Biologic & Hydrologic Technician Intern

Position Details:

Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards) provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants work with federal agencies, Tribal governments, and nonprofits building institutional capacity, developing community relationships, and supporting ecosystem health. Stewards in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Nantahala National Forest are seeking an intern who will support watershed restoration work, primarily within the Santeetlah & Alarka Creek watersheds. These watersheds are a priority because they are located in socially disadvantaged localities, host important ecological resources and have concentrated recreator use. These watersheds host native brook trout, eastern hellbenders and rare non-game fish that will benefit from the myriad of watershed improvement activities that these projects will accomplish including aquatic organism passage improvement, control of non-native invasive plant species, in stream habitat improvement, road resiliency improvements, to name a few. Both of these projects will stabilize soil resources and restore stream and streamside habitat - decreasing sedimentation in these critical water resources. The Santeetlah Watershed acreage is approximately 21,000 acres.

Position Responsibilities will include:

The Cheoah, Tusquitee, and Nantahala Ranger Districts of the NFsNC have a robust watershed restoration program of work. This requested WaterCorps member would support several discrete projects within the watershed program portfolio on these districts including:

• Field work and administrative support for the development of the Santeetlah Watershed Restoration Action Plan & the Alarka Creek Watershed Restoration Action Plan: aquatic habitat surveys for fish, snorkeling, backpack electrofishing surveys, fish spawning surveys, fish barrier assessments, hellbender surveys, stream channel morphology surveys, non-native invasive plant species surveys, large wood debris augmentation surveys, and sediment monitoring surveys
• Assist in synthesizing field collected data to inform the development of essential projects within the Watershed Restoration Action Plan. This will include writing and editing support of this document.
• Partnership & collaboration work with other nonprofit (Trout Unlimited, Main Spring Conservation Trust, etc.), non-governmental, & Tribal partners. NFsNc has and continues to consult with the EBCI in the development of the Santeetlah Watershed Restoration Action Plan. There may also be opportunities for collaboration with the Center for Aquatic Technology Transfer (CATT) of the USDA Southern Research Station. Watershed partnership support for this WaterCorp member may also include providing facilitation support and note-taking in meetings with partners.
• Additional watershed field work may also include hydrology surveys, water quality monitoring, geographic information systems (GIS) mapping, timber and dam removal projects, as well as botanical surveys and wildlife surveys relevant to the project.

Minimum Requirements:

• For field-based work, applicants must be interested, willing, and able to walk through rough, uneven terrain and have an interest and comfort in working in and around water. Conditions may include wading into slick streams, snorkeling, and at times, working in hot and humid conditions. All personal protective equipment will be provided.
• Ability to work independently and in collaboration with teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft platforms and programs.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Strong organizational & time management skills.
• Strong sense of situational, risk, and safety awareness for themselves and others.
• The ability to drive a United States Forest Service vehicle:
  • WaterCorps members must have a clean driving record (no major violations or no repetitive minor violations in the past 3 years), and be over the age of 21 OR 18 or older with a license for a minimum three years.
• Willing to undergo and pass a required criminal history check.
• A strong interest in a career in natural resource conservation science. 
• You must be eligible to serve in AmeriCorps State & National Direct Service programs (must not have served more than 4 terms in AmeriCorps).
• You must be available to work a 40-hour week for the 26-week term.
• You must be between 18 and 34 years of age.
• You must have received a High School Diploma or GED.
• You must be a member of a Federally recognized Indian Tribe, Band, or Village; Alaska Native; or meet one of the following descriptions:
  • Persons who possess at least one-half degree Indian blood derived from Tribes Indigenous to the United States.
  • Descendants of Members of Federally recognized Indian Tribes, Bands or Communities who were residing on any Indian Reservation on June 1, 1934 – shown by completing BIA Form 4432.

 Preferred Qualifications: 

• Interest in developing project management skills including the development of project plans, timelines, and communication materials.
• Experience and education (2 or 4-year degree) within biological sciences and/or natural resources
• Experience following safety and risk management protocols
• Experience in field data collection
• Technical writing experience

Benefits: 

• Living Allowance: $600/week (pre-tax)
• Position is eligible for an AmeriCorps education award upon successful completion of the program. Value of the award is $3,447.50 (pre-tax).
• Student loan forbearance and health insurance
• USDA Forest Service places a large emphasis on professional development and building professional networks when engaging service members through internships, fellowships, and corps-based programming. As a result, units regularly engage service members in cross-training, participating in ride-alongs, and provide learning opportunities with different forests, zones, program areas, and ecosystems. For example, the WaterCorps member may have an opportunity to work within bog restoration or participate in botanical trainings around culturally significant plant species & non-native invasive species management, and traditional ecological knowledge-based management. 
• The WaterCorps member may also be involved in additional co-stewardship projects through the Tribal Forest Protection Act.
• WaterCorps members will be offered opportunity to receive training in the following areas:
• Wilderness First Aid
• Chainsaw training & certification (S212)
• Crosscut training & certification
• WaterCorps members may have the opportunity to receive training in the following areas:
• Wildland fire training and certification 
• Pesticide application licensure
• American Rivers training around dam removal and stream simulation training.
• WaterCorps members will be included and integrated into any professional meetings and conferences that may be possible and relevant. Examples may include events/trainings at the Highlands Biological Station, the Outdoor Economy Conference, the Trail of Tears meeting, the Rooted in Mountains symposium, the Cullowee Native Plant meeting, and training and research opportunities with the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory.
  
  
  

How to Apply

• In addition to your resume, please submit a one-page cover letter highlighting why you are interested in this position and how your background and experience will help you succeed in this position.
• You must also upload a copy of your federally recognized tribal issued ID card

If you have questions about this position, please contact Jason Farmer at 828-479-6431 x4101 and Jason.farmer@usda.gov or Stewards Program Coordinator, Andre Nguyen (anguyen@conservationlegacy.org)

This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages.