Andrus Scholars Program

Advocates for the West seeks a highly qualified and motivated summer intern to work closely with our communications, engagement, and development (fundraising) staff, our attorneys, and our summer law student clerks on our busy docket of environmental litigation and legal advocacy. 

About Advocates for the West:

Advocates for the West is a leading public interest, nonprofit environmental law firm. As free lawyers for the environment, we provide our legal services free of charge to conservation organizations, Native American Tribes, and concerned community members across the American West. With our headquarters in Boise, ID and staff in Oregon, Montana, and Colorado, Advocates for the West works in all 11 western states. Our team of 9 attorneys, 1 paralegal, and 4 administrative staff specializes in enforcing our nation’s bedrock environmental laws through litigation in federal court. For the last 22 years, we have established a successful track record using law and science to protect public lands, water, fish, and wildlife across the West. Visit www.advocateswest.org to learn more.

Opportunities:

• Public Outreach: Work with our communications team to develop messaging, conduct media outreach, and develop content for our website, newsletters, and other materials; create narratives that highlight the values of our work in tandem with our development team; help organize and participate in outreach events.
• Learn & Network: Meet with our clients and partners, conduct field visits, and attend court proceedings; participate in weekly staff meetings; attend weekly summer clerk and intern seminars to learn more about environmental law.
• Legal Support: Conduct some legal and factual research under the supervision of one or more of our attorneys.

Qualifications:

Applicants with strong writing and communications skills, an interest in law or policy, and a passion for the environment are preferred. We value diversity and encourage students from underrepresented communities to apply.

Location:

This internship will consist of in-person work at our Boise, ID headquarters and regular, virtual meetings with staff located throughout the West. There is potential for some remote work. We strive to be flexible to accommodate the intern’s personal needs and preferences while providing enough structure and support to foster a successful learning experience.

Duration, Hours & Schedule:

10 weeks. Flexible start and end dates. 30 hours per week. Typical and preferred work hours are on weekdays and (roughly) within the 8am-5pm range; however, we are willing to consider alternative schedules to suit the intern’s needs.

2025 ICL Andrus Scholar Position Description

Summary of Position:

The Idaho Conservation League Andrus Scholar internship will provide real-world experience to college students interested in learning more about the world of environmental regulation including permitting, enforcement, and efforts to reduce air and water pollution. The intern will develop an in-depth perspective of environmental pollution, how that pollution is managed, how “watchdog” efforts can reduce pollution, and how ICL engages our members and supporters to foster citizen advocacy to help achieve our goals. This position is an opportunity to make a difference in your backyard, giving you the tools to protect both your community and others across Idaho from pollution.

Duties:

Environmental Regulation

Review air and water pollution permits from state and federal agencies and draft science-based comments to reduce pollution and environmental degradation. The applicant may also join ICL staff on field tours to review regulated pollution sources and projects.

Environmental Compliance and Enforcement 

Obtain and review pollution reporting data to analyze compliance, identify trends, and develop strategies to push pollution/degradation sources to reduce their impact and/or eliminate noncompliance. Complete additional research projects related to pollution reduction in support of ICL’s Regulatory Conservation Associate.

External Relations

Assist engagement staff with outreach events as needed to elevate ICL’s presence within affected communities.

Position Responsibilities:

Skills needed: Strong analytical, writing, communication, and organizational skills required. Degree seekers include (but are not limited to): environmental studies, natural resources, environmental science or engineering, communications, pre-law, and journalism. A sincere interest in the health of people and Idaho’s natural resources.

What you will learn: The overall goal of this opportunity is to provide real-world experience to students interested in learning more about laws and policies that relate to environmental regulation and natural resource conservation issues. The scholar will gain a perspective on how environmental pollution and degradation are managed in the U.S., how activism can help reduce both, and gain an appreciation for the many roles within a non-profit organization.

Hours: The position is approximately 30 hours/week for 10 weeks, beginning as early as late May and ending as late as late September. Although the schedule is flexible, it may include limited time on occasional weekends and evenings. This position is based out of ICL’s Boise office, with likely opportunities to travel to surrounding communities.

Internship Description:

Harris Ranch Wildlife Mitigation (HRWMA) is looking for a dependable, motivated summer intern to job shadow by working on projects. outdoors with our Conservation Director.

