Habitat Monitoring Intern

September 1, 2025 – December 11, 2025

Are you passionate about the natural resources of coastal Alabama? Interested in exploring a career in conservation and land management? Join our team as a Habitat Monitoring Intern and gain hands-on experience with a nationally accredited land trust.

SALT is seeking two interns for our Fall field season. Interns will work under the direction and supervision of SALT’s Land Conservation Associate to support annual monitoring of our 45 conserved properties, which span nearly 3,000 acres across Baldwin and Mobile Counties in Alabama, and Jackson County in Mississippi. These internship positions are unpaid, but SALT will reimburse mileage for travel to and from field sites at the federal reimbursement rate.

Interns will receive training in plant identification, habitat assessments, the use of GPS and GIS applications, and ecological data entry and quality control.

Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct inspections of conserved properties, typically by following a designated route through the land.
• Identify and document environmental issues such as evidence of trespassing, dumping, presence of invasive species, etc., using ArcGIS Survey123.
• Write property monitoring reports following each site visit.
• Serve on the flight crew during habitat inspection drone flights.

Interns will work in teams of two, with a flexible schedule averaging 5-10 hours/week.

Special Considerations: Many properties are remote and lack trails. Technicians must be comfortable working in rugged conditions where physical and biological hazards, including venomous snakes, ticks, tripping hazards, and inclement weather, may be present.

Required Qualifications

• Associate’s degree (or at least two years of college coursework).
• Valid driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle.
• Strong interest in the ecology, landscapes, and conservation of south Alabama.
• Excellent physical condition: able to walk up to 5 miles in dense forest and perform repetitive motions such as stooping and bending.
• Strong sense of responsibility and situational awareness in the field.
• Smartphone with camera, GPS, and mobile data (cellular network) capabilities.
• Computer or tablet capable of running Microsoft Word.

Desired Skills/Experience

• College coursework in ecology, biology, environmental science, forestry, or a related field.
• Familiarity with south Alabama’s invasive plant species.
• Experience with ESRI ArcGIS apps such as Survey123, QuickCapture, and Field Maps
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365, including SharePoint, Excel, and Word.