Home > Conservation Internships 2012 > Internship Job Descriptions

Internship Job Descriptions 

Calling all college students and recent graduates interested in protecting Alaska’s magnificent environment – find an internship for 2012

Hello potential interns! Below are internship job descriptions for the 2012 Conservation Internship Program. Some descriptions are still forthcoming. Before you apply, take a moment to review the job descriptions,  application protocols and FAQ’s.

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MAY 15: The application process for 6 month internships will open the week of 3/19, on Tuesday, 5/15.  The application process for the 3 month positions listed below has closed. Deadlines may vary for the internship applications, so be sure to stay up to date on that information, listed below. Please submit your application materials directly to the host organization. Contact information for each host organization is listed with the postings below.

All interns for the positions below are welcome to be a part of the CIP orientation at the beginning of the summer as well as the network of interns.

Download the application form:

2012 CIP Application (for 3 month positions)- submit this and all other materials directly to the host organizations

2012 CIP Application (for 6 month positions)

Six-month internships (application submission opens on 3/22)

Three-month, summer internships

Alaska Native Fund grantee internships

  • Coming soon

Other Internship Opportunities (non-CIP internships)

  • Click here for information on an exciting Federal Policy Fellowship based around salmon issues, currently being developed by AYEA, ACAT, and Cook Inletkeeper, as well as other opportunities.

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Host Organization: Friends of Mat-Su

Internship Title: Coal Campaign Communications Internship

Location: Palmer, ak

Website: http://foms.net/

Primary Contact: Jeremiah Millen, Executive Director, director@foms.net Phone: (907) 746-0103

Background:Friends of Mat-Su (FoMS,) was founded by Mat-Su Borough (MSB) residents in 1998, to serve as a watchdog for incompatible land uses throughout the MSB and to engage citizens to effectively advocate for sustainable land use alternatives guided by conservation principles. Our membership includes residents from every community in the MSB of Alaska. All totaled, the geographic size of the MSB encompasses a geographic area the size of West Virginia. In 2011, FoMS worked on an organizational development plan with the help of The Foraker Group, to draft a new strategic plan, refine our organizational purpose and mission, establish a set of core values, develop short and long term organizational goals, outline three new program areas, and diversify our funding sources. Through this work, we are strengthening the organization to effectively to effectively meet the conservation challenges facing the Mat-Su well into the future.

Duration/ideal start and end dates: 24weeks, June-August start date; November- January end dates

Assignment: The Coal Campaign Communications Intern will: implement a strategic communications plan for the Mat Valley coal campaign to ensure communications are delivered and evaluated effectively; support internal and external communication needs at Friends of Mat Su to build organizational capacity; and provide supplemental outreach and communications support for priority coal campaigns (Chuitna, Arctic, and Infrastructure). Skills learned or practiced will include web design and content management, implementation and evaluation of e-organizing tactics, and database management. At the end of the 6-month internship, the Intern will be able to develop and implement one-month of content and evaluate the effectiveness of the messages and delivery. Additionally, the Intern will produce a Best Practices guide for issue-based data management and online message delivery in Democracy in Action, the advocacy database tool currently used in most of the broader coal campaign.

While hosted at Friends of Mat Su, the Coal Intern would work with Friends of Mat-Su and our partner groups to provide additional capacity for our strategic communication efforts to engage in priority coal campaigns (Chuitna, Mat Valley, Port MacKenzie infrastructure etc) Partners include: Sierra Club, Cook Inletkeeper, Alaska Center for the Environment, Castle Mountain Coalition, Alaska Conservation Alliance, and Alaska Community Action on Toxics. Working Groups for each priority campaigns – serve as the main organizing bodies for these campaigns and will assist in development of monthly goals for the Coal Intern.

(link to PDF of longer list of responsibilities and outcomes)

Qualifications:

  • Experience in media, message development and strategic communications.
  • Experience in database management and the use of social media.
  • Experience with Alaska Conservation Issues and community dynamics.
  • Experience as an accomplished writer and good communicator.
  • Ability to develop innovative communications ideas
  • Ability to work with a diverse group of partners
  • Must be self-motivated, professionally accountable, highly efficient and adaptable to change.

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Host Organization:  Alaska Conservation Alliance

Internship Title: Data Enhancement Intern

Location: Anchorage, AK

Website:   www.akvoice.org

Primary Contact: Andy Moderow, Executive Director, andy@akvoice.org, Phone: (907)258-6171

Background: The Alaska Conservation Alliance (“Alliance”) is a statewide umbrella group with thirty-three member groups.  The Alliance acts as convening body to coordinate member groups and develop strategy for the conservation community through the Common Agenda Priority process.

Numerous organizations and working groups in Alaska’s conservation community have identified the need for improved, coordinated grassroots outreach by our movement.  As a tool to achieve this end, the Alliance will soon have one year of access to an industry-leading activist tracking database, with includes a variety of publicly available data on all registered voters in the state of Alaska.  The platform allows for strategic list enhancement, and new levels of coordination, within our community.

Duration/ideal start and end dates: 24 weeks, June-August start date; November- January end dates

Assignment: The goal of this internship is to use that database to improve the conservation community’s outreach capacity, by enhancing member group data and building data sharing alliances that fulfill the movement’s collective objectives.  As an example, if several groups are working on outreach to individuals affected by the proposed Susitna Dam, this project could work with partners on creating a unified list that each group works from, which identifies known supporters and targets potential allies.  This encourages a coordinated strategy for grassroots contact, furthering collaboration at other levels in our community.

To achieve this end, the intern would coordinate closely with the Alliance’s thirty-three member groups to identify outreach needs, focusing on each organization’s programs and objectives.  This would be done through outreach to each group, in the form of a survey created by the Alliance and the intern.  Where overlap of interest between organizations is identified, the willingness of organizations to share data and resources will be facilitated, and executed with the intern’s assistance.

The Alliance is committed to working with Friends of Mat Su and their Coal Campaign Communications intern towards collaborative training for each intern, ensuring that organizational resources are used effectively.

A written analysis of currently available data, and the willingness of organizations to coordinate and share, will be completed in this project.  The intern will review best practices and recommend quantifiable future courses of action for the community, in a conservation community data sharing plan that they will be asked to complete during the project term.

This internship will provide enhanced outreach capabilities to a number of conservation organizations and establish a structure to provide such services in the future.

Duties/Responsibilities:

  • Identify pressing outreach needs of conservation groups
  • Identify and upload relevant public information into Alliance database
  • Provide enhanced contact lists to conservation groups by identifying opportunities for collaboration and enhancement

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • Proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite, with a particular emphasis on Access and Excel
  • Experience in conservation advocacy and data management preferred

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Host Organization: NPCA (in collaboration with DCC)

Internship Title: Gas Licensing Intern

Location: Anchorage, AK

Website: http://www.npca.org/about-us/regional-offices/alaska/

Primary Contact: Joan Frankevich, NPCA jfrankevich@npca.org

Background: The State of Alaska has two gas programs, administered through DNR (Department of Natural Resources), gas leasing in the larger, known basins, such as North Slope, and gas licensing in smaller areas, some of them close to communities. It is the gas licensing program that has been responsible for introducing smaller projects into areas with high value for their local communities. To look at the details of this program, please see http://dog.dnr.alaska.gov/programs/ExplorationLicensing.htm. Currently, areas at various stages in the licensing process include the Susitna Basin, the Holitna River (on appeal), the Healy Basin, Nenana Basin, Copper River Basin, Houston/Willow and Crooked Creek.

Because this program may involve both conventional and unconventional (shallow) gas drilling, (shallow gas in particular, has new and potentially under-regulated impacts, including fracking), and because some of the prospects are near local communities and residential areas, citizens are concerned about impacts of the process and about how to get involved. Citizens need some assistance with understanding and participating in the complex permitting process that these exploration licenses must go through.

Duration/ideal start and end dates: 24 weeks, June-August start date; November- January end dates

Assignment:

  • Become familiar with key contacts at state permitting agencies and in citizen advocacy groups. Learn which legislators have concerns about gas drilling impacts.
  • Travel to areas where gas licensing is in process (Healy, Mat-Su, other?) and meet with locals to learn issues. Attend Denali Citizens Council annual meeting and meet with last year’s Gas Organizer Molly McKinley to learn what advocacy activities have already occurred in the Denali Borough.
  • Prepare a Guide, Citizens Guide to Gas License permitting in Alaska, based on research and interviews with key contacts. Share the guide with appropriate groups.
  • Additional duties could be developed or assigned according to intern’s success with the initial work plan and intern’s own creative ideas, once in the job.

