Careers, Internships & Assistantships
Are you, or do you know, a Nicholas School student looking for a hands-on summer experience in forestry and land management? The Duke Forest is hiring a paid summer intern to join our team!
Summer Management Internship (Full-time) – Gain experience in forest management, research support, invasive species control, trail maintenance, and more! Ideal for students in Forestry, Environmental Science, or related fields currently enrolled in Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment. This internship is supported by the Bruce and Ginny Roberts Duke Forest Internship Fund.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis! These internships run from June to August; exact start and end dates are negotiable. Full job description and instructions on how to apply are linked below.
Student Assistantships
During the academic year, graduate students awarded an assistantship from Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment may work with Forest Staff on a variety of projects related to forest management, including:
| Natural area monitoring | Education and outreach |
| Road and trail maintenance | Timber inventory and harvest prep |
| Gate and sign improvement | Boundary line marking |
| Data and records organization | GPS data collection |
| GIS data entry | Data analysis |
| Communications / PR | Recreation management |
Some perspectives from our students:
| My time spent working in the Duke Forest this year was truly invaluable. I’ve always found nature to be somewhat of an escape from tiresome or stressful days. Having the opportunity to work in the forest every week helped me stay on track with my studies not only by providing the mental healing I needed but also because it reminded me why I am here pursuing a graduate degree in Environmental Management. – Kelly Horvath |
| The forest’s proximity and ease of accessibility has enriched the coursework available at the Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, with clear examples of active forest management for wildlife conservation and timber harvesting. The Duke Forest acts as a resource to provide examples of the theory learned in class, with the added bonus of fresh air and outdoor atmosphere. – Emily Leung |
| I truly believe that Duke Forest is the most valuable asset the Duke Forestry program has, and that not only includes the physical forest, but the staff that goes out of their way on a daily basis to better our (students) experiences, whether that be academically, through professional development, or simply building meaningful personal relationships. – Matt Brantley |