Kupukupu Aina Intern

Position Title: Kupukupu Intern

Location: On-Site — Kāneʻohe, Hawaiʻi (Kualoa Ranch)

Relocation Package: None

Schedule: Full-Time. Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Program Dates: July 6 , 2026 – August 14, 2026

POSITION SUMMARY

Most Agriculture internships in Hawaiʻi stop at the field. Kupukupu Track 1 goes further: from seed to sale, from harvest to plate, from land stewardship to market strategy. Interns learn that a healthy farm and a healthy business are the same thing — and that Hawaiian values are what make both sustainable. 

The Diversified Agriculture & Agro-Business Intern traces the full value chain across Kualoa Ranch’s agricultural operations. From soil preparation, planting, and cultivation, through harvest, food safety compliance, and post-harvest processing, into product distribution and direct-to-consumer sales through the Kualoa Grown Market and Food & Beverage channels. Each site is a different business unit. Each week adds a new lens on how the land generates real, sustainable value.

Interns do not observe this. They work it. Alongside full-time staff, they manage crops, process harvests, track yields, grade products, understand input costs, and watch how what they grow becomes what a guest eats. By the end of six weeks, a Kupukupu Track 1 intern understands Kualoa’s land not just as a place to care for, but as a living, operating agro-business rooted in Hawaiian values.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Agricultural Production

• Execute daily farm operations across all site rotations: planting, transplanting, irrigating, weeding, pruning, harvesting, and post-harvest processing.
• Monitor crop health and document observations in a personal field journal: what you planted, what you observed, what you measured.
• Operate hand tools, power tools (weed whackers, pole saws), and light machinery safely per site protocols.
• Assist with aquaculture operations throughout the ranch.
• Apply Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles; monitor and document pest and disease pressure across crop sites.
• Maintain irrigation systems: inspect, troubleshoot, and log any repairs or adjustments.

Agro-Business Operations

• Track and log harvest data across all sites in Excel, including yield volumes, product quality grades, and input usage.
• Follow full food safety compliance protocols: proper washing, sorting, packing, cold storage, and chain-of-custody documentation.
• Assist with product preparation and staging for the Kualoa Grown Market, F&B delivery, and distribution channels.
• Observe and document production costs and outputs at each site; develop an understanding of basic farm economics.
• Learn how each site’s product is priced, positioned, and sold — and how production decisions affect revenue.
• Understand the relationship between product quality, cultural authenticity, and market value in a premium Hawaiian ag business.

Cultural Stewardship & Brand Connection

• Approach every site through the lens of mālama ʻāina — land stewardship as both ethical responsibility and business foundation.
• Learn the cultural significance of kalo, loʻi systems, and traditional Hawaiian farming practices; understand why cultural authenticity is a market differentiator.
• Participate in Stewardship week as a business education: understand how conservation investment protects the land-based brand that drives Kualoa’s entire enterprise.
• Be able to explain, in plain language, how what you grew this week connects to what a guest will eat, experience, or purchase.
• Contribute to the ʻIke Board each week: one business insight, one land observation, one connection between the two.

Capstone Project

• Choose a business-oriented capstone pathway in Week 1: a market analysis, a cost/yield study, a go-to-market recommendation for a new product, or a process improvement for one business unit.
• Build your project from direct observations, data, and conversations across all five site rotations.
• Submit written milestones each week: topic (W2), methodology approved (W3), findings drafted (W5), full draft (W5 Thursday).
• Present completed capstone to KRH leadership panel in Week 6 with a clear recommendation and supporting data.
• Leave a legacy contribution for future cohorts: a yield data template, a product cost model, a distribution flow map, or a market-ready product description.

Professionalism & Cohort Culture

• Arrive on time, prepared, and ready to work. Your site team is counting on you.
• Communicate clearly with mentors and site leads regarding task progress, yield observations, and any safety concerns.
• Complete a written midpoint self-assessment in Week 4 and participate in a structured mentor feedback meeting.
• Model Kualoa’s values — Aloha, Mālama, Poʻokela, ʻOhana, and Laulima — in every interaction with team, land, and product.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to perform sustained manual labor outdoors in hot, humid, rainy, and muddy conditions.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs. unassisted.
• Frequent bending, kneeling, squatting, and working in uneven terrain.
• Operate hand tools, power tools, and light agricultural machinery safely.
• Comfortable working around small livestock and aquaculture environments.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Current college student or recent graduate. Kamaʻāina applicants strongly encouraged.
• Demonstrated interest in agriculture, agro-business, food systems, environmental science, Hawaiian studies, business, or a related field.
• Willingness to perform physically demanding fieldwork for the full 6 weeks.
• Strong work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to follow protocols consistently.
• Basic computer literacy for data entry and logging (Excel training provided).
• Valid driver’s license preferred.

Preferred

• Prior experience in agriculture, farming, food production, conservation, or a related field (paid or volunteer).
• Interest in food systems, supply chain, sustainable business, or market development.
• Familiarity with Hawaiian agricultural traditions, including kalo cultivation or loʻi systems.
• Experience with data collection, recordkeeping, or farm management software.
• CPR and First Aid certification (or willingness to obtain before program start).