start date: March 30, 2026

Duration: 11 weeks

Location: Edgewater, MD

Work model: Onsite

Key Responsibilities

What you’ll do:

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.

Qualifications and Requirements

Who this internship is for:

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. We recognize that each applicant for this role will bring unique skills, knowledge, experiences, and background to this internship.

How to Apply

Fill out this form: SERC Education Internship Application

Email a letter of interest and a resume with three references to Karen McDonald at McDonaldK@si.edu.

Contact

Karen McDonald
McDonaldK@si.edu

About SERC

SERC is a research center of the Smithsonian Institution, located in Edgewater, MD on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, approximately 10 miles south of Annapolis, 40 miles east of Washington DC, and 40 miles south of Baltimore. SERC's 2,650-acre campus is a living laboratory for long-term ecosystem research on forests, farmland, wetlands, shorelines, and estuaries. The SERC campus contains a laboratory and office complex, as well as education and waterfront facilities, dormitories for interns, and guest housing for visitors.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact RichardsonHF@si.edu. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that a workforce comprising a variety of educational, cultural, and experiential backgrounds support and enhance our daily work life and contribute to the richness of our exhibitions and programs. See Smithsonian EEO program information: https://www.si.edu/oeo.

Compensation Information

Stipend: $700 per week