The length of an internship can vary from 10 to 30 weeks if full-time (40 hours/week) or longer if on a part-time schedule. The exact starting dates will be determined on a case-by-case basis with the NPS supervisor.
Stipends are paid at $15/hour unless otherwise listed. Please note that interns are not NCPE or NPS employees; stipends are academic awards rather than wages. Taxes are not withheld, nor are social security contributions made on your behalf. These funds may be taxable, however, so consult a tax preparation professional if you have questions.
To be eligible, applicants must be currently enrolled in an academic program or recently graduated (degree received May 2019 or later). Interns are not eligible to work more than 1200 hours total in NCPE’s program. Previous interns must stay within this overall limit.
Please be aware that unless otherwise noted, interns are responsible for finding and paying for travel to and housing at the internship location. In some cased the supervising office may be able to assist in locating housing but it is ultimately up to the individual accepting the internship to find accommodations.
Also be aware that, due to Government-wide security requirements, a background check will be required for all positions if you are chosen for that position. This will include providing information about recent housing and employment history. The position supervisor will have more information about those requirements and procedures at the time of hiring. You may direct any questions to NCPE’s Internship Program Director, Julee Johnson, at manager@historicurbanplans.com.
Once the deadline for submission has passed, NCPE’s staff will process applications and forward them to the supervisors at the many NPS sites and offices requesting an intern. Supervisors will review the applications and contact applicants for a phone interview. Please allow 6-8 weeks after the deadline before inquiring about the status of your application.
HOW TO APPLY
To submit your application, review the list of positions (below); you may select up to six. List the positions by 4-digit position number where noted on the application. Please scan your materials and email them as a single Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file containing both the signed application and the two most recent years of your academic transcripts to the Director of NCPE’s Internship Program, Julee Johnson (email: manager@historicurbanplans.com).
Applications that include a resume, writing sample (other than the required essay), portfolio, or other documents will be rejected. Please adhere to the single .pdf format requirements. Name the file with your name in this format: Lastname Firstname NCPE Summer20. Due to the large number of applications received, please keep your file under 5 MB or compress it to meet this limit.
Applications must be received no later than Monday, March 2 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
Tips for completing a successful application:
Type your application. The easier it is to read by site supervisors, many of whom are reading dozens of applications, the more it will stand out. This is especially true of the required short essay.
Plan your application. Treat it as a series of questions with a single purpose: to convince a NPS employee that you want an internship for a particular reason. Writing that you seek “General experience in your chosen field” isn’t specific enough; be explicit about why this internship will help your professional or academic career. Don’t forget to explain what you will bring to the position in the way of skills and/or experience.
Reread your application. Better yet, have someone else read it for you to help catch any misspellings, unfilled fields, or incomplete answers.
