River Rat Tubing Intern

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