Carnivore Research Support Internship
8 hours/week, October 16 2017 – April 30 2018
Application Deadline: October 6, 2017

Cascadia Wild, a Portland-based 501c(3) nonprofit, seeks an intern to support the operations the Wolverine Tracking Project, a citizen science project that uses wildlife camera and snow tracking surveys to monitor on rare carnivores on the Mt Hood National Forest. Learn more about Cascadia Wild and the Wolverine Tracking Project at cascadiawild.org.

The intern will gain experience in all aspects of supporting a field-based citizen science research project, including equipment maintenance, data processing and analysis, and volunteer management. Work will be done at Cascadia Wild’s Northeast Portland office on a regular weekly schedule. The intern will have the opportunity to participate in additional fieldwork on weekends as availability allows.

Duties include:

  • Reviewing photos captured by motion-activated cameras to identify wildlife species
  • Data entry, analysis, and reporting
  • Preparing captioned photos and trip reports for social media and blog posts
  • Checking and maintaining readiness of field equipment, including motion-activated cameras, scent bait, GPS units, etc.
  • Ensuring the proper storage of genetic samples
  • Interacting with volunteer leaders to collect trip reports
  • Assisting in planning and execution of the spring volunteer appreciation party

Additional opportunities for motivated interns include participating in weekend field work on Mt. Hood National Forest; writing blog entries, social media posts, and newsletter stories, and attending classes in subjects such as wildlife tracking and wilderness navigation, and more.

Requirements:

  • Interest in or experience with Pacific Northwest wildlife
  • Proficiency with spreadsheets, email, electronic file management, and digital photo sharing
  • Ability to carefully follow written documentation, including checklists and data collection procedures
  • Ability to review digital photographs for species identification with efficiency and accuracy. Training and support in species ID is provided
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Positive attitude and willingness to learn
  • Extremely high degree of dependability

This internship is unpaid, but provides excellent experience in supporting an ongoing wildlife research project, and the opportunity to take most Cascadia Wild classes at no cost during the internship.

To apply, please email the following to info@cascadiawild.org by October 6.

  • your résumé
  • a cover letter explaining 1) your interest in this internship and what you hope to gain from it, 2) why you are a good fit to perform the described duties, and 3) your availability to take on a weekly commitment in NE Portland from October 2017-April 2018.

Cascadia Wild does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We encourage applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds, particularly those from historically underrepresented groups.