Qualifications

  • College level writing and analytical skills. Layout experience a plus.
  • Personable and able to communicate in a wide variety of settings.
  • Capable of independent research when provided with a detailed work plan. DCC
  • and NPCA would share supervision of this intern, but would not be present every
  • day to supervise the project. Would likely set up benchmarks and weekly or biweekly
  • meetings to go over progress.
  • Having own car is a plus, almost a necessity.

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Host Organization: Alaska Marine Conservation Council (in collaboration with Alaska Conservation Alliance, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, and Southeast Alaska Conservation Alliance)

Internship Title: Innovative Funding Intern

Location: Anchorage, AK

Website: www.akmarine.org

Primary Contact: Kelly Harrell, Executive Director, Kelly@akmarine.org

Background: Founded in 1994, the Alaska Marine Conservation Council (AMCC) is a community-based organization dedicated to protecting the long-term health of Alaska’s oceans and sustaining the working waterfronts of Alaska’s coastal communities. Our members – fishermen, subsistence harvesters, marine scientists, small business owners, conservationists, families and others who care about Alaska’s oceans – are committed to AMCC’s mission of protecting “the natural diversity and integrity of Alaska’s marine ecosystems by working with the coastal communities whose well–being depends on healthy oceans.”

For description of collaborating organizations please visit their websites at:

http://akvoice.org/

http://www.ayea.org

http://www.seacc.org

http://www.akaction.org

Duration/ideal start and end dates: 24 weeks, June-August start date; November- January end dates

Assignment: Working with a team of non-profit leaders from five leading state and regional Alaska conservation organizations, the intern will explore new and innovative methods of income generation for these organizations. The intern will review and analyze examples of innovative methods such as mission-related businesses from within and outside Alaska. Findings will be written up as a white paper and presented as a “menu of options” at an in-person meeting to a larger group of Alaska conservation organizations known as the “transformers.” The intern will work with the five individual groups to implement at least one of the strategies per group that are identified to have the greatest likelihood for success. The intern will also assist AMCC, ACAT, and SEACC with development of their own earned income endeavors in areas that may include research, marketing, and business planning.

The intern will also be given the opportunity to learn more about conservation outreach and the broader Alaska community (who will be looked to for these new income strategies) by providing support at summer and fall outreach activities in which AMCC is engaged.

The organizations participating in the project include the host, Alaska Marine Conservation Council (AMCC), the Alaska Conservation Alliance (ACA), Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT), Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA), and the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC).

Duties/responsibilities:

  • Produce a robust analysis of innovative income strategies for non-profits engaged in the project and write up findings in a white paper.
  • Create a “menu” of options for new income strategies that analyzes cost versus benefits.
  • Present findings to the five organizations & the broader Transformers group.
  • Assist each organization in implementation of at least one of the identified strategies.
  • Assist AMCC, ACAT, and SEACC in developing their own earned income endeavors.
  • Create a final assessment of the project and implementation to be presented to the larger transformers group.
  • Support AMCC outreach activities as a way to get to know and understand the broader community and how to communicate with them.

Qualifications

  • Have recently completed an undergraduate degree or graduate degree, or be enrolled in a graduate program.
  • Should be pursuing or have obtained a degree in: marketing, business, finance, communications, public relations or non-profit management. Relevant course work or equivalent work experience will be considered.
  • Strong communications skills, understanding of basic financial principles, sound technical/computing skills, and ability to work independently.
  • Demonstrated commitment to conservation and progressive causes.
  • Direct fundraising, marketing, or non-profit experience a plus.
  • Willingness to travel within the state.
  • Ability to commit to completing the full 6 months of the internship.

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Host Organization: SEACC (Sotheast Alaska Conesrvation Council)

Internship Title: Mining Intern

Location: Juneau, AK

Website: http://seacc.org/

Primary Contact: Guy Archibald, Guy@seacc.org

Background: ARM (Alaskans for Responsible Mining) has been active since 1997.  ARM has produced a wide variety of action alerts for its member groups, written and distributed many fact sheets designed to educate and empower the general public to mining issues and pending actions in their region. ARM has lobbied the legislature and educated representative’s staff on what responsible mining should look like.  ARM has pushed for beefed up regulatory provisions on mixing zones, environmental requirements, transparency in the permitting process, greater financial assurances and contributions to state revenue. ARM has help produce and distribute materials such as reports, videos, power points and photos.  ARM has reached out to other Tribal and NGO groups as both a source of information and conduit for public actions. ARM groups coordinate strategies and tactics from member groups who have projects in their areas.

