Start/End Dates: November 3,  2023 – November 2024

Compensation: $475 per week + housing on park grounds

Application Due: October 8, 2023

The Golden Gate Internship Program seeks to engage ethnically and racially diverse young professionals in natural resource careers.

* A valid driver’s license is required for this position

Please Apply Here

Position Description: 

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) is seeking a motivated intern to support natural resource management projects in San Mateo County, located in the San Francisco Bay Area. GGNRA is a destination for both local and international visitors with its sweeping vistas, immense biological diversity, and unique cultural resources. The intern will work with National Park Service staff, partners, and volunteers in a variety of habitats, from coastal prairies to redwood forests, to support conservation of federally protected plants, animals, and sensitive ecosystems. Primary activities for this internship include:

• Assist with planning and implementation of habitat restoration and revegetation field work.
• Control invasive plant species using hand tools, power tools, and herbicide if qualified.
• Perform volunteer or contractor oversight during vegetation management work.
• Map vegetation and rare or invasive and plant populations using GPS data recorders; analyze and display mapped features using GIS technology.
• Monitor threatened and endangered wildlife including California red-legged frog, San Bruno elfin butterfly, and mission blue butterfly. 
• Monitor rare and endangered plant populations and butterfly host plants.
• Monitor large wildlife camera grid.
• Assist with mission blue butterfly translocation project.
• Collect and enter data and perform quality control for monitoring and work performed. 
• Assist with reporting of monitoring, restoration actions, and experiments performed.
• Drive truck to/from work sites.
• Maintain tools and equipment.

Work Products: Key deliverables of the internship 

• Stewardship – Seeding and container planting to restore coastal prairie and wetland habitats; installation of erosion control measures, installation of experimental planting plots, control of a variety of invasive plants.
• Data collection and management – Recording, mapping, and updating of monitoring and work performed in GPS/GIS, databases, and spreadsheets.
• Program support – Tool cleaning and maintenance; coordinating schedules and events; attending relevant meetings and trainings regularly.

Qualifications:

• A love of nature and physical outdoor work in a wide variety of environmental conditions (inclement weather, off-trail, steep slopes, dense vegetation, etc.)
• Interest in resource management, ecological restoration, endangered species stewardship, and plant identification.
• Basic computer literacy, Microsoft Word, and Excel.
• Ability to work independently and take on a leadership role as needed.
• Desire to work in a small team and to work with a diversity of people with different backgrounds, ethnicity, races, genders, sexualities, ages, and viewpoints.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Must be in good physical condition (ability to carry up to 30 pounds).
• A valid driver’s license and good driving record.

Desired: 

• Education and/or experience in environmental science, ecology, biology, botany, GIS, data science, or photography. 
• Experience in technical writing.
• CPR/First Aid, Wilderness First Aid
• Interest in obtaining a California herbicide applicator certification

Mentoring: 

The intern will work closely with the primary and secondary supervisor on a daily basis for the duration of the internship. On days where the mentor is not accompanying the intern, the mentor will be available via phone or other means of communication.

Learning Goals: 

• Gain natural resource management experience in habitat restoration, vegetation and wildlife monitoring, and invasive plant control. 

• Learn about the ecology, flora, and fauna of coastal California.
• Gain experience in digital field data collection, GIS, and databases.
• Participate in professional development and networking through park trainings and work with other park programs.
• Increase skills in time management/planning
• Learn about field safety procedures.

EEO Statement

Environment for the Americas provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.