Biological Intern (BLM Tucson) – AmeriCorps

Biological Intern (BLM Tucson) – AmeriCorps (1 opening)

Conservation Legacy Program: Arizona Conservation Corps

Site Location: BLM Tucson Field Office, 3201 E. Universal Way, Tucson, AZ 85756

Term of Service:

• Start date to be determined. We will reach out to applicants when position timeline becomes clear.

• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hours 

Purpose:

This is an AmeriCorps position with Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC), which is an AmeriCorps program of Conservation Legacy. The member selected for this position will be serving at BLM Tucson Field Office as an AmeriCorps member with Arizona Conservation Corps, and completing service projects for the Tucson Field Office. 

AZCC aims to continue the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930's, and is focused on connecting youth, young adults, and recent era military veterans with communities and conservation service projects on public lands. AZCC operates programs across Arizona that engage individuals and strengthen communities through service and conservation. AZCC has program offices in Flagstaff and Tucson. 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM):

The Bureau of Land Management's mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Congress tasked the BLM with a mandate of managing public lands for a variety of uses such as energy development, livestock grazing, recreation, and timber harvesting while ensuring natural, cultural, and historic resources are maintained for present and future use.

The BLM Tucson Field Office (TFO) manages more than 600,000 acres of desert, mountains, and grasslands within five southeastern Arizona counties and shares the international border with Mexico. The field office is responsible for stewardship of eight National Landscape Conservation System units: San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA), Las Cienegas National Conservation Area (LCNA), Ironwood Forest National Monument, four wilderness areas, 63 miles of river suitable for Wild and Scenic River designation and the Gila River Canyons passage of the Arizona National Scenic Trail. The TFO is tasked with managing habitat for over 30 threatened and endangered species, as well as many unique desert landscapes and ecosystems. It also oversees six properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places and seven Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. Public lands within the Tucson Field Office also provide excellent opportunities for outdoor recreation including world-renowned birding along the San Pedro River. The Tucson Field Office is a part of and shares office space with the BLM Gila District Office.

Description of Duties:

The interns selected for this position would assist biologists with various tasks such as vegetation management/surveys and biological surveys on Las Cienega’s National Conservation Area (LCNCA), the San Pedro National Conservation Area (SPRNCA), and the Ironwood Forest National Monument (IFNM). The Biological Intern will be working closely with the Wildlife Intern.

Tasks may include the following but are not limited to:

• Biological (wildlife/plant) surveys throughout Tucson Field Office focused on wetland and riparian resources such as:
  • Pond vegetation maintenance in the SPRNCA and LCNCA
  • Fish and habitat surveys in LCNCA and SRPRNCA
  • Riparian non-native invasive plant surveys and treatments in LCNCA and SPRNCA
  • Riparian vegetation monitoring in LCNCA and SPRNCA
• Cross training with other resource specialist (hydrology, wildlife, range, archelogy, geology, and recreation) on various projects.

BLM Offered Certifications: defensive driving course and UTV operation course

Other Certifications (if available): Vegetation and soils monitoring training, CPR/First Aid, Chiricahua leopard frog survey training, yellow-billed cuckoo survey training.

Essential Responsibilities and Functions:

• Work alongside biologist and technician to monitor riparian woody vegetation.
• Measure vegetation, record data, and take photos.
• Enter data and draft a report.
• Remove bulrushes at wetland ponds using gas and electric powered weed eaters, or use hand-pull methods if needed.
• Navigate to work sites.
• Monitor native fish species surveys and habitat.
• Perform native fish surveys with biologist.
• Identify fish to sample populations within pool habitat.
• Measure and count fish.
• Assist with data entry and data Quality Control.
• Perform biological surveys focused on watershed restoration.
• Perform special status species surveys, including fish (Gila chub, Gila topminnow, desert pupfish, and desert sucker), and riparian and wetland plants (Huachuca water umbel, Arizona Eryngo).
• Perform vegetation treatments at wetlands and ponds.
• Participate in riparian plant surveys and monitoring.
• Participate in non-native invasive plant surveys.
• Perform invasive plant treatment including spot treatment with herbicide, mechanical, and manual removal methods.

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien.
• At least 18 years of age.
• Valid Driver’s License.
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant, and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the AmeriCorps Education Award.
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Comfortable working outdoors.
• Ability to learn new tasks efficiently.

• Ability to hike up to ten miles on uneven terrain carrying field equipment.
• Field navigation skills.
• Ability to commit to the full term of the internship.
• Background (experience and/or education) in wildlife biology, natural resources, biology, botany, ecology, or related field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Plant ID skills for the Southwest region.
• Interest in aquatic and riparian resource work.
• Pesticide applicator license (not required).

Physical Requirements:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain up to ten miles carrying equipment, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Members may be exposed to working in hot temperatures, slippery conditions when working in water, and spiny plants. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

• This position is expected to serve Monday – Friday, 40 hours per week, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service.
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an Arizona Conservation Corps Individual Placement Program New Member Orientation at start of service that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00 with successful completion of position.
• Living Allowance of $500 per week.

• Additional Benefit of $200 per week.

• Public Lands Corps Certificate*
• Healthcare Coverage provided by The Corps Network and Cigna.
• Childcare Coverage.
• Qualifies for Student Loan forbearance and Interest Payment reimbursement through AmeriCorps.

*To be eligible for a Public Lands Corps certificate, members must be between the ages of 18-30, or up to 35 if a military veteran, inclusive, at the time the individual begins the term of service and must complete 640 service hours or more to qualify.

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service. Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

These positions report to multiple biologists with the Bureau of Land Management’s Tucson Field Office.

With questions, please email Christina Perez, Fisheries Biologist, at crperez@blm.gov or Theresa Condo, Natural Resource Specialist, tcondo@blm.gov

To Apply:  

Please submit a resume and cover letter along with the online application by clicking the APPLY link on this page.

If you have questions, contact AZCC’s Individual Placement Coordinator Preston Sands at psands@conservationlegacy.org. 

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager. 

Salary : $200 - $500