Restoration Intern

The Alameda County Resource Conservation District seeks motivated applicants ready for hands-on training and field work to join our Living Arroyos internship program.

BACKGROUND:
The Alameda County Resource Conservation District (ACRCD) is a non-regulatory special district that works to support local preservation, conservation, and restoration efforts on private and public lands. Managed by the ACRCD, Living Arroyos is a multi-agency partnership that includes the Zone 7 Water Agency and the cities of Dublin, Livermore, and Pleasanton. Since 2013, Living Arroyos has worked to maintain and enhance the urban streams and streamside habitats of the Livermore-Amador valley through restoration projects. The program also works with partners to engage the community in volunteer clean-up and planting events.

POSITION SUMMARY:
Restoration Interns assist with Living Arroyos restoration projects along Tri-Valley stream reaches including tasks such as invasive species removal, watering plantings, installing native plants, monitoring plant survival, and hosting volunteer trash cleanup events. The position provides an opportunity to learn riparian restoration techniques, maintenance techniques, leadership, and outreach skills. Interns are also exposed to a variety of other conservation projects through the ACRCD, including urban farm maintenance, soil monitoring, vegetation monitoring, wildlife surveys, and additional ACRCD outreach events.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work as part of a small team under the direction of the Living Arroyos Program Manager.
• Learn and apply stream maintenance techniques such as invasive removal.
• Implement native planting plans, maintain restoration sites and drip irrigation systems.
• Hand water project sites during the dry season and conduct seasonal vegetation monitoring.
• Assist in leading groups of volunteers.
• Work with hand tools, and power equipment such as string trimmers, augers, and water trailers.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Interest in natural resources management, restoration, and ecology.
• Ability to work on a team with diverse interests, backgrounds, and communication styles.
• Physically able to work in the field (climbing in and out of streams, lifting ability up to 25 pounds, hiking over uneven terrain, planting) during all seasons.
• Connection to the Tri-Valley as a past or present resident of the area or student at local Tri-Valley college.
• Current college student, within 2 years of graduation, or interested in career switch.
• Able to work a flexible schedule Monday-Friday, and the occasional Saturday for events.

POSITION SPECIFICS:
The Restoration Intern position is part-time, around 15-30 hours per week depending on workload and project need. The position is largely field-based. Project sites are located throughout the Livermore-Amador Valley with the base of operations at the ACRCD office in Livermore. Staff are required to have transportation to office.
Hourly pay is $20/hour.