CSFS Alamosa Field Office Intern

Colorado State University•Alamosa, CO

41d•Onsite

About The Position

The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) is a service and outreach agency of the Warner College of Natural Resources (WCNR). The CSFS provides technical forestry assistance, wildfire mitigation expertise, and outreach and education to help landowners and communities achieve their forest management goals. Our mission is to achieve stewardship of Colorado's diverse forest environments for the benefit of present and future generations. The Colorado State Forest Service partnered with the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University (CSU) in 2018 to develop the CSFS Internship Program that offers paid summer internships to undergraduate students. Intern positions provide students with in-depth learning and work experiences in natural resources. Internships include a 15-85% split between training for the student and hourly work for the CSFS, as defined below under "Duties and Responsibilities". Student interns prepare 2 written documents throughout their internship period to advance professional writing skills and encourage self-reflection. They also receive one-on-one mentoring and evaluations from their CSFS supervisor(s). A small professional development stipend will be made available to support costs/fees associated with trainings, workshops, conferences, and other applicable opportunities during the internship period. A housing stipend will be offered to interns to mitigate the cost of living in Colorado. Low-cost housing options with partner organizations include the USFS Bunkhouse in South Fork, CO and Adams State University in Alamosa, CO. The position title of this internship is CSFS Alamosa Field Office Intern. This intern will be based out of the Alamosa Field Office in the CSFS Southwest Area and is directly supervised by Sam Scavo (Forester). The Alamosa Field Office is one of 18 field offices in Colorado, serving the San Luis Valley, including Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande, and Saguache counties. The office is staffed by three Foresters and a Supervisory Forester of Communications and Communities. We are seeking student interns who are professional, self-directed, innovative, and energetic. Of special interest are applicants that demonstrate a capacity to learn new skills, think critically, and serve as effective team members.

Requirements

Undergraduate student pursuing a degree at a Colorado institution of higher education. Students can be any year or major.
Students graduating in the spring of 2026 or later are eligible for an internship in the summer of 2026.
Good academic standing with undergraduate institution (GPA > 2.0).
Demonstrated career interest in forestry or natural resource fields.
Must have a valid driver's license, the ability to obtain a driver's license, or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date.
Experience working as an effective team member and clear communicator.
Exhibits a positive attitude and willingness to learn.

Nice To Haves

Pursuing a forestry or natural resource-related major.
Good written and oral communications.
Field experience and/or exposure to forestry and natural resources management.
Experience with and/or exposure to wildland fire behavior and management.
o S130/S190 certification
Experience operating chainsaws, including official certification in chainsaw operation such as S-212.
Ability to (or willingness to learn how to) operate 4-wheel drive vehicles, and UTVs/ATVs in variable weather and road conditions.
Experience using forestry equipment (diameter tape, loggers tape, GPS, increment borer, etc.).
Experience identifying trees, grasses, forbs, and shrubs in the western U.S.
Experience navigating with maps, compass, and GPS units.
Experience with ArcGIS and FieldMaps.

Responsibilities

Assist with inventory, layout and administration of Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) small sales and projects on the Rio Grande National Forest and San Luis Valley BLM GNA projects.
Assist with planning and layout of State Trust Land and State Wildlife Area big game habitat management projects.
Data acquisition and management.
Utilize FieldMaps to map and assess wildfire risk on developed and undeveloped lots.
Create maps in ArcGIS Pro using data collected in the field.
Public interaction with landowners on factors affecting defensible space and forest health.
Assist adjacent field offices with project work as necessary.
Assist Alamosa Field Office staff with ongoing project layout & implementation.
The proposed internship is predominantly field-based but may have office time associated with it. Office opportunities may include GIS mapping, partner meetings, and contract and scope of work development.
Training opportunities may include but are not limited to: First Aid/CPR Certification, U.S. Forest Service insect and disease training, collaborations with nearby CSFS field offices, CO Wildland Fire & Incident Management Academy, Assessing Structure Ignition Potential Training (ASIP), and more.
Work with supervisor(s) to prepare a summer work plan, set goals and learning objectives, and evaluate progress.
Complete two professional writing assignments throughout the summer.
Attend a mandatory 1.5-day orientation session on Monday, May 18, and Tuesday, May 19, 2026 either in person at the CSFS State Office on the Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, CO or virtually.
Hourly internship duties will occur from May 26, 2026 through August 14, 2026.

Benefits

Housing stipends up to $1,500 are available for each student to support costs associated with rent and utilities for the duration of the internship.
Small professional development stipends are available for each student to help with costs associated with conferences, workshops, trainings, etc.

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