Crew Leader for Conservation Ranger Camp

Position: Conservation Ranger Camp Crew Leader - Internship

We are seeking an outgoing, mentor, and leader for our 2026 Conservation Ranger Camp at the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. This is a temporary position/internship, perfect for those who are seeking experience in either leadership, education, the environmental sector, social sciences, STEM, Federal Government organizations, non-profit work, etc.

About the Camp

Conservation Ranger Camp (CRC) is a week-long summer camp co-designed and run by the National Wildlife Refuge Association (Refuge Association) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The camp was created to educate and provide resources to high-school students from “the Glades” communities in Palm Beach County. The camp aims to teach participants about conservation and introduce them to outdoor recreational skills, along with career opportunities in the environmental sector. The camp consists of indoor and outdoor activities, guest speakers, field trips, and so much more!

To get a better understanding of the Conservation Ranger Camp, we highly encourage you to watch the following short film created during the 2024 camp: https://youtu.be/yM3w2x-6HyQ?si=PKH-vdiXAJv0Vcq1

Description

Your role would be to work alongside the Refuge Association and refuge staff to help lead the 10-15 high school students participating in this camp. The goal of this role is to encourage campers to participate in activities outside their comfort zone, boost their confidence, and serve as their mentor. We need someone who can effectively engage a group of teenagers and build connections with them. Outdoor recreational skills and having an environmental background are not required. You will be encouraged to create and lead your very own session for the camp.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the CRC Crew Leader include:

• Working in close coordination with ARM Loxahatchee NWR Park Rangers and the partnership specialist from the Refuge Association to coordinate, plan, and run the camp.
• Problem solving and coming up with ideas and solutions to challenges that may come up during planning and facilitating the camp.
• Creating and leading your own session to present to campers, in collaboration with refuge staff.
• Aiding with set-up, clean up, and chaperoning the campers during their activities, such as: setting up an archery range, preparing the lunchroom for breakfast/lunch, setting up campers’ “swag bags”, running last minute errands or supply purchases, supervising campers during activities, taking photos and videos, and other duties as assigned.
• Taking note of anything successful and unsuccessful during the camp, and discussing with the staff for improvements in the future.
• Presenting yourself simultaneously as a leader and a peer to campers. We want them to connect with you and feel comfortable opening themselves up in order to step outside their comfort zone to help them participate in camp activities with confidence.
• Serving as a peer support resource to camp participants with the potential to maintain connections with students beyond camp.

Requirements:

• Must be comfortable working with students with potential behavioral problems
• Must be comfortable being outdoors
• Must have a driver’s license
• College Juniors, Seniors, Graduate students, or recent college graduates preferred

Schedule and Compensation:

This internship will be broken up into two parts: April to May will consist of one day per week at the refuge to aid in planning the camp, as well as familiarizing yourself with the staff, the refuge, and activities. The second part will be two weeks of full-time work, from May 26 to June 5 (Monday to Friday), which will consist of preparing for and facilitating the camp.

Part One: Part-Time

4 hours a week - $80 Per week for 5 weeks

Weekly Camp Planning Meetings, every Wednesday: 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm on 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/20

Part Two: Full Time

8 hours a day / $800 a week for two weeks. Paid lunch included

Pre Week of Camp: 5/25 – 5/29 (8 a.m. - 4 p.m.)

Week of Camp: 6/1 – 6/5 (8 a.m. - 4 p.m.)

Payment

Stipend Payment via Check or ACH Bank Transfer via the Refuge Association (Weekly)

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To submit an application, please email your resume to nbalaguer@refugeassociation.org with the subject line: CRC Crew Leader Application, or apply through Idealist.

For more information about our organization, please visit www.refugeassociation.org/urban-south-florida

This internship is a great opportunity to work directly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and to get involved in the community. It will strengthen your leadership skills, and teach you new things not only about conservation, but also event planning, partnerships, non-profit and government organizations, education, and impact.