Biology Jobs

Internship Announcement-Catskill NYC Watersheds Invasive Species Intern Student Conservation Association Internship (Position 9173)

Start date: 06/01/09
End date: 11/02/09
Flexible within 1-2 weeks of start or end date

Office Location: Kingston, NY

To apply for this position: Catskill NYC Watersheds Invasive Species Intern

Work with staff from Eastern New York Chapter of The Nature Conservancy and New York City Department of Environmental Protection to abate the threat of invasive forest insects and plant species in the Catskills Mountains. Invasive insect and plant species pose significant threats to the long-term viability of forest and aquatic ecosystems in the Catskills by displacing native species and altering ecosystem properties. The intern will work as a member of an early detection and rapid response (EDRR) team to identify and map invasive forest insect and invasive plant occurrences, and control priority invasive plants. The EDRR team will serve as the frontline defense in protecting the Catskills from new invading species. The position will work in a variety of settings in the Catskills, ranging from mapping and controlling invasive occurrences in the backcountry of the forest preserve to detecting occurrences that are moving into the region. The Catskill Mountains Invasive Species Intern will be supervised by the Eastern New York Chapter’s Ecological Management Coordinator in conjunction with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection Invasive Species Coordinator.

Description of Region: The Catskill Park is a mountainous region of public and private lands in southeastern New York containing ninety-eight peaks over 3,000 feet high that form an impressive skyline. Almost 300,000 acres have been protected as Forest Preserve within the park. The northern hardwood forests of the Catskill region contain a diversity of ecological systems based on unique soils, elevation and microclimates. The forests of the Catskill Mountains contain rare plants and animals and also serve as the source of drinking water for nine million consumers in New York City and surrounding areas. Within the Catskill region, the New York City west-of -Hudson watersheds occupy approximately 1 million acres. NYC DEP owns about 115,000 acres of watershed land. After more than a century of land protection, the Catskill Mountain region represents one of the greatest opportunities to preserve large unfragmented forest systems in the northeast, which species such as coyotes, bears, bobcats, minks and fishers call home.

Requirements: Enrollment in or completion of B.S. degree program in biological sciences or natural resources related field or comparable experience. Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail. Sound judgment and problem-solving skills. Ability to work independently with little or no day-to-day supervision. Ability to work as part of a team with other interns and volunteers. Willingness to work with herbicides. Drivers license and personal vehicle. US citizen.

Desired Skills: Familiarity with GPS and ArcGIS software; Invasive species management; Experience collecting biological monitoring data in the field helpful; Familiarity with insects and New York flora helpful.

Training will be offered in: Plant and insect identification, Geographical Positioning Systems, ArcGIS, invasive species control techniques.

Duties: Coordinate survey of forested sites for presence of Asian Longhorned Beetle – 20%; B) Conduct invasive forest insect and plant outreach activities – 10%; C) Map invasive insect and plant occurrences using Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) – 25%; D) Control invasive plants using a variety of mechanical and chemical control techniques – 15%; E) Enter and summarize invasive survey data – 10%; F) Assist with other duties as appropriate – 5%; G) Participate in all SCA Corps-wide training and service projects including project evaluation and reporting (15%).

Barbara Dibeler
Landscape Ecologist-Invasive Species Coordinator NYC DEP
71 Smith Avenue
Kingston, NY 12401
Ph: 845.340.7856
Fax: 845.338.1296

TITLE: Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Steward
LOCATION: Oswego & Jefferson Counties, NY
DURATION: May 20 – Approximately September 7, 2009
APPLICATION DEADLINE: ongoing until positions are filled

SUMMARY of POSITION:
Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Stewards are responsible for public outreach (education), patrol, and
site maintenance on beaches within the 17 mile Eastern Lake Ontario Dunes and Wetlands System in Oswego and Jefferson Counties, NY. Stewards will be assigned primary responsibility for specific sites managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, and The Nature Conservancy. Assigned sites will include one or more of the following: El Dorado Nature Preserve, Black Pond Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Lakeview WMA, Sandy Pond Beach Natural Area, and Deer Creek Marsh WMA.

Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Stewards will each develop a media project under the supervision of the Steward Coordinator and the New York Sea Grant Great Lakes Activities Publicist. Each project will include a newspaper article, public outreach program, and a project summary paper complete with photos. Topics related to the Eastern Lake Ontario Dunes and Wetlands Area can be considered for this project. The Steward Coordinator has the final determination in topic appropriateness.

