Internship

Internship Overview

The Smoky Mountain River Rat Tubing Internship Program is a hands-on summer internship designed to provide students with real-world experience in outdoor recreation, tourism, and operations management. Interns will work at a high-volume river tubing attraction along the Little River in Townsend, Tennessee, gaining direct exposure to the daily operations of a seasonal tourism business.

This internship emphasizes experiential learning through rotational training across multiple departments, allowing interns to develop a comprehensive understanding of how an outdoor recreation operation functions safely, efficiently, and successfully during peak season.

Key Responsibilities

Interns will rotate through several operational areas, which may include:

• Assisting with guest services, check-in procedures, and customer experience support
• Supporting river operations, including tube distribution, launch and take-out procedures
• Assisting with transportation logistics and shuttle operations
• Learning and following river safety protocols and operational safety standards
• Supporting daily operational setup, flow management, and closing procedures
• Assisting supervisors with team coordination and leadership tasks as assigned
• Helping identify opportunities to improve guest flow, safety, or operational efficiency

Skills & Competencies Gained

Through this internship, participants will develop and strengthen:

• Professional communication and customer service skills
• Leadership and teamwork abilities in a fast-paced environment
• Adaptability and problem-solving skills
• Safety awareness and risk management understanding
• Operational logistics and time-management skills
• Exposure to tourism, hospitality, and outdoor recreation operations

Requirements

• Currently enrolled college student or recent graduate (all majors welcome)
• Interest in outdoor recreation, tourism, business operations, or hospitality
• Ability to work in a physically active, outdoor environment in varying weather conditions
• Strong work ethic, reliability, and willingness to learn
• Ability to communicate professionally with guests and team members
• Availability to work weekends and peak-season hours during the summer season

Preferred Qualifications

• Coursework or interest in business, management, tourism, hospitality, or outdoor studies
• Previous customer service, recreation, or team-based work experience
• Leadership experience (formal or informal)

Internship Details

• Hands-on, experiential learning environment
• Seasonal summer position
• Training provided across multiple operational departments
• Opportunity to gain real-world experience in a high-volume tourism operation

Smoky Mountain River Rat Tubing
Since 1995, our River Rat crew has provided a unique way for families and adventure buddies alike to enjoy the majestic scenery of the Smoky Mountains- by tubing through them! Nestled along the Little River in the historic “Peaceful Side of the Smokies”, River Rat Tubing is the ultimate summer vacation destination for nature-lovers, adventure-seekers, and relaxation-enthusiasts. We are family-owned and operated, so no matter the occasion, River Rat is a perfect, wholesome way to let loose in the great outdoors.

Salary

Job Type