Environment for the Americas

Start/End Dates: November 6th, 2024 - October 31st, 2025

Compensation: $520 per week + housing on park grounds 

Medical Insurance provided on request

Application Due: October 8, 2024

The Golden Gate Internship Program seeks to engage ethnically and racially diverse young professionals in natural resource careers. A personal vehicle is not required for this position. Applicants must have a valid driver's license to drive a government vehicle.

• U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident (“green-card-holder”).

• Between the ages of 18 and 30 years old. Veterans may be up to 35 years old.

• Selected applicants must meet the qualifications for the position, and be able to pass a federal background check.

Position Description: 

The aquatic ecology intern will work in the Natural Resource Division of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, assisting staff with resource management actions and monitoring various freshwater and marine resources. Primary activities for this internship include:

• Restoration project support (e.g., photo monitoring, pre-construction surveys for wildlife, winter 2025 wetland planting)

• Winter amphibian breeding surveys

• Snake monitoring surveys

• Western pond turtle monitoring (summer trapping, nest surveys)

• Herp camera trap support (image processing, identification, and management)

• Salmonid monitoring and habitat mapping support

• Rodeo Lagoon harmful algal bloom monitoring (with University of San Francisco)

• Fisheries monitoring

• Streamflow and groundwater monitoring support (low-flow water quality monitoring)

• Physical habitat survey support (e.g., topographic surveys of beaches, streams, and wetlands)

• Data and electronic file management

• Equipment maintenance

• Public outreach support (providing information about pertinent aquatic resource activities)

Intern activities will generally involve working with staff to conduct activities. Other tasks will involve independent work following training. Approximately 10% of the internship will involve cross-disciplinary work on other Natural Resource Division projects. The intern will have opportunities to assist other interns or staff to gain experience in other resource management activities. There will also be time to initiate and complete special projects depending on the intern’s interests.

Work Products: Key deliverables of the internship

• Program Summaries: Occasional written summaries with photos and graphics of aquatic resource activities.
• Data Collection: Recording, mapping, and updating work performed in databases and spreadsheets.
• Program Support: Tool cleaning and maintenance; coordinating schedules and events; attending relevant meetings and trainings regularly.

Qualifications:

Required:

• A love of nature, outdoor work, and getting your hands wet and dirty.

• Interest in aquatic restoration and stewardship.

• Must be very comfortable working in water and handling fish and wildlife.

• Energetic, flexible, self-motivated, able to troubleshoot, and possess a sense of humor.

• Well-organized, self-motivated, and able to work independently.

• Ability to meet deadlines without constant oversight and reminders.

• Good verbal and written communication skills.

• Good quantitative skills, basic computer literacy, and proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel.

• A valid driver’s license and clean driving record.

• Must be in good physical condition (ability to carry up to 30 pounds) and enjoy working outside in various weather conditions.

• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds.

Desired: 

• The ideal candidate would be working towards a Natural Resource degree or be a recent college graduate in the same field. Coursework or experience in field data collection, GIS, hydrology/physical science, fisheries, and wildlife ecology is a plus.

• Strong commitment to the preservation and protection of native plant and wildlife communities on public lands.

• Ability to work in groups and independently, with organizational and self-motivation skills to complete tasks on time.

• CPR/First Aid, Wilderness First Aid.

Mentoring: 

The intern will work closely with park staff on a day-to-day basis, a minimum of 2-3 days a week for the duration of the internship. On days when the mentor is not accompanying the intern, the mentor will be available via phone or other means of communication.

Learning Goals:

• Gain natural resource management experience in aquatic resources.

• Increase skills in time management and planning.

• Learn about field safety procedures and trip tracking.

• Learn about quality assurance measures for data collection.

• Learn how to use, diagnose, and repair common aquatic resource equipment (e.g., water quality meters, nets).

• Learn about the park’s natural resources, including flora and fauna, threatened and endangered species, and more.

• Participate in professional development opportunities through EFTA and various NPS and outside training, such as CPR/First Aid, Wilderness First Aid, etc.

EEO Statement

Environment for the Americas provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training

About Golden Gate National Recreation Area 

Golden Gate National Recreation Area is one of the largest urban parks in the world. The recreation area stretches across three counties in California’s San Francisco Bay Area: Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo. In total, the legislative boundary of the park comprises more than 80,000 acres of land and ocean waters, with 18,500 acres directly managed by GOGA.

The park is part of the California floristic province, recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot. It is also home to many different habitat types and a large diversity of plant and animal species. Many rare species are found within Golden Gate National Recreation Area, including 37 federally threatened or endangered species such as the mission blue butterfly, northern spotted owl, and California red-legged frog. The park also preserves 91 miles of shoreline along the outer coast and in Tomales and San Francisco Bays, including the nearshore waters within ¼ mile of the coast.

Weather is Mediterranean and ranges from dry summers (with occasional fog) to wet and cold winters. The dorm and field office are located within the park. There are no stores or other conveniences within the park, but they are located nearby in the town of Sausalito and the City of San Francisco.