Duration/ideal start and end dates: 24 weeks, June-August start date; November- January end dates

Assignment: Become familiar with the various mining issues in Alaska and identify methods for information sharing among ARM member’s opportunities for community outreach.  Help develop the basic format for a member generated content ARM website utilizing one of the free website builders such as Visual Web Developer, Wix or Web and establish an ARM domain. Work with ARM member groups to generate content related to specific mining projects, latest science, permitting issues and notices of meetings and public comment opportunities.  Outreach to other conservation organizations, fishing associations and native groups in order to increase the participation and diversity of ARM.

Duties/responsibilities:

  • Gather content and materials from member groups on their local issues and actions.  Provide links to member organization websites.
  • Gather information and present it in a user friendly format on a community content generated web site.  Design web site to be useful to all groups.  Including latest scientific and economic studies, information on financial assurances, acid mine drainage; public notices for comment periods, and actions and information from individual member groups that may be useful to all ARM members.
  • Develop a website framework that will allow members to upload information in an organized manner. Editing or format content as necessary.
  • Participate in ARM conference calls.
  • Outreach to other organizations and communities that may benefit from ARM either membership or the information on the website.  Follow up on contacts from individuals, the media or other organizations requesting information.
  • Help member groups design and distribute action alerts and notices of public meetings.

Qualifications/Ideal Candidate:

Has a background level knowledge about Alaska mining issues, mining methods and ore types.  Candidate demonstrates working knowledge of Alaska geography and demographics.  Has experience in website design and visual graphics.  Shows ability to effectively communicate with a diverse audience and organize productive meetings.

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Host Organization:  Discovery Southeast

Title: Natural Science Educator

Location:  Juneau, AK

Website: www.discoverysoutheast.org

Contact: Beth Weigel, beth@discoverysoutheast.org

Description of Organization:  Discovery Southeast is a non-profit environmental education organization whose mission is to connect people to nature.  Discovery Southeast is devoted to experience-based, inquiry-driven natural history and conservation education programs for children, adults, students, and teachers in Southeast Alaska. We encourage a land and sea use ethic that recognizes our interdependent relationship with nature, and also recognizes the unique qualities of the Southeast Alaska coastal environment as a place to experience this relationship.

Duration: Twelve weeks: preferably June 4, 2012 through August 24, 2012, though there is some flexibility (Outdoor Explorers camp season runs June 11 – August 10).

Internship Assignment:  The Natural Science Intern will spend 70% of his/her time in the field leading, exploring and delivering Discovery Southeast’s hands-on environmental education program, Outdoor Explorers (OE), to youth ages 7-12.  This exciting and dynamic week-long day camp exposes youth to Juneau’s natural area through outdoor exploration, natural history, science based education, arts, crafts, and environmental education games and activities.  The intern receives training and experience in inquiry based, hands-on field leadership as well as conservation education and Southeast Alaska natural history.   The intern is also responsible for some coordination and administration of the OE program and reports to the Executive or Program Director while working closely with a lead naturalist and other program support staff.

The goals of this assignment are to have youth participants in Outdoor Explorers:

  • explore the diversity of Southeast Alaska’s natural habitats,
  • describe the natural communities found in the Juneau area
  • demonstrate group skills and work together in a positive atmosphere
  • learn and practice outdoor survival skills
  • express and understanding and appreciation of the natural world through creative activities and conservation ethic
  • learn how the ocean influences them and how they influence the ocean

Responsibilities:

  • Assist with the planning, coordinating, and leadership of summer outdoor day-camps
  • Prepare lessons and activities that focus on outdoor skills, natural history, and connections between nature and science-based principles
  • Engage in outdoor procedures that emphasize safety, risk management, good judgment, positive group interaction, and personal leadership
  • Perform administrative tasks in support of the Outdoor Explorers summer day camp program which includes handling registrations and communication with participant’s parents
  • Assist when needed with the implementation of Discovery Southeast’s other community-based programs like Parade of Species, Teacher Expeditions and World Ocean Day
  • Assist with driving a 15 passenger van upon approval. (Not required).

