Internship Opportunities
Internship Information
Join us at Swanton Pacific Ranch where you will gain hands-on skills and training. Intern positions prepare emerging professionals for the daily tasks associated with their discipline. General ranch duties may include: wildlife and livestock water development, riparian fencing, field preparation, irrigation, planting, weeding, harvesting, marketing, animal husbandry, permanent fencing, temporary fencing, equipment maintenance, facility maintenance. Further opportunities are described below.
The internship position requires enrollment (6-12 units) in AG 339, AG 439, or related courses, toward which interns will complete two approved projects. A career project will focus training and skills development in an area of professional interest, while the ranch improvement project will serve to return services to the ranch for training and education provided. Interns work hours in exchange for direct pay and for room & board (must live onsite).
- Able to navigate over steep and or uneven terrain.
- Ability to communicate effectively and get along with others in a live/work situation.
- Able to lift heavy objects such as: bales of hay, bags of feed and seed, chainsaw, fencing wire, and lumber.
Available Positions
Watershed Management
Learn to use hydrologic instrumentation, survey channel morphology and analyze acquired field data. Project work can include instream flow measurements, suspended sediment survey, geomorphic data collection and analysis, on the ground sediment source surveys, stream channel survey, water temperature data collection and analysis, maintenance and installation of flumes and equipment, water quality and weather data processing, forest and range road inventory and improvement, erosion control, post-fire monitoring and data collection, GIS mapping.
Livestock Management
Learn to apply principles from Holistic Management: Work with livestock and on fire repair, install water systems, fencing, and learn planned grazing practices. Project work can include: rangeland and livestock maintenance, monitoring health and condition of horses, cow-calf herd and stocker cattle, planned grazing implementation of stocker operation, plan and install permanent and temporary fencing, maintain riparian fencing, wildlife and livestock water development, range survey and improvement, maintenance of animal handling facilities, range and forest road improvement.
Forestry Management
Collect field data for Non Industrial Timber Management Plan and Continuous Forest Inventories. Post-fire habitat recovery. Project work can include stream habitat survey and improvement, range and forest road improvement, water quality and hydrologic measurements, forest inventory, timber harvest plan preparation, timber sale layout, GIS mapping, trail development, firewood harvest and sales, lumber milling.
Crop Management
Tend apple orchard and produce, maintain standards for CCOF certification, develop marketing and outreach tools. Project work can include field preparation, irrigation, planting, weeding, thinning, harvest of organic apple and educational demonstrations.
Specialized Internship
Offered in collaboration with Jacob's Farm del Cabo, a CCOF organization, leasing cropland from Swanton Pacific Ranch to grow a variety of culinary herbs. Under the general supervision of the Ranch Supervisor and Jacob's Farm, one intern position will work on a variety of crops projects, and participate in general ranch duties as required.
Application Information
While most interns choose to apply during summer quarter, applications are accepted for all quarters throughout the year. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply in the third week of the quarter prior to their intended internship. To be considered please fill out the application form. Positions may be determined by a competitive interview process and will remain open until filled.
View Application Form
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I bring to the Ranch?
In the summer time Davenport is prone to being either foggy or extremely windy, so keep that in mind when packing. It also gets hot further into the valley. Layering is recommended.
- Sturdy work clothes (long pants are required)
- Work boots (sturdy work boots are required)
- Work gloves
- Hiking shoes
- Rubber boots
- Hats - one for sun, one for wind
- Wind breaker
- Warm jacket
- Bath Towels
- Warm Bedding - regular twin size beds
- Pillow
- Poison Oak Medicine - Technu and Calagel are recommended
- Sunscreen
- Laundry soap
- Desk Lamp
- Alarm with battery back-up
- Flashlight
- Notebook
- Calling card - cell phone coverage is minimal on the ranch
Optional… Based on the recommendations of past interns
- Leatherman
- Binoculars
- Camera
- Bicycle
- Surf Board
- Wetsuit
- Bathing suit
- Reading material
What is the mailing address and phone number?
Your mailing address is:
125 Swanton Road
Davenport, CA 95017
Telephone number to reach you directly (Bunk house): (831) 458-5419
Emergency use only: (831) 458-5410
Who do I contact for more information?
Susan Burgess
Admin. Coordinator
slburges@calpoly.edu
(831) 458-5412
Additional Contacts