Dune Stewards are required to work all weekends and holidays. One weekend off will be arranged
during the season. Dune Stewards will submit weekly written reports of daily work completed,
problems encountered, and a summary of weekly duties performed to the Steward Coordinator. Dune Stewards are supervised by the Steward Coordinator and supervise no other employees; however, supervision of volunteers may be required. Successful candidates are expected to wear a uniform (provided) while on duty.

The Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Steward & Salmon River Steward Program is managed by New York Sea Grant in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Parks, and The Nature Conservancy.

Duties include but are not limited to the following:
1. Conduct one-on-one onsite public education, interpretive field trips, monitor dune sites, prepare media project, educational materials, press releases and other materials as requested.
2. Educate the public regarding the significance of the natural resources of the Eastern Lake Ontario Dunes and Wetlands Area and the importance of the regulations that are vital to their protection through discussions, handouts, and presentations.
3. Educate the public regarding current topics that could influence the fragile dunes and wetlands along the shoreline of Lake Ontario.
4. Conduct informal and formal outreach programs in the local community.
5. Maintain the site and site facilities (signs, fencing and walkovers) and work with other staff as
requested. Site maintenance includes repairing and when necessary relocating fencing and signs, dune restoration, exotic species control and regular beach clean up.
6. Provide support for an existing volunteer network.
7. Monitor human visitation patterns, dune condition, and progress of restoration plantings, and wildlife usage. Stewards report these data in a timely fashion according to prescribed protocols.
8. Meet regularly with the other Stewards and the Steward Coordinator to coordinate system-wide activities, exchange information, raise issues, and explore solutions to problems.

Knowledge/Skills:
1. Mature personality with excellent interpersonal communication skills. Must have the ability to
successfully present information and communicate ideas to a diverse audience, and to react in a
positive, proactive manner in confrontational circumstances.
2. Minimum 2 years combined education and experience in environmental education, natural resources management, biology, environmental studies, or a related field preferred. Familiarity with Eastern Lake Ontario flora and fauna (including shorebird) identification preferred but not necessary.
3. Ability to work independently and responsibly with minimal supervision.
4. Excellent technical writing skills preferred.
5. Ability to accurately collect and summarize data according to established protocol.
6. Willingness to work all weekends and holidays.
7. Valid driver’s license. Must provide own transportation to work sites and meeting locations.
8. Ability to perform tasks requiring physical exertion and walk up to 8 miles per day in soft sand.
9. Ability to use a small motorboat and canoe preferred.
10. Enthusiasm about protecting a unique and fragile ecosystem!!!!!

Additional Notes:
Graduate students are encouraged to apply and use this opportunity to conduct their research. If you are interested in exploring the possibility of earning college credit (undergraduate/graduate) while gaining valuable employment experience, please apply.

Hourly Wage: $10/hour; 35 hours/week *
PLEASE SEND COVER LETTER, RESUME, & CONTACT INFORMATION FOR 5 REFERENCES TO:

Mary Penney Email: mp357@cornell.edu
NY Sea Grant Phone: 315-312-3042
SUNY Oswego
Oswego, NY 13126

*pending funding

Field Technicians needed to begin mid-April 2009 to assess the impact of wind turbines on birds and bats. Work will be through private contract with consulting firm. Own field vehicle is required with paid mileage. Housing may be provided. This is a temporary position that will require a commitment until November 15, 2009.

Accepting applicants for two locations: Ellenburg, NY and Bliss, NY
Salary: Hourly
Qualifications: Field experience, rabies vaccination or post vaccination titer, Bird and/or Bat ID skills and AAS or BS preferred. Applicant must be physically fit and will need to maintain concentration while searching over long distances in heat, wind and cold

Please send resume and three work related references to:
Linda Slobodnik
lmsconsulting@yahoo.com

Description: General internship in a wholesale native wetland plant nursery

Start date: May 18, 2009
Length of Internship: 12-15 weeks; 40 hours/week
Hourly wage: $9.00

Applicant requirements: At least 2 years of college with focus in horticulture, botany, plant science, or a related field; strong interest in ecological restoration.

Application deadline: March 23, 2009

Environmental Concern’s Wholesale Native Wetland Plant Nursery has been providing quality native plants for successful wetland restoration projects for 35 years. We are seeking two summer interns who are interested in developing skills in the horticulture and nursery industry and share a passion for native plants and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay.

Interns will receive specific training in native plant propagation and plant health care, and gain work experience in the wholesale native plant nursery industry. They will work along side other nursery staff and will work closely with nursery management to develop one independent research project. Interns may also have the opportunity to participate in outplanting and environmental education projects with EC’s Restoration and Education Departments.

