Overview

The Park Stewardship Program is seeking a motivated intern to work in a dynamic community-based habitat restoration program set in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in the San Francisco Bay Area.  The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is a destination for both local and international visitors with its sweeping vistas, immense biological diversity, and unique cultural resources. With over 15 million visitors annually and over 80,000 acres of land, it is the largest urban national park in the country.

Our work is highly variable and covers a broad spectrum of topics, including inventorying existing biological and physical resources, identifying and managing threats to sensitive resources, and engaging the surrounding community in stewarding important park sites.   Work sites are in a variety of coastal habitats from oak-bay woodlands to coastal freshwater marshes both north and south of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Work will support federally protected plants and animals and locally rare plant species.

Description of Duties

The successful candidates will join the Park Stewardship Restoration Managers in a variety of resource management activities that change over the seasons.  Duties vary by team. Proportions are approximate:

• 50% – Remove invasive species using hand tools, power tools, herbicide, and other methods.
• 10% – Plan and implement habitat restoration field work. Potentially assist in managing contract work.
• 7% – Engage local community by leading volunteer workdays and interpretive walks.
• 10% – Record restoration progress; write work performed reports, enter into databases and work plans, and manage work performed data.
• 7% – Monitor threatened and endangered wildlife including California red-legged frogs, Mission blue butterflies, and San Bruno elfin butterflies.
• 7% – Prepare summary reports of monitoring, restoration actions, and experiments performed.
• 5% – Map key habitat features using GPS data recorders; analyze and display mapped features using GIS technology.
• 3% – Maintain tools and equipment.
• 1% – Revegetate disturbed landscapes with native plants.

Desired Qualifications

• Able to perform tough physical work for long hours in hard field conditions with a positive attitude.
• Interest in or experience with ecological restoration and plant identification.
• Familiarity with biological and ecological concepts.
• Takes initiative and follows through to see a job well done.
• Ability to think on your feet and proactively solve problems.
• Ability to pay attention to detail, organize, prioritize, and accomplish tasks on time.
• Strong technical writing and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to stay flexible and positive in a fast-paced, changing environment.
• Desire to work with a diversity of people with different backgrounds, ethnicities, races, genders, sexualities, ages, and viewpoints.
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office Suite. Eagerness and ability to learn other software.
• Ability to enter data and make basic charts in Excel.
• Desire and ability to become proficient in GPS/GIS.
• A valid driver’s license and clean driving record.

Physical Requirements and Work Environments

• This is a field-based position with occasional office time. Must enjoy working outside in various weather conditions while maintaining a sense of humor.
• Must be willing to work in poison oak. Personal protective equipment against poison oak will be provided, but exposure to poison oak will happen and is unavoidable.
• Must be comfortable working around ticks and yellow-jacket wasps.
• Ability to lift, carry, and position objects weighing up to 40 pounds off trail in steep terrain in dense vegetation for up to six hours daily.

Compensation

• Dorm-style housing, a taxable stipend of $225/week if your permanent residence is more than 50 miles from San Francisco.
• A taxable stipend of $375/week is provided if your permanent residence is less than 50 miles from San Francisco. 
• Transportation to work sites is provided.
• Gain hands-on work experience in habitat restoration at a highly respected non-profit organization with a model partnership with two federal agencies.
• Opportunity to take four personal/professional development days to pursue an interest, including training and education opportunities in various departments within the National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
• Opportunity to attend Park Academy Classes on a variety of topics including resume building and interview skills, park orientation and history, flora and fauna, mapping and monitoring, computer skills, and much more.
• Opportunity to live in and enjoy the scenery, wildlife and cultural resources of a spectacular National Park.
• Opportunity to work with staff and volunteers from diverse backgrounds that share a common interest in preserving and protecting our natural lands while engaging the next generation of park stewards.