National Parks Summer Internship

National Parks Business Plan Initiative
Summer Consulting Internship
Overview
A joint effort between the National Park Service and the non-profit Student Conservation
Association, the Business Plan Initiative promotes the long-term health of our national parks
through the development of improved financial planning and management tools.
Up to 25 summer consultants – selected from top graduate schools of business, public policy,
environmental management, and related fields – will work as two- or three-person teams at
national park units across the country. The group of parks participating in Summer 2008 will be
announced in mid-December, 2007.

Job Description
The eleven-week program begins Saturday, May 31st with a week-long orientation session in a
national park and ends on Saturday, August 16th. Over the course of the summer, teams of
consultants will work closely with park management teams and staff to write a business plan for
the park. Tasks include:
• Working with park staff to evaluate park programs and operations
• Facilitating discussions to determine strategic priorities
• Developing financial and management strategies to accomplish park goals. Examples
include identifying and evaluating partnership opportunities with local nonprofits, developing
strategies to increase revenue and reduce costs, and creating marketing strategies for park
educational programs.
• Projecting staffing and financial requirements to support park priorities
• Performing analyses to support the business plan. Examples include determining the most
efficient fleet structure, cost-benefit analysis for use of volunteers, life-cycle costing for
different types of equipment, optimizing revenue from fee operations and evaluating retail
operation product mix.
• Presenting results of analysis to park management team and staff

Application Process
Application packages must include each of the following:
• Cover letter
• Resume
• Names and contact information for at least two references
• Writing sample (two to five pages)
Please include the dates that you are available to work in the summer in your cover letter. Your
writing sample may be from any area of your work, and should be representative of your current
writing skills.
Application packages should be sent via e-mail to:
Lena McDowall
National Park Service
NPS_BP_Help@nps.gov
Applications will be accepted through January 15th, 2008, by close of business.