February 2017 - USGS Internship Announcement - Los Alamos, NM

New Mexico Landscapes Field Station Ecosystems Science Internship The NEW MEXICO LANDSCAPES FIELD STATION is an interagency research and management partnership between the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Park Service (NPS) located at BANDELIER NATIONAL MONUMENT in northern New Mexico. The Field Station is organized through the FORT COLLINS SCIENCE CENTER ECOSYSTEMS DYNAMICS BRANCH and receives partial funding through the WESTERN MOUNTAIN INITIATIVE. We use long-term monitoring, tree-rings, short-term field studies, and remote sensing data to research climate and land-use-history driven changes to the ecological systems of the Pajarito Plateau and the mountains of northern New Mexico. Because of our partnership and colocation with Bandelier we are able to interpret our research findings to land managers through high quality conversations about landscape patterns and processes and work to develop strategies to maintain or restore keystone ecosystem function. We are seeking a hard working individual interested in ecological research and the interface between science and management to serve as our 2017 Ecosystems Science Intern through the ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS PROGRAM, part of Conservation Legacy based in Durango, CO.

Position Description The Intern will work closely with USGS researchers and NPS managers to conduct ecological field studies related to long and short-term ecosystem response following multiple disturbances (e.g. drought, fire) in the beautiful high desert and mountains of northern New Mexico. Work is primarily field-based and highly varied, with numerous opportunities to assist scientists from different disciplines in their research. Annually, this work involves a variety of methods including: post-fire succession research, vegetation transects, air quality monitoring, and tree growth measurements. In 2017, the intern will provide support for tree-ring-based fire history studies in the Jemez and southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains as well as long-term ecological monitoring in and adjacent to Bandelier National Monument. He/She will also be expected to enter and process data collected during field studies and will have the opportunity to develop skills in GIS and exploratory data analysis, plant identification, tree-ring research, and navigation in mountainous terrain. The internship involves hiking and navigating across rugged terrain with a heavy backpack, rustic camping, woodshop work, and regular computer use.

February 2017 - USGS Internship Announcement - Los Alamos, NM

Location The New Mexico Landscapes Field Station is located at Bandelier National Monument outside Los Alamos, New Mexico. We regularly perform work in the Jemez Mountains and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains outside of Santa Fe, NM.

Duration There are two internship opportunities, one lasts six months and the other twelve months, with flexible start dates between early April and midMay 2017. To complete the internship and receive an AmeriCorps award the intern must complete a minimum of 900 hours of service.

Duties

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Participate in various field studies, involving: tree-ring fire history/forest structure reconstructions, weekly tree growth measurements, regional air quality, long-term vegetation changes, piñon-juniper demography, post-fire/disturbance successional research

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Preparation of wood samples for dendroecological analyses including tree increment cores and fire-scarred cross sections

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Data entry using multiple data management programs

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Potential for individual & unique research project related to applied historical ecology and landscape change

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Understanding of ecological processes of semiarid landscapes Ability to hike long distances across rugged terrain to remote study locations, often offtrail, through brush and downed logs Ability to identify trees, shrubs, grasses and forbs of SW forests and uplands Interest in working with power tools in a woodshop setting including bandsaw, belt sander, jigsaw, and hand planer Willingness to learn dendrochronological techniques for dating fire history samples Willingness to camp in rural or backcountry settings Experience with maps, compass, GPS devices, ArcMap, Google Earth, and digital cartography Course Work: Ecology, Botany, Forestry, Statistics, Geology/Soils, Landscape Geomorphology, or similar

Benefits $300/week cost of living stipend Housing at Bandelier National Monument, or housing stipend provided Opportunities to interact with USGS, NPS, and University researchers $2,865 AmeriCorps education award (upon completion of 900 service hours)

Desired Qualifications

How to Apply

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Email resume and short cover letter (<400 words) to Lane Johnson [email protected] Please email with any questions. Applications due no later than Sunday, March 12th, 2017.

BS/BA in Environmental Sciences, Forestry, Biology, Geography, or related field of study