Pennsylvania Sea Grant 2026 Summer Undergraduate Internship Program – Natural History Museum Intern

The Pennsylvania State University•Erie, PA

14d•Hybrid

About The Position

Pennsylvania Sea Grant 2026 Summer Undergraduate Internship Program – Natural History Museum at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center In partnership with Penn State Behrend, Pennsylvania Sea Grant is excited to offer paid summer internship opportunities for undergraduate students seeking to gain experience in the areas of communications, education, outreach, and research. The purpose of the internships is to contribute to an ocean and Great Lakes workforce that understands technical and social challenges facing coastal communities as well as the natural environment. The experience will help prepare undergraduate students from all backgrounds for graduate school and careers in science, policy, management, and outreach focused on oceans, Great Lakes, and watersheds. The internships are offered in Pennsylvania as part of the Community Engaged Internship (CEI) program, which is offered by Sea Grant programs across the country. The Pennsylvania Sea Grant program encourages applications from students with unique lived experiences, skills, abilities, and interests, with the intention of strengthening Pennsylvania Sea Grant capacity to enhance the practical use and conservation of natural resources for a healthy environment, resilient communities, and strong, sustainable economies. Learn more about the CEI program, visit https://seagrant.noaa.gov/Community-Engaged-Internship Pennsylvania Sea Grant seeks a Natural History Museum intern to help increase the availability of specimens in the study of biodiversity and natural history in northwestern Pennsylvania. The intern will work with NHM Curator Mark Lethaby to help maintain the collections. Specifically, the intern may: Despite the value of natural history collections in addressing current catastrophic global biodiversity loss and environmental change, the growth of collections is declining. Declining growth of natural history collections fails future generations. The Natural History Museum at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center was established in 2006 to help increase the availability of specimens in the study of biodiversity and natural history in northwestern Pennsylvania, particularly in the Presque Isle State Park complex. Due to the presence of habitats that are unique within Pennsylvania, Presque Isle is home to many species that are rare or unusual in the state, including many Endangered and Threatened species. The park continuously undergoes change due to heavy human use, ecological succession, the effects of weather events, and the introduction of non-native species. Monitoring the presence of species on the park is critical to conserving species and habitats in the face of these changes. The Natural History Museum at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center is housed in two rooms on the basement floor of the Center and contains collections of preserved organisms primarily from northwestern Pennsylvania. Collection emphasis is on the Presque Isle and Erie Bluffs State Park complex. These collections are preserved and maintained to professional standards to ensure that they provide a high-quality resource for current and future generations of users. They are available to scientists, conservationists, and educators to further our understanding of biological diversity in the region, to provide validity to conservation efforts, and to increase awareness and knowledge of our flora and fauna among students and the public. The Museum is administered by Pennsylvania Sea Grant and the collections are held in trust for the people of Pennsylvania.

Requirements

This opportunity is limited to undergraduate students currently enrolled in a U.S. institution of higher learning.
Undergraduate students graduating in spring 2026 are eligible for the internship.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or be authorized to work in the United States without restriction.
Graduate students are not eligible for this opportunity.
The intern should have strong writing and organizational skills.
Must have a valid driver’s license and own transportation.
Willing to work occasional weekends or evenings

Nice To Haves

The ability to work independently, and to accurately synthesize and deliver information is preferred.

Responsibilities

Collect specimens in the field using various techniques (nets, traps, hand capture).
Prepare and label specimens according to standard museum protocols.
Use taxonomic keys to identify specimens to the lowest level practicable.
Enter specimen data into museum database.
Check specimens and storage areas for pests and condition.
Assist with maintenance of archival materials.
Prepare specimens for educational displays.
Assist other collectors with field collections, e.g., light trapping at night, bait trapping, vertebrate collection, etc.
Maintain live specimens for display.
Assist with education programming and events, e.g., Discover Presque Isle.