CSFS La Veta Field Office Intern

Colorado State University • La Veta, CO

43d • 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. The USFS has housing available for an affordable stipend. The position title of this internship is CSFS La Veta Field Office Intern. This intern will be based out of the La Veta Field Office (La Veta, CO) in the CSFS Southeast Area and is directly supervised by Ashley Selee (Forester). This office serves Huerfano and Las Animas counties and is staffed by the Southeast Area Manager, Supervisory Forester, Lead Project Forester, and Forester. 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, public speaking experience.
• Field experience and/or exposure to forestry and natural resources management.
• 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, manual transmission 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.

Responsibilities

• Assist with wide range of programs within the CSFS agency, including private and public landowner projects, including: o Project layout assistance (timber/boundary marking) o Shadowing project administration o Timber cruising o Grant administration o Landowner property walkthroughs o Insect and disease assessments o Hands-on work with potential slash piling, chipping, and other field activities as assigned
• Office work will include: o Shadowing all levels of programmatic functions o Assisting in data processing and entry o Management recommendation development o Spatial data work and GeoTracks recording o Landowner and public outreach
• Training opportunities may include but are not limited to: First Aid/CPR Certification, chainsaw training, Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) training, forest measurements, 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.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Industry: Educational Services
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees