Botany Support Specialist Intern

Title: Botany Support Specialist Intern (2 openings)

Start/End Date: August 5, 2024 – February 14, 2025 (anticipated)

Living Stipend: $580/week

Additional Housing Allowance: $325/week  

Term: Full-time, 40 hours/week, 28 weeks

Location: Bureau of Land Management (BLM) – Carlsbad Field Office (CFO)

(620 East Greene St Carlsbad, NM 88220)

Status: 900-hour AmeriCorps Service Term (60% field work and 40% office work)

Benefits: $2,000 travel/training funds; AmeriCorps education award up to $3,447 and Public Lands Corps Certificate* that allows for competitive hiring for USA jobs/government jobs*- both with successful completion of the internship; eligible for health insurance.

AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps provides opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds to serve their country, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, and improve lives and communities. Environmental stewardship programs help conserve natural habitats, improve energy efficiency, protect clean air and water, and help to mitigate the effects of climate change among other environmental efforts.

Conservation Corps New Mexico (CCNM)

Conservation Corps New Mexico, a program of Conservation Legacy and AmeriCorps partner, aims to continue the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930’s. CCNM is focused on connecting youth, young adults, and recent era military veterans with conservation service work projects on public lands. CCNM operates programs across southern New Mexico and western Texas that engage individuals and strengthen communities through service and conservation. The CCNM Las Cruces office manages the Individual Placement Program.

Mentorship

These Individual Placement Positions are unique development opportunities. Interns are paired with a local supervisor and gain technical, hands-on experience in the work of these organizations or agencies. Site supervisors commit to facilitate career development; provide an introduction to numerous pathways within the conservation field; and create accessible, meaningful, learning opportunities and experiences for interns.

Position Summary

The Bureau of Land Management in partnership with Conservation Corps New Mexico seeks to fill a need for two Botany Specialist Interns out of the Carlsbad BLM Field Office. The successful applicants will provide support to the Botany Program including, but not limited to support field-going Botany crews, assist with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) actions, and monitor/manage for Special Status Plant Species (SSPS).

Duties:  

• Assist CFO Botany Department with various aspects of the Botany Program on an as-needed basis.
• Assist CFO Botany Department with designing and implementing monitoring projects for Threatened and Endangered plant species.
• Provide SSPS identification training to project leads, interns, and third-party contractors.
• Provide support (logistics, plant ID, field support) to field-going Botany crews, including Seeds of Success (SOS), Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM), and SSPS Survey crews.
• Work with project leads, third-party contractors, operators, and seasonal staff to identify and communicate need for SSPS surveys.
• Help write NEPA language and mitigation measures for Environmental Assessments.
• Analyze data from various Botany crews and provide statistical summaries for various needs within the Carlsbad Field Office.
• Manage for QA/QC of SSPS database in ArcGIS Pro.
• Enter Botany data into ArcGIS Pro database.

The selected individual will work with BLM staff under the mentorship of Conservation Corps New Mexico and the BLM field office botanist. This position is intended to be a high-level botany specialist intern with the ability and skillset to provide botanical expertise for a variety of applications. In many ways, this position will overlap with the BLM Botanist, and will occasionally share duties or tasks in order to keep up with the fast-paced work environment of the Carlsbad Field Office. In some respects, this role is also intended to be the field-going counterpart of the BLM Botanist. Interns must provide their own personal transportation to the duty office; however, the intern will be provided a vehicle for use between the office and the field. No housing will be provided.

 Essential Responsibilities and Functions:

• Work with BLM Botanist and Botany crews to study and collect data for Carlsbad Field Office.
• Provide botanical expertise to Carlsbad Field Office.
• Alongside BLM Botanist, represent BLM Botany Program in interdisciplinary team contexts.
• Assist with identification of plants and local community flora.
• Assist with a variety of Botanical protocols and monitoring efforts.
• Assist with data entry and travel preparation.
• Assist other natural resource staff with project implementation.

Qualifications:

• Per federal grant requirements, this internship is for young adults between the ages of 18-30 (35 for veterans), inclusive, at the time the individual begins term of service.
• Applicants should possess an undergraduate degree in biology, ecology, or a related field OR have equivalent experience in a related job field.
• Experience with plant identification and using technical keys.
• Minimum of one field season experience with preference given for Seeds of Success (SOS), Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) and/or rare plant monitoring programs
• Experience with ArcGIS Pro and various ESRI data collection applications (Survey123, Field Maps, Collector).
• Field navigation skills and experience using GPS software.
• Ability to drive a 4-wheel drive truck on rugged gravel or dirt roads.
• Experience with data entry and data management.
• Familiarity with flora of Southwestern U.S (preferred).
• Applicants must pass a DOI security background check and should possess a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to hike and camp in rough, uneven terrain in high summer temperatures (mid-90’s to above 100 degrees F).
• To successfully perform essential functions, the individual is required to sit, stand, walk, speak, hear, etc. May be required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl for significant periods of time and be able to safely lift 50 pounds on a routine basis. He/she must be able to operate office equipment, telephone, and computer and reach with hands and arms.
• Monsoonal rains can create unseen flash floods in washes and streams. Must be willing to work through some precipitation events.
• This position calls for high levels of concentration. A moderate amount of travel is required to attend meetings, aid other field offices, and to provide or receive training.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Participation and Expedition Behavior:

• Flexibility, critical thinking skills, and the ability to problem-solve and think outside the box are all highly valued.
• Demonstrate leadership skills and ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
• Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept
• Contribute to a safe learning environment, no harassment of others for any reason.
• Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training, and national service.
• Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues, and organization staff.
• Appropriately represent Conservation Corps New Mexico, the BLM and AmeriCorps to the public and partners at all times.
• Demonstrate flexibility, adaptability, and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment.

Safety and Judgment: 

• Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance. Must be able to do so at a distance of up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high winds.
• Effectively perceive and understand significant and apparent hazards and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute techniques to manage hazards. These directions may be given before the hazard is encountered or may need to be given during the exposure to the hazard. Ability to respond appropriately to stress or crises.
• Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions.
• If taking prescription medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self- medicating without assistance from others.

Background Check:

A DOI background clearance must be completed before the selected candidate may report for duty. The BLM will provide instructions for completion of the clearance after an intern has been selected and will notify them when they have been cleared to start the internship. This process will determine the internship’s exact start date.

Interns will have access to government facilities and systems, and will be supplied with access to gov’t vehicles, equipment, and materials needed to work on the projects and activities as outlined above. Interns must adhere to all government regulations and policies for operating equipment, vehicles, security awareness, and safety including attending necessary trainings and virtual education where necessary.  

Substance Free:

In accordance with a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in program activities and while on organization property. 

*To be eligible for a Public Lands Corps certificate, member must be between the ages of 18-30, inclusive, at the time the individual begins the term of service.

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, political affiliation, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, 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 a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.