Qualifications:

  • Prior experience in environmental education, backcountry travel, and natural history interpretation
  • Desire and proven ability to work with diverse youth between the ages of 7 and 12
  • Creative teaching and supervisory skills
  • Ability to manage risk, provide positive leadership, and interact constructively with others
  • Knowledge of Pacific Northwest/Southeast Alaska natural history preferred
  • Ability to hike in difficult terrain and conditions while wearing a 10-20 lb. backpack
  • Current First Aid/CPR required; Wilderness First Responder preferred
  • Strong organizational, communication, and computer skills
  • Valid driver’s license and proof of good driving record

Financial Support:  This is a paid internship with assistance in finding low-cost housing

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Host Organization: Sitka Conservation Society

Title:  “Using Story-telling and Media for Social Change Organizing” Internship

Location: Sitka,  AK

Website:  www.sitkawild.org

 

Contact: Andrew Thoms, andrew@sitkawild.org

Description of Organization:  The Sitka Conservation Society was formed in 1967 when a group of citizens joined together to propose that one of their most beloved areas on the Tongass National Forest be designed as a Wilderness Area.  The work of the Sitka Conservation Society continues today as we work to protect temperate rainforest ecosystems from threats while we work to create sustainable communities living within the Tongass National Forest.  As a community that lives in ways that are intertwined with our natural environment, it is critical that we find pathways that balance protection of functioning ecosystems with active management of natural resources that provide to and sustain regional economies and our unique customs and traditions of living with the land.

Duration:  Twelve weeks, start date between (April) and (June) (generally start in May and end in August, depending on school schedule).

Assignment: Document the ways that the people who live in Southeast Alaska exist in a close relationship with the natural environment that surrounds them.  Document the conservation ethic and values that have evolved alongside the lives and livelihoods of people of Southeast Alaska that co-exist in a close relationship with the natural environment.  Use photography, audio, video, and media to share these stories and values.

Duties include:

  • Spend time with Sitkans and Southeast Alaskans who use and depend on the natural environment including fishermen, tour guides, subsistence gatherers, scientists and researchers, land managers, contractors, etc.
  • Use informal interviews to collect and document unique stories and relationships
  • Use photography, writing, video, and other media to document stories
  • Use innovative media to share stories and ideals with larger audiences
  • Use creative and innovative approaches to tell new types of stories that foster increased knowledge and understanding and promote civic and environmental action. 

Qualifications/Skills/Required Training:

  • Ability to effectively work with people of diverse backgrounds
  • High level of problem solving ability; high level of ability to work independently; high level of ability to adapt and innovate
  • Demonstrated ability to document stories and represent ideals through writing, photography, and/or video
  • Knowledge of Southeast Alaska
  • Ability to work for extended periods of time in the outdoors, especially in maritime and Wilderness environments; WFR, Leave No Trace training, or Wilderness Leadership experience/certification preferred
  •  Master Degree level experience in field pertinent to the position
  • Demonstrated knowledge and experience in conservation issues and philosophy

Financial Support:  This is a paid internship with assistance in finding low-cost housing

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Host Organization: Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC)

Title: Tongass Forest Intern

Location: Juneau, Alaska

Website: www.seacc.org

 

Contact: Bri Webber, bri@seacc.org

Description of Organization:  The Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, one of America’s premiere grassroots environmental organizations, has worked since 1969 to safeguard magnificent wildlands in Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, while encouraging the sustainable use of our region’s resources. The Tongass is the largest intact ancient temperate rainforest remaining on our planet, and is still graced with healthy populations of wild salmon, brown and black bears, moose, Sitka black-tailed deer, and bald eagles.  SEACC coordinates grassroots efforts, and works tirelessly with public officials and resource management agencies to protect valuable Tongass natural resources.

Duration: The internship is based in Juneau, Alaska for three months.  The exact timing is open and depends on the intern’s and SEACC’s needs.

