Careers in Outdoors

By Willy Franzen

Looking for an entry level job or internship in outdoors? This is an overview of how to approach the search and a list of companies that might have relevant entry level and internship opportunities.

Photo Credit: Flickr user Nicholas_T

If you love the outdoors, why not take your job search outdoors? Lots of jobs await outside, including some that recent grads like you can jump into. A small sampling of those jobs and industries include:

Park Ranger: Educate and assist park visitors at national, state, and local parks
Geology: Study the earth and its properties. You can work for oil and gas companies, engineering firms, and more.
Photography: If you specialize in outdoor photography you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors
Botany: You’ll be spending some time indoors, but there will be plenty of time outdoors since that’s where many plants thrive.
Conservation: Work outdoors to preserve nature’s resources
Wildlife Rehabilitation: Care for injured animals
Outdoors Education: You could teach sports or environmental awareness or anything involving the outdoors

Not all positions in the great outdoors require a bachelor’s degree, but having one won’t hurt even if not required. More important is a love of the outdoors. Don’t forget the sunscreen.

Companies with Entry Level Jobs and Internships in Outdoors

Environmental Traveling Companions - Environmental Traveling Companions is a San Fran non-profit that “opens the beauty and challenge of the great outdoors to people with disabilities and disadvantaged youth.”

See the complete Environmental Traveling Companions profile

BioLite - BioLite is a Brooklyn based company that develops "products that make cooking with wood as clean safe and easy as modern fuels while also providing electricity.”

See the complete BioLite profile

The Mountaineers - The Mountaineers is a Seattle based non-profit that has “been teaching skills, sharing adventures, creating volunteers, and conserving land” for more than a century.

See the complete The Mountaineers profile

Huckberry - Huckberry is a San Francisco, CA based company that “is like your favorite store, your grandpa’s favorite store, and your favorite magazine all rolled into one.”

See the complete Huckberry profile

Backcountry.com - Backcountry is a Park City, UT based company that gets “get people who get outside” and is all “about gear, grit, and connecting people to their passions.”

See the complete Backcountry.com profile

Filson - Filson is a Seattle, WA based company that is “renowned for making products in the USA" for activities like hunting, fly fishing, travel, and even work.

See the complete Filson profile

Bay Area Wilderness Training - Bay Area Wilderness Training was “founded with the idea that California’s bountiful wilderness areas are a vast – yet untapped – resource for local youth-serving organizations.”

See the complete Bay Area Wilderness Training profile

Pheasants Forever - Pheasants Forever is a St. Paul, MN based non-profit “dedicated to the conservation of pheasants, quail and other wildlife."

See the complete Pheasants Forever profile

Camping World - Camping World is based in Bowling Green, KY and is “the camping and recreational vehicle enthusiast’s one-stop-shop for everything they need to enjoy their RV.”

See the complete Camping World profile

AllTrails - AllTrails is a San Francisco, CA based startup that provides outdoor enthusiast "with the information and tools to discover top destinations near them.”

See the complete AllTrails profile

Project Adventure - Project Adventure is a Beverly, MA non-profit organization that offers adventure with a goal, but it’s all about personal and group development.

See the complete Project Adventure profile

American Conservation Experience - American Conservation Experience offers “opportunities for both American and International volunteers to take part in challenging outdoor projects."

See the complete American Conservation Experience profile

NatureBridge - NatureBridge is a non-profit that has introduced “1 million young people to the wonder and science of nature in the world’s best classrooms—our national parks.”

See the complete NatureBridge profile

National Ability Center - National Ability Center in Park City, UT uses activities and sports to aid the “the development of lifetime skills for people of all ages and abilities.”

See the complete National Ability Center profile

Outdoor Research - Outdoor Research is a Seattle, WA based company that develops and sells high end outdoor apparel and gear, and they're hiring.

See the complete Outdoor Research profile

Chewonki Foundation - The Chewonki Foundation is a Wiscasset, ME based non-profit that helps "foster an understanding, appreciation, and stewardship of the natural world."

See the complete Chewonki Foundation profile

Madison Square Park Conservancy - Madison Square Park Conservancy is a non-profit organization that maintains and manages Madison Square Park, and they're hiring.

See the complete Madison Square Park Conservancy profile

Boy Scouts of America - I'm sure you're well aware of what Boy Scouts of America does, but did you ever consider their career opportunities?

See the complete Boy Scouts of America profile

CampInteractive - CampInteractive introduces "the creative power of technology and the inspiration of the outdoors to underprivileged inner-city youth," and they're hiring.

