• Bureau of Land Management Internship Placement

    Applications For Summer 2023 Now Closed

  • ABPA Institute's Partnership With The Bureau of Land Management

     

    During the summer, ABPA Institute partners with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to support the Direct Hire Authority for Resource Assistants Internship (DHA-RAI) Program. The BLM DHA-RAI Program offers rigorous geoscience opportunities in national offices.

     

    The objective of the DHA-RAI Program is to provide career experiences for students in undergraduate or graduate degree programs, who might seek employment with federal agencies in the Department of the Interior (DOI). Applicants should have a strong interest in a career with the DOI, which includes the BLM, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Park Service (NPS), and many other bureaus and offices. Current students who successfully complete this summer program will be eligible to be noncompetitively hired into federal positions for two years starting from the completion date of their qualifying degree program.
  • A key focus of the DHA-RAI Program is supporting the full participation of individuals traditionally underserved in federal career fields:

     

    · Black and African American, Latino/Latina/Latinx, Indigenous and Native American, Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Asian American, and Arab American

    · Students from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)

    · Persons with disabilities

    · Veterans of the U.S. armed forces

    · Persons who live in rural areas

    · Persons adversely affected by systemic issues and accessibility

     

    Salary: $6,600.00. Housing is provided. Relocation travel expense is covered.

     

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  • In order to apply for any BLM DHA-RAI position, we will ask that you complete the following items:

     
    Submit ONE PDF document which includes the following:
    1

    Cover Letter

    Describe your interests and skill sets, and direct your letter toward the projects you would like to be considered for in the BLM DHA-RAI program. Cover letters should demonstrate how the applicant's background and interests align with their project(s) of interest. Address the cover letter to "Dear BLM DHA-RAI Project Coordinator, ... ".
    2

    Federal Resume

    • Professional Experience: Details about the organizations where you worked including the name of the organization, the location, the dates of employment, position title, and a brief description of job duties. Avoid the use of acronyms.
     
    • Education: List your education starting with your current or most recent experience first, and work backwards. Provide the name(s) of the accredited community college, college, or university where you are currently or were previously enrolled. Include the location of the school(s) (city, state), date of actual graduation or anticipated graduation (month, year), degree(s), and grade point average.
     
    • Volunteer Experience: Include details about organizations where you volunteered if you have them, including the name of the organization, the location, the dates of volunteer work, position title if applicable, and a brief description of volunteer duties. Avoid the use of acronyms.
     
    • Certifications or Licenses: Include any relevant certifications or licenses if you have them (OK if not applicable)
     
    • Awards, Honors, Activities: Include grants and scholarships, academic honors, and educational and professional affiliations if you have them (OK if not applicable)
    3

    References

    One of each type: professional, educational, and personal. Provide the full name, e-mail address and phone number for each reference. Mailing and physical addresses are not needed.

    4

    A copy of your unofficial transcripts

    Unofficial transcripts should be from your current or most recent degree program. Official transcripts are not needed to apply.

  • Eligibility:

    All applicants must be:
    1. At least 18 years old at the start of the project.
    2. A U.S. Citizen.
    3. A current student of an associate's, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree program at an accredited institution of higher education. (Must be enrolled in a degree-based program; certificate-based programs do not qualify. Students recently graduated from a qualifying degree program in/after December 2022 are eligible to apply.
    4. Available to provide a minimum of 11 full weeks of continuous service.
    5. Willing to submit to a government security background clearance and employment background check process.
    6. Able to meet the minimum qualifications listed for the position(s).
     
    ABPA Institute will submit your application to the BLM DHA-RAI Program, and your application is then reviewed by the Project Coordinator of each project you selected through the BLM DHA-RAI Interest Form. The application review process begins two weeks after. The Wyoming positions require an interview in addition to the resume review. Once a candidate has been selected, we will contact the selected candidate with a project offer. The BLM DHA-RAI Program provides 1-2 days for consideration before the offer must be accepted or declined (in case the offer needs to be extended to another candidate). When all projects are officially filled, GSA will notify all program applicants.
  • Hear From Previous BLM Interns

  • Maritza Vasquez, 

    Planning/Environmental Specialist Intern

    "This summer I interned full-time for the Bureau of Land Management at the Carlsbad Field Office in New Mexico as a Planning Intern. Literally not even a full day after graduation I took off on a plane to New Mexico. I flew back to Los Angeles on the last day of my internship and the next day left for Ithaca (so not even a full day back at home either)! Regardless of the circumstances, this internship was truly rewarding as it provided me a lot of insight on the extractive industry and the BLM's multiple-use and sustainable yield management. There are a lot of resources worth protecting and I was fortunate to have gained exposure from different departments (Wildlife, Botany, Geology, NEPA, NRS, etc.). As a Planning Intern my responsibilities consisted of ensuring NEPA compliance, facilitating NEPA meetings, and attending meetings with project developers. Near the end of my internship, I performed a final presentation on the incorporation of the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases in air quality analysis as a result of recent litigations.
     
    I definitely recommend interning with the BLM, it was such a rewarding experience, the work environment and people made it a summer to remember."

    Ashley Salas, 

    Natural Resource Specialist Intern

    "This summer, I interned with the BLM Arizona State Office as a Natural Resource Specialist. I worked closely with Geoff, my supervisor and state National Conservation Lands lead, to consolidate annual reports and update science plans for national monuments. Some of my work included visiting monuments, participating in bird surveying, and scheduling meetings with natural and cultural resource specialists & collaborators. Through this internship, I was exposed to a wide range of career opportunities, both with the Bureau of Land Management and at the Department of the Interior, and was able to explore my interests in tourism and sustainability by coming in contact with many professionals in that intersection. I’m interested in a career as a sustainability consultant, and am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with the BLM. This was a great networking opportunity for me and I was able to gain much insight from professionals in environmental roles. My advice for future interns is to be willing to learn, ask questions, and find ways to incorporate your interests into your current work."

    Emily Smith,

    Public Affairs Intern

    "Overall, I had an educational and enjoyable experience as a remote Public Affairs intern for BLM Eastern States. Most of my work involved redesigning their internal SharePoint site, making it a better communications tool. I learned how to draft public social media posts and edit news releases as well. The internship expanded my communications skills, improved my time management skills, and taught me how to network with a vast group of diverse people.
     
    The greatest advice I can give is always be open to learning wherever you stand. If you are doing work that does not feel the most exciting, or are in an unexpected place, remember that there is a lesson in every moment and go from there. Another piece of advice is make as many connections as possible throughout your time. It will go by much faster than expected, and you will appreciate having connections on the side that you can keep in touch with and continue to learn from."