Job Duties and Outcomes

The intern will work on at least three of the following tasks depending on need and skills:

  • Sustain and help foster new relationships with small business owners, sportsmen, fishermen, and residents of rural Southeast communities.
  • Continue marketing programs for sustainable forest products and small business owners who depend upon healthy Tongass wildlands.
  • Provide SEACC’s presence at festivals and events throughout Southeast Alaska and Juneau, including informational displays and materials for tabling. Prepare and deliver short talks about SEACC’s goals for habitat protection, sustainable communities, renewable energy, and other issues.  Discuss these issues one-on-one with supporters and detractors, as needed.  Help attract new SEACC members, and assist the Membership Coordinator with administrative duties in Juneau.
  • Update and organize SEACC’s image and video library, edit videos and produce brief video clips for online use.  Help format and produce publications and fact sheets on a wide array of SEACC conservation issues. Use social and new media tools to enhance SEACC’s community outreach.
  • Research sustainable energy issues in Southeast, as well as damaging energy projects that could threaten clean water, wildlife habitat, and habitat connectivity. Assist with small-scale energy projects.

Supervision

Bob Claus, Forest Program Director, will supervise the intern.  The intern will work closely with SEACC’s Northern SE Community Organizer, Energy Coordinator, Membership Director, and/or the Communications Director.

Ideal candidate

  • Strong knowledge about forest conservation, mining, clean water, and/or renewable energy
  • Excellent interpersonal, project management, writing, and verbal communications skills
  • Ability to initiate and prioritize work, multi-task,  and work independently and with a team
  • Experience working with diverse people
  • Graphic and web skills
  • Enjoys travel

Financial Support:  This is a paid internship with assistance in finding low-cost housing

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Name of Organization:  Cook Inletkeeper

Title: Watershed Monitoring Intern

Position Location: Homer, Alaska

Web Site:  www.inletkeeper.org

Contact: Sue Mauger sue@inletkeeper.org

Description of Organization:  Cook Inletkeeper is a citizen-based non-profit organization located in Homer, Alaska and dedicated to protecting Alaska’s Cook Inlet watershed and the life it sustains. Founded in 1995, Cook Inletkeeper combines environmental research, education, and advocacy in a comprehensive watershed approach to protect Southcentral Alaska’s water resources and fisheries habitats.  Cook Inletkeeper works to guarantee clean water for abundant fish and wildlife, strong communities, lasting jobs, and renewable energy. Homer is literally at the end of the road.  Located 225 miles south of Anchorage at the terminus of the Sterling Highway, Homer boasts itself to be the ‘Halibut Capital of the World’.  In this scenic locale, glaciers tumble from jagged peaks while bald eagles climb thermals above the rich waters of Kachemak Bay.

Duration:  Twelve weeks, starting between May 1 and June 1, 2012.

Intern Assignment: The Watershed Monitoring Intern will work with Inletkeeper staff to support citizen-based water quality monitoring efforts, monitor and assess the health of local salmon streams, and conduct basic laboratory analyses.  The intern will also be involved with outreach activities to educate local citizens about clean water, healthy salmon and renewable energy. This is an ideal position for students interested in science who enjoy working in the field.  River and bear safety, water quality monitoring, and other training provided.

Duties Include:

  • Coordinating volunteers and field work for the Beach Monitoring Program in Kachemak Bay and biological monitoring in local streams;
  • Sampling local streams twice a month; and helping plan for a volunteer appreciation gathering in July.
  • Conducting an independent study assessing current watershed and habitat conditions and new development pressures on high priority local streams.
  • Maintaining temperature loggers, ground truthing thermal infrared imagery, and assessing solar inputs to stream channels.
  • Working independently analyzing turbidity and bacteria samples in the laboratory.
  • Assist in outreach efforts during the Kenai River Fest and personal-use dipnet fisheries on the Kasilof and Kenai Rivers to promote clean water, healthy salmon and renewable energy.

Qualifications/Skills/Required Training:

  • Reasonable level of comfort with field and laboratory research work
  • Good organizational skills
  • Ability to work well in a team/with others
  • Solid written and oral communications skills
  • Valid driver’s license
  • Familiarity with computers (Excel, Word, GIS)
  • Some background in environmental science, water chemistry, or a related field required 

Financial Support: This is a paid internship with assistance in finding low-cost housing.

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Name of Organization: Great Land Trust

Title:  Habitat Conservation Intern

Location: Anchorage, AK

Website:  www.greatlandtrust.org

Contact: Dave Mitchell, dmitchell@greatlandtrust.org

Description of Organization: The Great Land Trust (GLT) works with landowners and partners to conserve and restore lands and waterways in Southcentral Alaska. GLT is an independent, nonpartisan community-based land conservation organization founded by and for Alaskans.