See the complete CampInteractive profile

Outward Bound - Outward Bound is "a non-profit educational organization and expedition school" with wonderful career opportunities for new and recent grads.

See the complete Outward Bound profile

The Nature Conservancy - The Nature Conservancy is "the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters" and they're hiring

See the complete The Nature Conservancy profile

Best Made Company - Best Made Company “is dedicated to equipping customers with quality tools and dependable information," and they have some interesting job opportunities.

See the complete Best Made Company profile

Niner Bikes - Niner Bikes is a company full of bikers, so if you’re into bikes, you have to check out their Jobs page.

See the complete Niner Bikes profile

Yeti Coolers - If you love the outdoor lifestyle and think that high quality coolers are an essential part of living that lifestyle, then consider a job with Yeti Coolers.

See the complete Yeti Coolers profile

Smith Optics - If you love the outdoors and think that protecting your eyes is of utmost importance, then Smith Optics might just be the place for you.

See the complete Smith Optics profile

Row New York - If you have a background in rowing and a passion for promoting academic achievement, you’ll want to check out Row New York’s job opportunities.

See the complete Row New York profile

Simms Fishing Products - If you love fishing and the outdoor lifestyle, then working for Simms in Bozeman, MT would probably be a dream come true.

See the complete Simms Fishing Products profile

Outdoors for All Foundation - If you’re all about “transforming lives through outdoor education,” then you need to check out the jobs at the Outdoors for All Foundation.

See the complete Outdoors for All Foundation profile

GRID Alternatives - GRID Alternatives is taking on pollution, poverty, and unemployment all at once. If you want to be part of that mission, check out their Jobs page.

See the complete GRID Alternatives profile

Cabela’s - If you love the outdoors, you probably already know all about Cabela’s. But have you checked out their job opportunities?

See the complete Cabela’s profile

The Mountain Institute - If you’re intrigued by what The Mountain Institute does, you should check out their jobs listings. They look pretty cool.

See the complete The Mountain Institute profile

The Balsams - If you have vacation on your mind, check out The Balsams and see how you can find a way to stay with them as an employee—or a guest.

See the complete The Balsams profile

Institute for Environmental Awareness - There’s not much more information about the Institute on their website; however, their job descriptions tell you a lot about what they do.

See the complete Institute for Environmental Awareness profile

Appalachian Mountain Club - The scope of their work is really impressive, and if you want to be a part of it, you should check out the AMC’s Jobs page.

See the complete Appalachian Mountain Club profile

Sportsman Channel - If you love the outdoors and want to work in tv or media, then it’d be hard to find a better place to work than Sportsman Channel.

See the complete Sportsman Channel profile

California Conservation Corps - The CCC is a government run program that “matches up California’s young people and its natural resources.” Every year they hire 3,300 corpsmembers.

See the complete California Conservation Corps profile

Deckers Outdoor Corporation - Deckers Outdoor Corporation is behind UGG, Simple, Teva, Tsubo, and Deckers, and they’re hiring new grads in both Goleta, CA and Flagstaff, AZ.

See the complete Deckers Outdoor Corporation profile

National Parks Conservation Association - If you love the outdoors as much as I do , and you want a job that is going to put you to work protecting what you love, then the NPCA may be the place for you.

See the complete National Parks Conservation Association profile

NOAA - Right now NOAA has 63 jobs posted in fields ranging from Computer Science to Fisheries Biology and from Program Specialist to Service Hydrologist.

See the complete NOAA profile

Thunderhead Alliance for Biking and Walking - f you love biking and/or walking but often feel unsafe while participating, then a job at Thunderhead Alliance might be something worth thinking about.

See the complete Thunderhead Alliance for Biking and Walking profile

Patagonia - So what about jobs? We wish that Patagonia had some cool entry level field testing or product design jobs, but there's nothing like that available right now.

See the complete Patagonia profile

Hammerhead Sleds - Hammerhead Sleds is a Vermont based sled manufacturing company and they're making some of the coolest big kid sleds you've ever seen.

See the complete Hammerhead Sleds profile

The Wilderness Society - If you feel the same way about the wilderness as I do, then an entry level job with The Wilderness Society might be something worth considering.

See the complete The Wilderness Society profile

National Wild Turkey Federation - If you love wild turkeys and want to do everything in your power to conserve them, then you need to check out jobs with the National Wild Turkey Federation.

See the complete National Wild Turkey Federation profile