Wildlife Management and Conservation Intern

🌿 Wildlife Conservation Internship – Goose Management & Working Dogs (Nationwide)

Organization: Flyaway Geese
Position: Wildlife Conservation Intern – Goose Management & Canine Handler
Locations: Multiple regions across the U.S. (interns placed near active project sites)
Duration: Seasonal / 3–6 months (flexible by semester)
Hours: Part-time to Full-time (flexible with academic schedules)
Compensation: Paid internship + performance-based bonuses possible
Housing: Intern must be able to house a trained working dog for the duration of the internship

About This Internship

This is not a desk internship. This is boots-on-the-ground, field-based wildlife management work using highly trained Border Collies to humanely haze and relocate resident Canada geese from sensitive environments such as golf courses, airports, campuses, parks, and water management facilities.

You’ll gain hands-on experience implementing real wildlife management strategies, working directly with land managers, superintendents, and municipal partners—while collecting data, building management plans, and seeing measurable ecological results in real time.

If you’re graduating or recently graduated in Environmental Science, Conservation Biology, Wildlife Biology, Ecology, Natural Resources, or a related field, this internship puts you immediately into applied wildlife management, not just observation.

What You’ll Do

Assist in humane wildlife conflict mitigation using trained working dogs

Implement and adapt site-specific goose management plans

Collect and analyze field data on wildlife behavior, site usage, and response to management

Help develop written wildlife management plans and seasonal strategies for properties

Work with property managers, superintendents, and municipalities to implement conservation-focused solutions

Learn how wildlife management intersects with human land use, habitat modification, and behavioral ecology

Gain exposure to applied conservation, population management, and human–wildlife conflict resolution

What You’ll Learn

This internship provides real-world conservation experience you can’t get in a classroom:

Applied wildlife management in active human-use environments

Behavioral ecology of waterfowl and predator–prey dynamics

How to design, evaluate, and adapt wildlife management plans

How conservation decisions are made in real operational settings

Professional communication with land managers and environmental stakeholders

How to balance wildlife protection with land stewardship and public use

You’ll leave with tangible experience, real project outcomes, and documented management plans you can reference in grad school applications, agency jobs, or conservation careers.

Who This Is For

Students or recent grads in:

Environmental Science

Wildlife Biology

Conservation Biology

Ecology

Natural Resource Management

Comfortable working outdoors in all weather

Strong interest in hands-on wildlife management

Responsible, reliable, and professional with animals and clients

Must be able to temporarily house a trained working dog and provide a safe home environment during the internship

Valid driver’s license and ability to travel locally for field work

No prior dog-handling experience required – full training provided. A strong interest in working dogs and wildlife management is a big plus.

Why This Internship Stands Out

Real conservation work with measurable impact

Direct involvement in designing and implementing wildlife management strategies

Field experience that translates to careers with:

Wildlife agencies

Conservation organizations

Environmental consulting firms

Municipal or park management

Strong resume-builder with leadership and applied management experience

Opportunity to build professional references in the wildlife management field

How to Apply

Apply through Handshake with:

Resume

Brief statement of interest explaining why hands-on wildlife management appeals to you

Your general geographic availability