Assignment: Under the supervision of the Conservation Director, the Habitat Conservation Intern assists GLT and its partners conserve and restore important fish and wildlife habitat in Southcentral Alaska. The intern will have two main assignments: 1) Conduct annual monitoring of conservation easements and 2) Assist with management planning and baseline documentation of GLT properties.

Duties include:

  • Assist the Conservation Director to map parcels for conservation in Southcentral Alaska;
  • Manage the conservation easement stewardship program which includes the scheduling, organizing, and field work for annual monitoring of all of GLT’s conservation easements;
  • Document monitoring visits and work with Conservation Director to address easement violations;
  • Assist with management planning and baseline documentation for GLT properties;

Qualifications/Skills/Required Training: The intern should be enrolled in a graduate-level natural resources management or conservation program. Recent graduates and upper level students studying  natural resources management and conservation are also encouraged to apply. All applicants should have the following skills:

  • A general understanding of surveying concepts and/or expertise in land navigation using maps, compass and GPS;
  • Intermediate skills in GIS using ESRI’s ArcMap, including an understanding of coordinate systems, layouts/maps, general shapefile creation and management and transfer of data back and forth from GIS to GPS;
  • Some experience and/or strong interest in observing, identifying, and documenting vegetation and vegetative communities as well as wildlife and general habitat features;
  • Technical writing and interpersonal communication skills;
  • Strong interest in land conservation and land use planning;
  • Experience with field work and office work;
  • Sense of humor.

Duration:  Twelve weeks, start date is negotiable between May and September

Financial Support:  This is a paid internship with assistance in finding low-cost housing

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Host Organization:  Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition

Title:  Mitigation Site Assessment Intern

Location:  Haines, AK

Website:www.alaskawatershedcoalition.org

Contact: Jessica Kayser, alaskawatersheds@gmail.com

Description of Organization:  The Southeast Alaska Watershed Coalition (SAWC) is a broad-based alliance of watershed practitioners, organizations, tribes, natural resource agencies, and local governments covering the Southeast Alaska region, working together to build regional capacity to effectively address community watershed issues since 2004.  SAWC is committed to the strategic conservation and promotion of the aquatic, natural, economic and cultural resources in communities throughout Southeast Alaska. The mission of SAWC is to inspire Southeast Alaskan’s and support community organizations to wisely manage our watersheds. SAWC realizes its mission by: facilitating a professional network for watershed practitioners, offering trainings to build local watershed management capacities and providing aquatic resource mitigation services to municipalities, tribes, landowners, resource management agencies, industry, and the private sector throughout Southeast Alaska.
Duration: Twelve weeks: preferably June 1, 2012 through August 31, 2012, though there is some flexibility.
Internship Assignment:  Currently SAWC is developing an In-Lieu-Fee Wetland Mitigation Program. The program will address losses to aquatic habitat for permitted activities conducted in jurisdictional waters of the United States, including streams and wetlands, as required by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. This program will be the first of its kind in the state in that it will meet the requirements of the 2008 Federal Rule Compensatory Mitigation for Losses of Aquatic Resources (Final Rule) and will support the nationwide policy goal of “no-net-loss” to wetlands and aquatic resources by indentifying and facilitating wetland and stream restoration and enhancement projects. Despite the no-net-loss policy goal, aquatic resources in Southeast Alaska continue to experience losses to the functions and values of wetlands, streams, riparian areas. Following the requirements of the 2008 Final Rule, the intern will work with SAWC and United States Fish and Wildlife staffers to develop a mitigation inventory in 3 to 4 communities by identifying, categorizing and assessing potential restoration and enhancement sites. These sites will have to meet the requirements outlined for mitigation projects in the 2008 Final Rule. The information and data will provide the necessary baseline information of potential mitigation sites for SAWC’s In Lieu Fee Program and will be assimilated and published online on SAWC’s Aquatic Resources Restoration Sites Database.
In addition, the intern will be expected to support and participate in community-based outreach and education of all material and information generated from this project and other interesting and developmental duties as assigned.

