Visitor Engagement Specialist

About Discover Your Northwest (DYNW):

DYNW is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports public land agencies in the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about DYNW online at www.DiscoverNW.org.

We are dedicated to promoting the discovery of Northwest public lands, enriching the experience of visitors, and encouraging stewardship of these special places today and for generations to come.

About the Position:

Paid internship opportunity at Newberry National Monument, 12 miles south of Bend, Oregon.

• Title: Visitor Engagement Specialist & Partner in Service
• Duration: May 11 September 30, 2026 (approx.) including weekends and holidays. Typical work schedule is Friday through Tuesday
• Hours: 40 hours per week
• Compensation range: $21.00 per hour

This internship involves engaging visitors as a frontline hospitality professional at Lava River Cave and Lava Lands Visitor Center. The position is based in Central Oregon and is offered in partnership with Visit Bend, Visit Central Oregon, and the United States Forest Service. This is a Partner in Service internship that provides interns with training and support across multiple sites, allowing them to gain hands-on experience in interpretation and public engagement. Interns will primarily be stationed at Newberry National Volcanic Monument four days per week, with one day spent with either Visit Bend or Visit Central Oregon, learning more about the work of

Destination Management Organizations and experiencing various aspects of the tourism and recreation industry.

This position reports directly to the Director of Programs/Discover Your Northwest.

Lava Lands Visitor Center (LLVC) Duties

• Opening and closing of the facility: raising and lowering the flag, turning on lights and exhibits, vacuuming public areas, cleaning exhibits as needed, and other light maintenance
• Greet visitors when staffing the ranger desks, both inside and outside, as needed
• Provide site orientation, answer questions about the Monument, and suggest activities to do.
• Provide guidance to the public on rules and regulations aimed at safety and resource conservation.
• Use a computer tablet, printed information, and maps to assist visitors in finding information.
• Answering the phone
• Coordinate with the Lead Ranger and Discover Your Northwest staff regarding visitor needs and questions.
• Gather and record visitor statistics
• Perform litter sweeps outside along trails and parking areas Interns will have the opportunity to learn and practice interpretation
• Roving trails, providing informal interpretation to visitors
• Dropin programs—tables set up outside LLVC with animal pelts and pictures, bird information and binoculars, volcanic rocks and geology information, etc.
• Junior Ranger Programs—provide resources and activities for younger visitors, including the NNVM Junior Ranger booklet and swearing in new Junior Rangers
• Patio talks—PIS Interns may choose to develop their own 15 to 20minute formal talk on Monument subjects (geology, flora and fauna, wildfire, etc.)

Lava River Cave (LRC) Duties Interns perform regular daily tasks at LRC including:

• Opening and closing of the facility—setting up tables and canopies, turning on computer tablets, unlocking and locking the gate
• Greet cars and checkin reservations, provide information for making a reservation
• Give cave safety orientations to all visitors, primarily to screen for White Nose Syndrome, a disease fatal to bats
• Assist DYNW staff with flashlight checkout and checkin
• Litter sweeps outside along trails and parking areas
• Occasional endofday cave sweep to ensure visitors are out by the end of day, litter pickup

Visit Bend and Visit Central Oregon Duties

Partners in service will spend one day per work week at either Visit Bend or Visit Central Oregon, learning more about the work of Destination Management Organizations.

• Assist at the front desk as a Visitor Information Specialist, answering visitor questions, helping to provide directions, and supporting staff in the Visitor Center.
• Learn and engage with various roles within the Destination Management Space, including marketing communications, destination stewardship, and operations.
• Attend key industry partner meetings and events.

Qualifications

• Currently a student at OSUCascades in Hospitality, Tourism, Recreation, Adventure, Leadership or related Natural Sciences including Natural Resources, Liberal Arts, Sustainability, Biology, etc. (students may choose to earn academic credits for their internship, but it is not required)
• Strong communication and customer service skills
• Knowledge of the Central Oregon region a plus
• Passionate about sustainable tourism and outdoor recreation
• Comfortable working outdoors in varied weather conditions and interacting with diverse visitor groups, standing for long periods of time Professional Development
• Paid First Aid/CPR certification,
• Industryfocused seminars, workshops, and networking events
• Midterm and final evaluations with constructive feedback

Join us in fostering sustainable, engaging visitor experiences across Central Oregon. This position is contingent upon a successful background check. Selected candidates will receive paid First Aid and CPR training, as well as a work boot stipend of up to $175.

About Discover Your Northwest

Discover Your Northwest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports public land agencies in the Pacific Northwest. We are dedicated to promoting the discovery of Northwest public lands, enriching the experience of visitors, and encouraging stewardship of these special places today and for generations to come.