BLM Fisheries Intern

Fisheries Intern – AmeriCorps (3 openings)

Conservation Legacy Program: Arizona Conservation Corps

Site Location: Bureau of Land Management, 711 S. 14th Avenue, Safford, AZ 85546

Term of Service:

• Start Date: 5/19/2025
• End Date: 4/24/2026
• 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 the Safford, AZ BLM office as an AmeriCorps member with Arizona Conservation Corps, and completing service projects for the Bureau of Land Management.

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. 

Partner Agency:

The BLM Safford Field Office (SFO) manages 1.4 million acres of deserts, mountains and grasslands in six eastern Arizona counties and another 118,000 acres of rangelands in New Mexico in cooperation with the BLM Las Cruces District Office. Its boundaries range from the Navajo Nation in the north to the international boundary with Mexico in the south. There are eight units within BLM’s National Landscape Conservation System, including the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area, six wilderness areas, including the world-renowned Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness and one wilderness study area. 

Public lands in this field office also include 11 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, Muleshoe Ranch Cooperative Management Area, Black Hills Back Country Byway, Willcox Playa National Natural Landmark, Guadalupe Canyon Outstanding Natural Area, one property on the National Register of Historic Places and more than 30 miles of stream segments under consideration for Wild & Scenic River designation. 

The Safford Field Office and partners have been working to gather current and accurate information on the distribution and abundance of non-native fish species on BLM managed public lands. The information is then used to target removal efforts in those habitats supporting non-native predatory fish.

Description of Duties:

Working under the Fisheries Biologist, the selected interns will assist with fish habitat improvement in the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area and Aravaipa Ecosystem Management Area, which includes the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness, and will be helping to secure four federally endangered fish populations and populations of five sensitive fish species that are currently being impacted by non-native fish. Through their involvement, the interns will learn about conservation practices and invasive species management.

Projects that the interns will be involved with are designed to help conserve, restore, and improve habitat conditions for native, sensitive, and listed fish species, and include the mechanical removal of invasive and non-native aquatic species, helping prevent the spread and establishment of invasive species through the promotion of ecosystem health, recording and entering of data, monitoring of water quality, and other assigned projects.

These projects will help strengthen partnerships with federal, state, city, and non-governmental organizations that collaborate on behalf of desert fishes’ conservation. The interns’ efforts will help protect biodiversity, preserve natural resources, and ensure the long-term sustainability of ecosystems.

Training will be provided for the interns in fish identification, plant identification, field safety, use and care of fisheries equipment, use of Hydrolab, 4-wheel drive vehicle safety, data collection and recording, and technical writing.

Interns may need to camp overnight for periods of 4 to 5 days at a time, with these trips occurring up to three weeks each month.

Essential Responsibilities and Functions:

• Work with BLM Fisheries Biologist and contractors on mechanical removal of non-native fish using traps, nets, and backpack electrofishing.
• Review and summarize data and conduct quality control.
• Perform data entry, validation, and verification.
• Conduct statistical analysis of data and create written reports.
• Enter data into field office database.
• Utilize Hydrolab equipment to monitor water quality.
• Conduct mechanical removal of invasive vegetation with hand tools.
• Perform seeding and native vegetation plantings.
• Install erosion control blankets and rockwork

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien.
• At least 18 years of age.
• 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 education award.
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• A Bachelor of Science degree in fisheries or wildlife.
• Possessing professionalism, a strong work ethic, and positive attitude.
• Basic knowledge of fish biology, ecology, and fish identification.
• Ability to work in varied and often adverse weather conditions.
• Ability to work safely in a field environment with attention to detail.
• Applicants must pass a criminal history check prior to starting in order to participate in AmeriCorps.
• The selected member must initiate the DOI background clearance process prior to starting position.
• Must be 21 or over, ORhave had driver’s license for at least 3 years if under 21.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in fisheries, aquatic science, or closely related field and six months or more of fisheries related field experience.
• A background in aquatic/biological sciences is desired, but not necessary if candidate is willing and motivated to learn more about desert fishes and aquatic and riparian habitats.
• Applicants must be able to proficiently demonstrate adherence to strict data collection standards and independently provide quality control.
• Other important skills can be learned on the job.

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, 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. Ability to walk/hike over rough and/slippery terrain up to 15-miles a day carrying up to 50-pounds. 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:

• Typically, 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 $600 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:

This position reports to Heidi Blasius, Fisheries Biologist, Bureau of Land Management.

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.