Summer Internships

Residency Period: May 16 – June 13, 2026

The Summer 2026 Cohort
As an educational organization, we involve students in nearly every aspect of our operations.  We are recruiting our annual summer cohort of student professionals in residence who live together, work on individual professional projects, and build life skills through service in the kitchen, gardens, and building projects. The following student positions are available for the Summer 2026 cohort:

Artist-in-Residence
Biologist-in-Residence
Educator-in-Residence
Engineer-in-Residence
Graphic Designer-in-Residence
Marketer-in-Residence
Web Designer-in-Residence

The cohort will be no larger than 8 students.  Depending on interest and quality of applications, the final group may be comprised of one of each of the above positions or a mix of multiple students in a few of these roles. If you’re in college, studying a field that’s not listed here but believe you could build skills while contributing to our sustainability mission, you’re encouraged to apply.

Skills, strengths, and qualifications needed: All undergraduate and graduate college students are eligible.  Tenderfoot is a place to experiment, fail, try again, and diversify your skill sets.  Genuinely, prior experience is not necessary.  Students who get the most from working with us will be generally curious and interested in developing skills relevant to both personal and professional life. Students who contribute the most will have a spirit of experimentation and be willing to help as they’re most needed.

Accommodations: Living at Tenderfoot is a lot like going to camp as an adult, complete with warm beds in the main lodge, lots of time outside, hot showers, and group meals. Students in Residence share living space with fellow student staff, Work Away-ers, and Tenderfoot’s Directors.  Three ground-level bedrooms (a quad & two doubles) and a bathroom are available for summer guests. Meal prep and clean-up responsibilities are shared amongst all residents.  Tenderfoot sits on 16 acres with ample outdoor recreation opportunities, including a pond for swimming, kayaking, and fishing, a campfire ring, hammocking, and hiking trails. We also encourage screen-free indoor entertainment with a collection of board games, card games, puzzles, craft supplies, and musical instruments.  Given our rural location, cell phone service is spotty, but we have strong wifi.  

Compensation: Housing and groceries are provided for the duration of the internship. Students will have a budget for project implementation & prototyping of designs. 

Students seeking academic credit for this experience will need to register for summer coursework at their home college or university. Tenderfoot can provide documentation of the experience as needed.

Tenderfoot seeks student representatives on our Board of Directors.  Student employees whose work is exemplary and whose values are aligned with Tenderfoot’s may be invited to join the Board.  

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the residency start date or until all positions are filled.

Artist-in-Residence Position
Similar to commissioned work, we seek an artist who will work within our space and mission to contribute something original. The ultimate project(s) will depend on the artist’s skills and interests. Options include but are not limited to a sculpture to honor donors, an outdoor mural that conveys our values, artwork about sustainability issues such as climate or water, and functional art such as walkways or furniture. We welcome other ideas that focus on social or environmental justice.

Biologist-in-Residence Position
Our summer biologist will establish and carry out survey protocols to identify the flora and fauna present on our 16-acre property, including aquataic specimen in our pond. The biologist collaborates with other intern positions (ex: graphic designer) to interpret Tenderfoot’s ecosystem for future guests, helping them understand what’s native, what’s invasive, what may be harmful to humans, what is helpful to humans, and the role of each in the ecosystem. Biologists are encouraged to “adopt” a species for the summer, focusing their research and interpretation efforts on a specific resident species.

Educator-in-Residence Position
Current and future teachers are invited to spend a month with us, writing lesson plans for our sustainable living workshops and researching new pedagogical tools in the field of sustainability/environmental education. Educators-in-residence will share responsibility for weekly sustainability workshops for fellow interns.

Engineer-in-Residence Position
We seek assistance with the design and implementation of low-tech, environmentally conscientious infrastructure.  Projects that students may be involved in throughout the summer include research, design, and prototyping/implementation of the following:

• rainwater catchment
• gravity-fed irrigation system
• outdoor kitchen with biogas digester
• outdoor bath house with passive water heating
• solar power
• an accessibility garden
• minor design & construction projects such as an information kiosk, picnic tables, photo booth, and signage

Graphic Designer-in-Residence Position
We seek a graphic designer to create digital and print artwork to advertise our 2026-2027 calendar of events. Other potential projects include t-shirt art, designs for donor thank-you cards, and other needs or ideas the designer identifies.

Marketer-in-Residence Position
We seek a marketing major to develop and implement a marketing campaign for Tenderfoot as an educational nonprofit in Appalachian Ohio. This will include general efforts to raise awareness for our organization as well as marketing efforts for partnership opportunities and specific events such as retreats, festivals, Wednesday Workshops, and the Tenderfoot Classic.

Web Designer-in-Residence Position
Working within WordPress, the web designer will modernize Tenderfoot’s website, make recommendations for new content and plug-ins, and improve user-friendliness for students and donors.