Coast Explorer Interns

Location

London and Kent

It is anticipated that the successful intern will be based out of The Crown Estate’s St James’s Market office, as well as Kent Wildlife Trust Group’s office near Maidstone, with travel across Kent required at times. Induction, training and work will be a mixture of online, and in the office or field.

Duration

Full-time (37.5 hrs per week) fixed-term for 6 months from 15th June – 11th December 2026.

The Opportunity

The Coast Explorer Internship Programme offers a unique opportunity for an individual who is passionate and enthusiastic about the marine environment. The Coast Explorer Intern will gain skills, knowledge, and experience across a variety of sectors in this exciting field to help direct and shape their future career ambitions.

This internship programme is funded by The Crown Estate and project managed by Adonis Blue Environmental Consultants (part of the Kent Wildlife Trust Group). The programme is run as a partnership by The Crown Estate, Adonis Blue Environmental Consultants, Vattenfall, and Canterbury City Council. Each partner organisation provides opportunities for the intern to develop skills in specialist areas including marine conservation, climate change, renewable energy, social sustainability, seabed leasing, and marine planning.

The successful intern will follow a varied programme that allows them to gain a range of essential skills including teamwork, creativity, leadership, listening, communication (written and verbal), aiming high, problem-solving, and staying positive. These skills will be developed through a variety of work-based experiences and training; from undertaking research projects and communicating research outcomes, to learning about renewable energy development and environmental issues, and from undertaking scientific surveys and using GIS, to understanding environmental casework and delivering marine awareness activities. The successful intern will work with a variety of teams across different sectors and develop key contacts and networks that will help with their career development.

Many past interns from the Coast Explorer Internship Programme have successfully secured employment in the marine sector! From Marine Conservation Officers, Marine Consultants, Coastal Surveyors, to GIS Officers and Environmental Instructors.

What We Are Looking For

An individual who can build on their existing skills and knowledge to make the most of this unique experience. Applicants should have a good understanding of current marine issues and some experience of working or volunteering within the marine or environmental sector. Most importantly, we are looking for candidates who are passionate and enthusiastic about a career in the marine sector and have a willingness to learn. An essential skill we will be looking for is the drive to network and communicate well to develop relationships in their career, someone who is motivated to find out more about the industry and to develop in their role. Due to our hybrid working style (i.e., home-based and office working), we are looking for someone who is organised, self-motivated, and able to work well within remote teams.

Application Process

Closing date for applications: Midnight 12th April 2026. Please only send the application form and do not include a CV. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

Interviews: 6th, 7th, and 8th May 2026.

We are unable to recruit anyone who does not have a legal right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we cannot provide visa sponsorship.

Kent Wildlife Trust believes that everyone has a responsibility to safeguard children, young people, and adults at risk; we are committed to ensuring their safety and wellbeing is at the heart of our engagement with people. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to references, Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks as appropriate to the role.

The Kent Wildlife Trust Group is Wild About Inclusion. To us, this means inspiring, empowering, and engaging people from all backgrounds, cultures, identities, and abilities, to change the natural world for the better. It also means cultivating inclusive workspaces that are free from discrimination, where differences are celebrated, everyone can be themselves and flourish, just like nature!