Who should apply: Applicants must have completed at least 2 years of college with a focus/strong interest in horticulture, botany, plant science, or a related field and should be capable of rigorous outdoor work, including lifting up to 50 lbs. Applicants also need reliable transportation to and from work each day.

Please send cover letter and resume to:
Environmental Concern Inc.
Attn: Leslie Hunter-Cario
P.O. Box P
St. Michaels, MD 21663
Phone: (410) 745-9620
Fax: (410) 745-3517
horticulture@wetland.org

Program Description: The MRGP offers 2 internship positions for undergraduate students interested in the conservation and management of protected areas in urbanizing landscapes. Interns will work alongside staff and graduate students on a variety of research studies including camera trapping and radio-tracking of white-tailed deer, monitoring screech owl populations, amphibian surveys, and more (see www.mianus.org). Interns will also be responsible for assisting high school students conducting ecological studies through our Wildlife Technician Program. Interns will have the opportunity to take 2-3 field trips to institutions such as the American Museum of Natural History for behind the scenes tours. Located in northern Westchester County, the MRGP is one hour north of NYC and one hour south of the Hudson Highlands and Catskill Mountains.

Each internship lasts for a period of 6-8 weeks (June-July). Interns will receive a stipend of $100/week.

Applicant Eligibility: All undergraduate students are eligible to apply. While we do not require applicants to major in a particular discipline, exposure to the fields of ecology or environmental science is helpful. Students must like to work outside, enjoy working both alone and as a member of a team, and demonstrate independent thinking. An off-site apartment is available rent-free; however, interns must have their own vehicle.

Application Process: Please fill-out the application (www.mianus.org) and submit along with 1 letter of recommendation and your CV/resume. Deadline March 15, 2009. Applicants may be contacted for a phone interview. All applicants will be notified of their acceptance by April 15, 2009.

Applications can be submitted by e-mail: mweckel@mianus.org
Questions: Contact Mark Weckel @ 914-234-3455

The Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary has one position open for an undergraduate intern to help with an on-going study of mud turtle (Kinosternum subrubrum) ecology and habitat use. Mud turtles are small, omnivorous turtles that divide their time between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The objectives of our study are to determine how adult male and female turtles differ in their use of habitat space. We track turtles using radio telemetry and GPS devices in freshwater tidal wetlands on the Patuxent River estuary in central Maryland.

The Sanctuary is a 1,500 acre ecological field station and environmental education center in southern Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The Sanctuary is operated by the county parks department and is a member of the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.To learn more about the Sanctuary visit www.jugbay.org.

Applicants should enjoy fieldwork and should be able to tolerate long hours in the field under hot, wet and muddy conditions. It helps to have a high degree of self-motivation. In addition to helping with turtle studies, the intern also helps with bird banding, reptile surveys, a BioBlitz, fish seining, and water quality studies. The intern will carry out an independent research project on some aspect of mud turtle ecology. At the end of the season in August, the intern gives an oral presentation and turns in a written report on their independent project. Interns work under the supervision of Sanctuary Director Chris Swarth. The Friends of Jug Bay, Anne Arundel County, and the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve provide the funding for this project.

Qualifications: Applicant must be a life science major at the junior or senior level (recent graduates are okay). Previous ecological field research is a plus.

Work schedule: May 1 to August 15. An earlier state date will also work. Interns work 5 days/week. Occasional weekend work and evening work is required.

Housing: There is no on-site housing. Interns will need to find their own housing. The Sanctuary is 18 miles south of Annapolis and 15 miles east of Washington, DC.

Stipend Award: $3,600.

Application Procedure: Please send a cover letter with statement of goals and explaining why you want the position; resume detailing education and work experience; transcripts (need not be “official”); and the names and email addresses of 3 references. Send application materials to: Chris Swarth, Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, 1361 Wrighton.
Rd., Lothian, MD 20711, or by email to cswarth@jugbay.org.

Deadlines: Application materials must be received by March 20.

The USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland is seeking to hire 5 to 6 full-time temporary Biological Science Technicians for summer 2009 to assist in running several large-scale wildlife monitoring programs. Students interested in working with biological data related to wildlife surveys are encouraged to apply.

Please refer to these websites for more information about these programs:
www.pwrc.usgs.gov/naamp
www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs
www.pwrc.usgs.gov/point
www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl

Applications deadline:
Please send cover letter and resume by: March 9, 2009

Statement of Work 2009

1. Types of Services Required: Assist in maintaining one of several wildlife monitoring databases: North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (NAAMP), North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), the Bird Point Count Database, and Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL). Duties include: working with wildlife survey data, performance of quality assurance and quality control procedures on biological data, assisting with database management, photocopying and filing, preparation of maps, graphs, charts and other materials for web pages, and assisting in preparation of administrative correspondence.

