Big Thicket National Preserve is hosting a 20-week paid internship through the National Park Service Scientists-in-Parks Program in spring-summer 2025. The internship will focus on conducting searches for rare plant species across the preserve, which contains over 113,000 acres of diverse vegetation communities found in southeastern Texas including Longleaf pine savanna, rich mesic hardwood forest, baldcypress-tupelo swamp, and tidal freshwater marsh. The project includes developing a database of high priority species and documentation of rare plant populations using ESRI applications. The intern will also have abundant opportunity to engage in a diversity of other resource management projects occurring in the preserve.

The intern will earn a weekly stipend of $525 plus a $400 relocation allowance. The position also offers free on-site housing, 40 hours PTO, a $2,817 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, and eligibility for the Public Land Corps Non-Competitive Hiring Authority upon completion.

Candidates with a strong background in plant identification, plant ecology, and familiarity with the flora of the southeastern US are encouraged to apply.

To learn more about the NPS SIP Program, please visit: https://www.scientistsinparks.org/ 
To learn more about Big Thicket National Preserve, visit: https://www.nps.gov/bith/index.htm