Native Seed Collection Internship

Position Overview: These paid Conservation & Land Management (CLM) positions are available through a cooperative agreement with the US Forest Service, primarily scouting and making collections of native seed on Forest Service land. These collections will be utilized for important Native Plant Materials Development projects, such as seed increase programs and restoration of disturbed areas. When not scouting or collecting seed, there may be opportunities to assist USFS staff on additional tasks, such as rare plant monitoring, wildlife surveys, outreach events, and more. 

Positions are for 4-5 months (19-23 weeks) with a start date of ~6/3. Positions will end in mid-October to mid-November. We are looking to fill positions at the following National Forests or National Grasslands:  

• Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF in Dillon, MT
• Helena-Lewis & Clark NF in Neihart, MT
• Dakota Prairie Grasslands in Lemmon, SD
• Bighorn NF in Sheridan, WY
• San Bernardino NF in San Bernardino, CA
• Eldorado NF in Pollock Pines, CA
• Plumas NF in Oroville, CA
• Malheur NF in John Day, OR

Employees will have access to the USFS office, field vehicles, and will receive training and mentorship from USFS staff. Teams will spend most of their time in the field, and camping hitches may be required to make the best use of travel time.  

The CLM program will host a Training Workshop at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois the week of June 3rd, training on seed collection best practices and providing other professional development opportunities. Travel expenses will be reimbursed for this training. At some locations, FS housing (bunkhouses or apartments) may be provided or available for rent at a reasonable rate.  

Responsibilities: 

• Identify potential seed collection locations of priority species through scouting, analysis of herbarium records, previous seed collections, and vegetation mapping
• Collect herbarium vouchers for each potential collection site, take appropriate photos as instructed for seed certification
• Navigate on backcountry and often rough roads using a 4×4 vehicle
• Monitor phenology of target plant populations to plan and execute collections
• Utilize tablets with GIS software and/or paper data sheets to ensure required population scouting data, seed collection data, and photos are properly recorded
• QA/QC data and share with CBG and USFS
• As part of a team, make seed collections
• Communicate to all parties clearly, effectively and often
• Timely, accurate reporting of time and effort, adherence to all Chicago Botanic Garden policies and procedures for employees, and communication with the Chicago Botanic Garden manager
• Timely completion of reporting deliverables, including data entry and a mid-season and final report
• Contribute monthly blog posts to the CLM blog site

Qualifications 

The ideal candidate will have the following: 

• Degree in Botany, Plant Science, Ecology, Biology, or a related field, or equivalent experience
• Strong plant identification skills (to species) and knowledge of plant taxonomy; strong knowledge of plant biology. Familiarity with plants and ecosystems of the western U.S.
• Experience maintaining accurate and detailed data records (in field and in electronic databases)
• Capable of conducting field work safely in rough terrain in harsh environmental conditions
• Experience hiking and backcountry camping, and the willingness to do so for this position
• Experience driving large field vehicles with 4-wheel drive; driving on gravel and dirt roads
• Wilderness First Aid or other field safety training
• Excellent organization skills and ability to handle several projects and deadlines at once
• Self-starter, independent worker, able to learn new tasks and skills quickly
• Flexible, able to problem solve and adapt to challenges
• Demonstrated ability to maintain good lines of communication between different partners

Physical Demands:  

This position will be primarily based in the field with only occasional office work in the beginning and end of the season. Field work often occurs in remote locations, where cellular connection is unavailable or inconsistent. Field conditions can be extreme: hot summer conditions with potential for heavy rainfall, flash floods, and lightning strikes; high altitude sun exposure; and occasional wildlife encounters (rattlesnakes, bears, etc.). Vegetation monitoring activities, planting, seeding, and watering can be physically demanding due to hiking and stooping and bending for long periods of time.