2. Required Expertise/Skills:
Applicants must be currently enrolled at an accredited college or university. Preference given to majors related to these positions, such as biology, wildlife management, or similar. Preference given to applicants with knowledge of computer software used to summarize and visualize data, with a strong interest in learning more (i.e. Excel, Access, ArcGIS). Applicants must have good communication skills and be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing. Knowledge of distributions and natural histories of North American birds and/or amphibians is not required, but considered a plus.

3. Description of Working Conditions: These are full-time (8 hours/day, 40 hours/week), temporary positions. Work will be performed in an office environment located on the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center campus in Laurel, MD. Extended periods of computer use will be required.

4. Compensation: Compensation is commensurate with level of education and experience, salary range is: GS-3 is $12.69, GS-4 is $14.25/hr and GS-5 is $15.94.

Student is responsible for all costs of transportation to and from the principal duty station location. The Government does not provide housing, meals or other living expenses while working at the principal duty station. Travel away from the duty station is not expected.

5. Principal Duty Station: USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, 12100 Beech forest Road, Laurel, Maryland 20708-4038. Student may enter building only during business hours or when project manager is present.

Number of Students Required: 5 to 6
Estimated hours per position: 500
Approximate Start Date: 26 May 2009
Approximate End Date: 31 August 2009
We are flexible on start and end dates to accommodate the academic schedule of selected applicants.

Send resume and letter of interest to:
Linda Weir, Wildlife Biologist, lweir@usgs.gov

2009 Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates in “Biological Responses to the Environment from Genes to the Ecosystem” is available at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV, in forest soils and forest biogeochemistry, among many other topics. This is an NSF-supported summer research program for undergraduate students who are interested in careers in environmental biology, ecology, or plant biology. Students receive a stipend, room and board, and travel allowance. Application deadline is March 31, and start date is May 25. For more information on this program, and application materials, interested students should go to:
http://reu.as.wvu.edu

Wildlife and Climate Change Internship (Summer 2009; Plymouth, MA) Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences

Description: The primary role of the intern is to complete a database that details life history characteristics of species of concern as relevant to climate change. See overall project description: http://www.manomet.org/projects1.html. This involves data management (Excel, Access), literature review, interacting with wildlife biologists, and associated tasks. Depending on qualifications, the intern may also contribute to other projects related to climate change impacts on wildlife/ecosystems. The intern will also have the opportunity to occasionally participate in other programs at Manomet (e.g. passerine banding, fieldwork). The internship is an excellent opportunity to participate in and contribute to science-based conservation planning and implementation.

Qualifications and Requirements: B.S. or equivalent in Biology, Ecology, Wildlife/Conservation Management or related field, excellent writing skills, knowledge of MS Word, Excel required. MS Access experience preferred.

Duration: The required time commitment is 12 weeks (40hrs/week). The latest start date considered is June 1st.

Provisions: The intern will receive a $100/week stipend. The center provides shared housing (i.e. dormitory) for all interns on beautiful Cape Cod Bay.

To Apply: Please email letter of interest, resume and contact information for 3 references (all in one document) to Olivia LeDee at oledee@manomet.org. Review of applications will begin on March 9th and will continue until a suitable applicant is found. For more information about the position, call (508) 224-6521. For information about Manomet, please see our website at www.manomet.org. EOE.

I am hiring 4-5 field assistants for an NSF-funded project in Millbrook, New York, from May until Aug or September 2009. Millbrook is in the Hudson Valley, 2.5 hours or less from the Adirondacks, Catskills, Berkshires, and New York City. Here’s your chance to check out the east coast without living in a megalopolis!

This project will address how small-scale spatial distribution of small mammals affects their impact on prey and parasite populations in northeastern U.S. forests. Results of this study will be pertinent to understanding and predicting outbreaks of forests insects and human disease risk, as well as understanding the foraging behavior of mammals.

Send cover letter indicating qualifications, resume, and contact information for 3 references.

Applicants should be very reliable, conscientious, and able to work strenuously outdoors, sometimes in inclement and buggy conditions. Valid driver’s license required. Highest consideration will be given to applicants with prior field experience; training in wildlife biology, ecology, zoology, or related fields; and/or experience with Excel and Access.

Pay: $12/hr
Housing: available on site

I’m also looking for a graduate student for this project to begin in Fall 09 – inquire if interested!

Eric M. Schauber, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Zoology
Wildlife Ecologist — Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory
Center for Ecology
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
618-453-6940
618-453-6944 (fax)