2025 Maria Mitchell Association Environmental Education Internship

The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) is offering multiple Environmental Education Internships working with our award-winning Summer Discovery Camp Program for children ages 5-16. Environmental Education interns design the curriculum for educational hands-on experiences and serve as summer Naturalists. Children attend camp each day during week-long sessions and engage in immersive hands-on experiential learning and exploration in diverse habitats around Nantucket Island. These positions provide space to share passion and knowledge in marine science, environmental studies, experiential education, and more to youth on Nantucket. The ideal candidates have interest in and experience with environmental science and youth-focused education. The most important assets are a strong work ethic, natural history background, enthusiasm, commitment, flexibility, a desire to learn, and the ability to work well with others and with children.

The Environmental Education interns, working as a team alongside the Camp and Youth Engagement Director and the Camp and Youth Engagement Coordinator, are responsible for virtually all facets of the Summer Discovery Camp Program including educational lesson design and instruction, co-leading weekly camp groups and field trips, discovery hikes, pond explorations, live animal programs, and nature-based crafts and games. This is a fantastic, immersive experience for students and recent graduates interested in environmental education or who are interested in careers in environmental science, outreach and education, marine science, and natural history.

Environmental Education Interns are expected to help with other aspects of a small non-profit organization, such as helping with special events, general education and public programs, answering requests for information from the public, assisting visitors to our campus, and helping with many other facets of a organizations day to day operations.

Nantucket Island is a resort community that swells to over 60,000 people in the summer. There are fifty miles of beaches and over half the land area is conservation land. The mission of the MMA is to inspire people to experience Nantucket’s sky, land, and sea. Programs and facilities focus on environmental education, ecological research, astronomy, and historic preservation.

Key Requirements and Qualifications

• Have some degree of environmental education, natural history, natural sciences, or education course which may include coursework, internship, volunteering, lab work, etc. with at least two years of college experience.
• At least 19 years old, preference given to those 21 years and older
• Must be able to lift 50 pounds
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Have naturalist skills and/or experience as an environmental educator
• Have experience working with children of multiple ages
• CPR and First Aid Certified, or willing to be certified by the start of the internship
• Lifeguarding Certified, or willing to be certified by the start of the internship
• Have a valid and current driver's license with a clean driving record
• Able to pass a safe driving test to be qualified to drive company vehicles to outbound field trips
• Excited to share their passion for science and nature with children through creative lesson plans
• Confident in leading groups of children in the outdoors, including beach and water environments, in a fun and safe way
• Comfortable working independently, initiating activities, coordinating with co-teachers, and maintaining a positive attitude in challenging situations

Responsibilities and Tasks

• Work with a co-instructor and Camp and Youth Engagement Director to plan and write unique lessons for campers ages 5 – 16 years each week
• Design and make any needed educational supplements to go along with your lessons
• Lead campers in nature hikes, wetland observations, bird watching, orienteering, community service projects, art projects, insect collecting, kayaking excursions, snorkeling exploration, and much more
• Maintain all educational supplies and equipment by washing and putting away after use
• Attend all required meetings including end of the summer cleaning
• Help in the office to prepare administratively for the next week
• Additional responsibilities may include helping in the main office, leading public or private programs such as birthday parties or snorkeling excursions, and assisting with other facets of the Association’s day-to-day operations
• Co-present educational and outreach programs on and off-site several times per week alongside MMA Astronomy, Aquarium and Natural Science Museum Interns
• Mentor high school interns and volunteers
• Stay curious and enthusiastic about the natural world!

Compensation and Duration

• This is a paid internship at $15 per hour.
• The MMA has dormitory-style housing available for interns to rent for $30 per week to cover cleaning costs. Housing is located within walking distance to the town center and is a short bike ride to beautiful beaches, hiking trails, museums, and other great locations. If you live on campus, you will be expected to attend and participate in all dorm cleaning days as part of your housing agreement. Please note that the dorm rooms are shared. Interns are not required to live in MMA provided housing, however, as Nantucket’s housing availability is notoriously limited and often expensive, we require our interns to provide proof of alternative housing before their internship begins.

This internship runs from May 26, 2025, to approximately August 31, 2025. The end date may be flexible.

Environmental Education Internship applications are due March 1, 2025, at 11pm EST. 

Completed applications consist of a resume, cover letter, 3 references and 2 letters of recommendation from these references, official or unofficial transcripts and the Internship application.

Salary : $15