About HRWMA:

HRWMA is a non-profit organization established to mitigate adverse impacts to wildlife through conservation planning and restoration efforts, and was authorized as part of the Boise City Council’s approval of the Harris Ranch planned development in 2007. In addition to its wildlife mitigation mission HRWMA engages in community education and outreach to bring knowledge of the environment to the homeowners at Harris Ranch. HRWMA works with other partner organizations in the valley. Visit www.hrwma.org to learn more about us.

Summary of Position/Opportunities Available:

• Conservation: Hands on field experience assisting in maintenance of existing native plantings (watering and weeding), with new restoration efforts, mapping, scientific monitoring, reporting, and learning about land management issues, such as noxious weed control, recreation use, ecosystem recovery, and wildlife in an urban setting. You’ll get a chance to discover plants and wildlife in Barber Valley, right here in Boise.
• Education and Outreach: Develop educational content and help organize and participate in classes and outreach events
• Networking: Meet local partner organizations (county, city, state, and NGOs) and work collaboratively on projects while learning more about conservation in your community

Qualifications:

Applicants should have a strong interest in and knowledge of the environment; ability to work outdoors under varying weather conditions (hiking, bending, kneeling, and lifting); good writing and communication skills; willingness to take on tasks, and be responsible and timely.

Location:

This internship will be based remotely (where you can work from home) and also in the field (Boise). Field work is conducted in the Barber Valley on the private lands managed by our organization and also on neighboring lands along the Boise River and foothills.

Duration, Hours, and Schedule:

This internship is for approximately 30 hours/ week for 10 weeks from the beginning of May through mid-August, but may flex depending on the applicant. The hours and schedule of work are flexible. Typical hours are within the 8am-5pm range on weekdays, but may also include occasional Saturdays.

*The USDA Forest Service, Boise National Forest is a potential internship placement. There is no guarantee for placement at this organization.

Internship Description:

The USDA Forest Service, Boise National Forest is looking for an intern to work with our Hydrology Team for the 2025 field season.

Position Description:

The intern will gain valuable skills as a technical assistant in the performance of a variety of hydrology tasks working alongside District Hydrologist or other staff. We will also seek opportunities for an Andrus Scholar to participate in interdisciplinary team meetings with other resources, such as archaeologists, biologists, and other specialists to learn more about Forest Service’s environmental decision-making processes. This intern will primarily perform field work related to collecting hydrologic baseline data, monitoring best management practices, conducting stream, riparian, and soil surveys, inventorying roads, trails, and other infrastructure throughout the Forest, and collecting information related to project level environmental analysis. The intern will be expected to prepare field notes, pictures, and data summaries to provide to Hydrologists and Soil Scientists across the Forest. The intern will also conduct data analysis, and database entry, and/or GIS work in support of the watershed program. 

The selected individual would work 80 hours every two weeks (40+/- hours per week) and the schedule will vary dependent on the site locations, workload and terrain (e.g., four 10-hour days or longer some weeks to accommodate certain field data collection needs, or five 8-hour days for office-based work, dependent on weekly scheduling needs). Duties would be split at roughly 70% field work and 30% office work. Driving to and from field sites in a government vehicle will be necessary, and a valid driver’s license is required. Some field work may require wading streams, long periods of walking over rough, uneven, or rocky terrain, repetitive bending and crouching, and carrying of equipment that may exceed 40 pounds. 

Desired Skills and Experience:

The ideal candidate would have experience and/or education in the fields of hydrology, geomorphology, soils, aquatic ecology, geology, GIS or other related disciplines. We are looking for self-motivated learners who work well with small teams in remote settings.

Duty Station

Boise National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Boise, ID (1249 South Vinnell Way Boise, ID 83709). There is no government housing available.

At the Bureau of Land Management, students:

• Assist in analyzing the environmental consequences of proposed projects to help inform decision-making (including writing and editing National Environmental Policy Act analyses)
• Participate in public outreach regarding public lands, natural resources, safety, and stewardship
• Conduct fieldwork in programs such as wildlife, range forestry, fuels reduction, or recreation to aid in the management of public lands for current and future generations

Internship Description:

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s mission statement is to protect, preserve, perpetuate and manage Idaho’s wildlife resources. The Fisheries Research program within the department provides science-based answers to fisheries management questions and develops new tools and technology to help fisheries managers.

