The National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE) Internship Program is a partnership with the National Park Service and other Federal agencies with cultural resource protection and public land management responsibilities. Its purpose is to accomplish needed and important work on federally protected lands while providing program participants with professional experience in their chosen fields. Interns work under the guidance of agency staff to complete projects or undertake programs in furtherance of the park’s mission.

To be eligible, applicants must be between 18 and 30 years old (or 35 if a veteran) when starting the internship, a college student or recent graduate (within the past 12 months at the time of application), enrolled in a degree-seeking program, and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. 

African American Civil Rights Network (AACRN) Act of 2017 authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to coordinate and facilitate Federal and non-Federal activities to commemorate, honor and interpret “…the history of the African American Civil Rights movement; the significance of the Civil Rights movement as a crucial element in the evolution of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and the relevance of the African American Civil Rights movement in fostering the spirit of social justice and national reconciliation.”  AACRN encompasses properties, facilities, and interpretive programs, all of which present a comprehensive narrative of the people, places, and events associated with the African American Civil Rights movement in the United States.

The successful applicant will be duty-stationed at the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument in Jackson, Mississippi. The duties of the intern will include, but are not limited to:

• Exploring the park’s foundational documents and research work conducted by former NPCE interns to develop engaging interpretive programs for the public
• Assisting park management and local education partners with creating curriculum-based activities from the information found in the park foundational documents
• Conducting special in-person and distance-learning preservation-focused tours of the home

In addition to these project-specific responsibilities, the intern will engage in career development, mentoring, and skills training opportunities, including resume-writing and job application best practices.  Training opportunities and exposure offered by the Senior National Park Service (NPS) Cultural Resources staff members may include: website Content Management Systems (CMS) development and certification; National Register and National Historic Landmark policies, procedures, and documentation preparation; oral history best practices and interview techniques; grant and cooperative agreement administration; public speaking; and budget development. Funding is available for travel and training.

This is a full-time (40 hours per week), in-person position. A background security investigation may be required prior to the start date. All NCPE interns accrue 4 hours of PTO for every 80 hours worked.

Qualified NCPE interns who complete their internships may count their position towards earning a Public Land Corps (PLC) Non-Competitive Hiring Authority certificate.  Once earned, the PLC certificate may be used to apply for eligible Federal permanent, temporary, or term positions. Visit https://preservenet.org/ncpe-internships/ for details about this benefit. Successful completion of the internship does not guarantee Federal employment.