BLM Arizona helps students and recent graduates connect and gain job experience

Do you enjoy nature and working outdoors? Perhaps working on environmental and natural resource projects and passionate about protecting, managing, and conserving public lands? Are you passionate about creating change and working with local communities and stakeholders? Maybe you’re not sure but looking for something different and exciting.

At the BLM, you can gain experience and skills through our various internship and crew-based work programs, all the while learning from and working alongside experienced professionals and gaining experience in natural resource fields. Explore exciting opportunities that will allow you to discover your passion for nature, discover new talents and develop your skills. With BLM's multiple‐use mission, you can truly make a difference! 

Explore Careers at the BLM

Explore the variety of occupations offered at the BLM through our various internships and work-based crew opportunities.

• Park/Refuge/Monument Management & Administration 
• Environmental/Civil Engineering/Urban Planning 
• Historical and/or Cultural Resource Management 
• Public Policy/Administration and Management 
• Geographic Information Science (GIS) 
• Cadastral Survey and Geological Sciences 
• Wildland Fire Management 
• Public Affairs/Communication 
• Natural Resource and Wildlife Management 
• Environmental Policy and Management 
• Business Management and Administration 
• Tourism and Hospitality Services  
• Outdoor Recreation/Tourism  
• Rangeland Management 
• Community and Public Outreach 
• Tribal Consultation and Engagement

And much more! See DOI careers for more opportunities. 

Summer Direct Hire Internships

The BLM Direct Hire Internship Program is designed to connect students and recent graduates with hands-on opportunities in federal land management. As an intern, you’ll work alongside professionals on projects related to environmental conservation, natural resource management, and public engagement. Students who completed their 11-week summer internship and earn their degree, may be eligible for a direct hire into a full-time, permanent position with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This means you could be hired right away for a job that's hard to fill, without having to go through a competitive hiring process. This program provides a unique chance to dive into various fields, including:

• Environmental Science
• Geology
• Recreational planning
• Business administration
• Computer science/IT
• Forestry
• Environmental education and interpretation
• Archaeology/paleontology
• Land survey
• Civil, environmental, renewable engineering
• Wildlife management
• Public affairs/communications
• and much more.

Why apply?

• Paid Internships: Get paid and gain experience working at a BLM office anywhere in the country. Travel and housing stipends may be provided.
• Gain Practical Experience: Work on meaningful projects that impact our public lands and natural resources.
• Professional Development: Build your resume with skills and experiences relevant to your field of study.
• Network with Experts: Connect with BLM professionals and expand your career network.
• Streamlined Hiring Process: The Direct Hire aspect allows for a quicker and more efficient recruitment process.

Who can apply

• At least 18 years old at the start of the project.
• A U.S. Citizen.
• A current student of an associate's, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree program at an accredited institution of higher education. (Must be enrolled in a degree-based program; certificate-based programs do not qualify),
• Available to provide a minimum of 11 full weeks of continuous service.
• Willing to submit to a government security background clearance and employment background check process.
• Able to meet the minimum qualifications listed for the position(s).

How to apply

1. Students will apply through our DHA partner organizations. Application period for the 2025 summer DHA program will open in January 2025. Please check back at the end of December 2024 or early January 2025 for the list of DHA partners to submit your application.
2. Once application period is open, students will submit their resume, transcripts, cover letter, and other necessary documents to our DHA partner organizations.
3. Interviews will be conducted in March through April with selections in April and May. Students will be required to submit all necessary paper for a federal background check before beginning their internships in June or July. Internships are 11-weeks from start date with most internships ending in mid August and no later than September 30. 

For more information, contact Ashanti Sloan at aksloan@blm.gov.

 

Conservation Corps Internships

The Public Land Corps program provides paid work crew and individual placement internship opportunities to individuals 16 to 30 (35 for veterans) to work on a variety of conservation, preservation, and restoration projects.

Applicants do not need to be in college to be eligible for the program but must be a US citizen, have a high school diploma (or working towards one) or a GED. PLC participants who complete 640 hours of project work are eligible to earn a 2-year non-competitive hiring authority. The Public Lands Corps non-competitive hiring authority allows you to apply for permanent federal positions with the BLM and other land management agencies. 

Benefits include: 

Gain direct experience and training in a variety of natural and cultural resource management career fields. Work alongside BLM staff to conduct priority land management projects. Develop technical, interpersonal, and applicable job skills. Engage in professional development, networking, and mentorship opportunities. Some positions may also offer an AmeriCorps Education Award upon successful term completion. 

Apply at: 

• National Corps Opportunities
• AZ Conservation Corps
• GEM Environmental Corps
• Ancestral Lands

Pathways

The Pathways Internship Program is for current students (16 years of age or older) enrolled or accepted for enrollment and seeking a degree (diploma, certificate, etc.) in a qualifying accredited educational institution on a full- or half-time basis. The Internship Program provides students enrolled in a variety of academic fields with paid opportunities to work in agencies and explore federal careers while still in school. 

For more information see: https://www.blm.gov/careers/students-and-grads/pathways-program-coordinators 

Apply at:

• USAjobs.gov

Presidential Management Fellows

The Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program is a two-year training and leadership development program for advance degree holders (master's degrees and above), managed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). After completing the program, agencies may convert PMFs to permanent federal civilian employees.

Native American Youth - NYCALC

The Native Youth Climate Adaptation Leadership Congress is a one-week summer conservation conference for Native American, Alaskan Native, and Pacific Islander high school and college students in Shepherdstown, WV. The mission of NYCALC is to develop future Indigenous conservation leaders with skills, knowledge, and tools to address environmental change to better their communities.  

High School Students: Requirements for Indigenous youth groups interested in joining the Native Youth Congress should have between 3-5 students, be rising high school seniors (sophomores and juniors will be considered on a case-by-case basis) and be a part of a federally recognized Native American Tribe or Native American based Indigenous group.  Please check back in winter 2023 for more information on NYCALC 2024. Applications are typically available in early January. Learn more on the official website www.nycalc.org. 

College Students: College students and recent graduates are selected as Junior Faculty positions to assist NYCALC staff in advising, guiding, and mentoring the high school participants throughout the week. There is no age requirement. Open to all majors especially those in STEM, environmental science, natural resource, cultural heritage, archaeology, Native American studies, sustainability, public policy, law, and public administration. Contact Brooke Wheeler at bwheeler@blm.gov for more information. 

National Council for Preservation Education

The National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE) offers paid internships in historic preservation, cultural resource management, museum studies, architecture, history, library science, anthropology, environmental education, conservation, communications/media, related fields. All NCPE internship positions are paid, and many include housing allowances and/or commuting stipends. Positions are competitive, with two application rounds a year, in the fall for the following spring and the winter for summer internships. 

Apply at:

• National Council for Preservation Education

Teacher on Public Lands

The Teachers on the Public Lands (TPL) program is a professional development program that provides participating teachers the opportunity to engage in a field project on public lands and interact with public lands resources. Teachers receive training and experience in lesson planning, develop at least one lesson to be used in their classroom/school, partner with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) employees on an education project, increase their understanding of place-based learning, and are provided the opportunity to receive graduate and/or continuing education credits through University of Colorado Denver (UCD). TPL interns are paid a stipend and receive tuition to take UCD course. Positions are announced in the spring.

Contact Rachel Soward, National Education Program Lead, for information, site locations, and application information at rsowards@blm.gov.

For more information: contact Brooke Wheeler, management and program analyst, at bwheeler@blm.gov.