Responsibilities:

  • Identify wetland and aquatic resource restoration and enhancement sites in Northern Southeast Alaska by compiling existing assessments, GIS information, reports, local knowledge, and relevant technical interviews for the communities of Haines, Skagway, Juneau and Yakutat (time and funding depending)
  • Categorize and assess sites identified by utilizing Google Earth and/or ArcGIS and write detailed site descriptions of each.
  • Conduct field assessments of sites identified in the community of Haines and Skagway.
  • Provide outreach of the mitigation inventory protocol and procedures to communities of Wrangell, Sitka, Petersburg and Ketchikan (time dependent)
  • Work with the Taiya Inlet Watershed Council (Skagway), Juneau Watershed Partnership (Juneau) and Takshanuk Watershed Council (Haines) staff with in-office and field based assessments.
  • Record and organize collected data at the SAWC office.

Qualifications:

  • Interest and experience in wetland ecology (preferred), hydrology, or field biology.
  • Interest and understanding of environmental policy.
  • Basic level understanding of habitat restoration and enhancement.
  • Excellent organizational skills, datasheet development, technical writing.
  • Experience with the following programs is desired: Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Earth, ArcGIS, web development tools.
  • Ability to work both independently and as a part of a team.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Financial Support:  This is a paid internship with assistance in finding low-cost housing and a modest travel stipend.

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Host Organization: Takshanuk Watershed Council

Title:  Habitat Assessment Intern

Location:  Haines, AK

Website: www.takshanuk.org

Contact:  Brad Ryan; Executive Director; brad.ryan@takshanuk.org

Description of Organization:  The Takshanuk Watershed Council (TWC) promotes watershed based programs and projects within the Haines Borough, which encompass the Chilkat, Chilkoot, and Ferebee river systems, including all streams, lakes, and tributaries.  The organization focuses on four major project areas: education, restoration, stewardship and research.  Please see our website for more information about us.
Duration: Twelve weeks: preferably June 1, 2012 through August 31, 2012, though there is some flexibility.

Internship Assignment: Restoration of anadromous fish habitat is one of TWC’s top priorities and for this reason TWC has conducted surveys on 37 road/stream crossings in the Haines Borough, all of which are culverts under roads.  Of the 37 crossings, 21 were coded “Red (low likelihood of fish passage) which TWC is continually working to improve.  However, with limited restoration resources it is necessary to prioritize restoration efforts to maximize the use of these funds.  For this reason TWC is proposing to conduct Upstream Habitat Assessments (UA) of the crossings to provide a prioritized list of restoration opportunities based on the quantity, type, and quality of habitat.  Largely following the USFS Tongass National Forest Upstream Fish Habitat Assessment Protocol, the intern will work with TWC staff to evaluate and quantify the upstream fish habitat for streams of interest.  This will require a thorough review of the USFS protocol and modification of elements of it to the Haines area if necessary.  Main factors that will be evaluated in the field include stream gradient, pool frequency, fish habitat quality, downstream access, obstructed stream length of anadromous fish habitat, and obstructed stream length of resident fish habitat.  The intern will then work with TWC staff using the Biological Significance Index (BSI), which has been developed for prioritizing culverts in the Tongass National Forest to determine its application to the Haines cohort of culverts.  High quality data collection and organization will be stressed.

In addition, as an intern for this community based watershed council, this position will be expected to participate in community outreach, education, and research as assigned.  The intern will support TWC outreach at the S.E. Alaska State Fair, promote TWC via 1% For the Planet, and support other field work activities.  

Responsibilities:

  • Complete upstream habitat assessment on streams of interest with other TWC staff
  • Build a spreadsheet and/or GIS database of prioritized restoration opportunities
  • Provide community outreach for TWC at the S.E. Alaska State Fair
  • Promote TWC via 1% For The Planet.
  • Join TWC staff in seasonal field work.
  • Work in remote areas and in physically challenging conditions.
  • Record and organize data at the TWC office.

Qualifications:

  • Experience in outdoor field biology
  • Excellent organizational skills
  • Experience with the following programs is desired: Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and ArcGIS
  • Ability to work both independently and as a part of a team
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; intern should be comfortable speaking in front of groups of all ages
  • Must be able to work outdoors in all conditions
  • Must be willing to work in bear and moose country
  • Wilderness First Aid, Advanced First Aid or First Responder certification is preferred

Financial Support: This is a paid internship as a seasonal employee of TWC. Assistance in finding low-cost housing and a modest travel stipend are provided.