Mount Rainier National Park: The Evergreen State College
2020 Carolyn Dobbs Internships
Description
Four intern positions at Mount Rainier National Park are available for summer 2020: one in aquatic ecology, one in ecological restoration, one with the Paradise Wilderness Information Center (WIC), and one in archaeology.
The aquatic ecology intern works under the day-to-day supervision of lead biological technicians who assign work and provide instruction. The intern assists in the study, inventory and management of aquatic, terrestrial, atmospheric, and wilderness resources. Work in aquatic ecology (physical, chemical and biological characteristics of lakes, streams and wetlands) includes lake, stream, amphibian, fish and invertebrate surveys, and the collection and analysis of lake and stream samples. The intern will assist in other projects as directed.
The ecological restoration intern works under the day-to-day supervision of a lead restoration specialist who assigns work and provides instruction. The work includes identification of invasive and native plants, GIS mapping of invasives, invasive plant management through manual and chemical means, and revegetation with native plants. The intern will assist in other projects as directed.
The Paradise WIC intern works under the day-to-day supervision of the district ranger and wilderness supervisors who assign work and provide instruction. The intern spends half their time at the Paradise WIC desk where they interact with and educate park visitors, many of whom are climbers registering for summit attempts. Some knowledge of climbing practices, equipment, and the alpine landscape is desirable. An interest in or understanding of meteorology is also helpful. The remaining time is in the field, where the intern supports various monitoring and management efforts in Mount Rainier’s wilderness, including backcountry patrols. The intern will assist in other projects as directed.
The archaeology intern works under the day-to-day supervision of the archaeological crew lead who assigns work and provides instruction. The work includes archaeological survey, subsurface testing, construction monitoring, lab and office work. The intern assists the archaeology crew in projects throughout the park with the opportunity to learn archaeological field method, artifact processing/cataloguing, artifact and feature identification, soil descriptions, and GIS mapping.
Interns must be current Evergreen undergraduate or graduate students and must register for an Internship Learning Contract for between 4 and 16 credits. Please note that summer tuition costs are higher than in other quarters. The faculty sponsor for the contract is Jeff Antonelis-Lapp. He will provide contract templates and help you with registration and other Evergreen-related details.
Dates and Work Schedule
The internship begins Monday June 15 and runs for 13 weeks, until Friday September 11. Interns work 80 hours every 2-week period depending on assigned tasks. The work schedule can vary throughout the season, though is usually Monday thru Thursday.
Desired Skills and Abilities- All Positions:
- A strong background and interest in natural, environmental or biological sciences.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Extremely punctual and highly reliable, to ensure timely and systematic completion of tasks.
- Ability to interact professionally with park staff and visitors.
Desired Skills and Abilities- Continued:
In addition, for the Aquatic Ecology position:
- Advanced backpacking experience and the ability to travel and work in mountainous terrain in all weather conditions. Must be able to backpack with heavy loads in remote wilderness terrain.
- Must be able to work as part of a team in collecting scientific data from mountain lakes, forests, subalpine, and streams in a wilderness setting.
In addition, for the Ecological Restoration position:
- Ability to work safely along busy roadways in the park.
- Ability to carry and operate a backpack herbicide sprayer.
In addition, for the Paradise WIC position:
- Ability to travel safely (and often solo) on trails through the Mount Rainier backcountry.
In addition, for the Archaeology position:
- Ability to travel and work in mountainous terrain in all weather conditions.
- Flexibility to work long hours in the field. This can range from accommodating contractor schedules including night work, to multi-day backcountry trips including camping.
- Ability to work as part of a team, and interact professionally with maintenance staff and construction contractors.
- Ability to use hand tools including shovels, posthole diggers, and archeology screens.
Benefits and Training
The 13-week internship pays a stipend of $2,500. Shared housing valued at $600 is provided at no cost at Longmire or Tahoma Woods.
These internships provide field experience to qualify for future paid positions with the National Park Service and other natural resource agencies. Training through classroom, field and on-the-job sessions includes safety, wilderness first aid, general park management, natural and cultural resources management, map, compass and GPS use, field data collection, laboratory analysis of water samples, GIS, data entry and management, and other topics as needed.
Other Information
Interns are responsible for their own transportation to and from the park at the beginning and end of the internship and responsible for their own transportation while not working. Transportation is usually provided during work hours, but may not be available from living quarters to duty stations for the WIC intern. Mount Rainier National Park is a smoke-free working and living environment. Background clearance and a valid driver’s license are required.
Upper division science credit: There are no guarantees of earning upper division science credit, though most or all of the aquatic ecology credit is usually upper division. Depending on the work undertaken, some (or more) of the ecological restoration credit is upper division. The Paradise WIC and archaeology positions generally do not earn upper division science credit.
To apply
Submit a resume that includes 2-3 references (letters of recommendation are not required), at least one of which is from an Evergreen faculty member, and a letter of interest to Jeff Antonelis-Lapp at lappj@evergreen.edu. The application deadline is midnight Friday, February 21, 2020. Finalists will be interviewed on campus the week of March 9. Interns will be selected soon thereafter. For questions or additional information, contact Jeff Antonelis-Lapp.