General Information:

The intern would be a member of a fisheries research team assisting on three projects (Wild Trout Evaluations, Hatchery Trout Evaluations, and Lakes and Reservoirs Research). The intern will work alongside biologists, technicians, bio-aides, hatchery staff, interns, and volunteers. Duties may include electrofishing streams, rivers, and lakes (day and nighttime); backpacking; camping; operating, transporting, and trailering outboard/jet motorboats; gillnetting lakes; stocking fish; collecting biological samples; tagging fish (t-bar anchor tags, PIT tags); maintaining and repairing equipment (sampling equipment, vehicles, etc.); and collecting, recording, and managing data. With or without reasonable accommodations, incumbents must be able to work and camp in remote locations under adverse weather conditions, hike long distances (>9 miles) in rough terrain, operate four (4) wheel drive vehicles in steep/rough terrain, handle live and dead fish; wade in swift flowing waters; and lift/carry up to 50 lbs. All camping equipment, uniforms, food items while in the field, and transportation to and from field sites are provided.

Opportunities to work alongside hatchery, genetic, and wildlife staff can also be made available depending on the specific interests of the intern.

Qualifications:

Applicants should have a strong interest in a fisheries or wildlife career and must have a valid driver’s license. The ability to collect and manage data, navigate with GPS in backcountry environments, work well independently and with a team, good handwriting, attention to detail, and professional conduct are all competitive qualities.

Location:

This internship will be based out of the Nampa Fisheries Research Office at 1414 E Locust Lane, Nampa, ID. Although this office is home base, the intern will spend the majority of their internship in the field at various locations throughout the entire state. The intern would require transportation to and from the office but transportation to and from field sites will be provided.

Schedule:

General timeline for the internship is mid-May through mid-end August (start and end dates are flexible). This position requires frequent travel with a research team throughout Idaho for periods of up to five days working a minimum of 40 hours per week. Field work schedules may be variable including early/late hours while office day hours are 8AM-4PM.

Birds of Prey NCA Partnership Internship Opportunity: Science Communication Intern (Spring/Summer 2025)

The Birds of Prey NCA Partnership (BOPP) is seeking a creative and enthusiastic Science Communication Intern to join our team for the spring and summer of 2025. This position offers a hands-on opportunity to gain experience in science communication, marketing, and multimedia production while supporting the conservation of the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA).

As our Science Communication Intern, you will work directly with the BOPP communications team, who will be able to provide guidance and training in social media, copywriting, digital and direct marketing, storytelling, and film production. The team is made up of Hannah Mulvany, our Communications Lead, who has over a decade of science communication, content creation and digital marketing experience, and Matt Podolsky, an award-winning filmmaker and founder of the environmental storytelling community Wild Lens Collective. 

Key Responsibilities

As a Science Communication Intern, you will:

• Assist with the marketing and promotion of Snake River Raptor Fest, including collecting video and photo content at the 2025 festival, and writing press releases.
• Capture video and still images during Raptor Fest to be used for future marketing and promotional efforts.
• Creating an NCA photo and video library to be used to populate the website and social media, including landscapes, species and humans recreating in the NCA.
• Join BOPP field trips and outdoor classroom excursions to capture photos and videos of events and activities and use these materials to develop engaging blog and social media content that highlights BOPP’s work.
• Collaborate with other BOPP interns and content contributors to document their projects and learning experiences through interviews, photo stories, or short videos.
• Assist with recording and editing episodes of the Dedication Point podcast and contribute content for website pages that promote new episodes.
• Serve in a variety of roles in producing a short documentary about the NCA, including camera assistant, camera operator, location sound, or associate producer.

Desired Qualifications

We are looking for candidates who:

• Are currently pursuing a degree in communications, journalism, environmental science, film/media studies, biology, or a related field.
• Have strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to translate scientific concepts into engaging content.
• Are familiar with or willing to learn social media management, photography, and video production. Experience with tools such as Canva, Adobe Premiere, or Final Cut Pro is a plus.
• Are highly organized, self-motivated, and comfortable working independently and as part of a team.
• Have a passion for environmental education, conservation, and storytelling.

Internship Details

• Duration: Spring/Summer 2025 (specific start and end dates are flexible; early May is the ideal start time to assist with Snake River Raptor Fest promotion).
• Location: Primarily remote but requires some in-person participation at Raptor Fest and other BOPP field activities (location-dependent).
• Hours: Approximately 10–20 hours per week.

*You may be asked to provide a sample of your work (e.g., a writing sample, video project, blog post, or other communication material)