Attention! The Enforcement Division does not offer paid conservation officer internships or provide expenses or room and board for participation in the internship program.
The deadline to apply for 2027 conservation officer internships is Dec. 18, 2026.
To apply for an internship, you must be fulfilling an academic requirement and/or result in academic credit from an accredited educational institution. The internships are unpaid and limited to a maximum of 200 hours during the months of March through September. The Division does not provide any expenses or room and board for participation in the internship program.
The DNR Enforcement Division offers approximately four internships every year throughout the state. To be selected for an internship with the Division, applicants must fill out the required application paperwork and go through a selection process that will include a ride along/interview with a Conservation Officer.
The application/selection process:
Contact Conservation Officer Scott Fitzgerald ([email protected]) to express interest in applying for the internship and receive instructions on the next steps.
Contact and complete a ride along with a current conservation officer.
The deadline to submit a DNR Enforcement Division Internship Application form is Dec. 18, 2026.
Regarding the conservation officer ride along, it is the applicant’s responsibility to contact a conservation officer and set up a ride along. Applicants will need to notify CO Scott Fitzgerald, the internship coordinator, which officer the ride along is scheduled with BEFORE the ride along is completed. Ride alongs must be completed between Dec. 18, 2026 and Feb. 5, 2027.
To find a CO in your area, use the following link: Conservation Officer Patrol Areas | Minnesota DNR (state.mn.us)
Selected Interns will be notified of their acceptance into the program between March 5 and 19, 2027.
For additional information or to submit application paperwork, contact:
Internship Coordinator
Assistant Training Coordinator
CO Scott Fitzgerald
(218) 513-8946
[email protected]