Fish and Feathers Internship Program - ONSITE - Gulf Islands National Seashore

Environment for the Americas • Gulf Breeze, FL

6d • $640 • Onsite

About The Position

Fish and Feathers Internship Program seeks to engage young professionals in natural resource careers. Fish and Feathers is a program funded by the National Park Service (NPS) and administered by Environment for the Americas. Our goal is to provide our national park partners with talented interns who are eager to learn and to engage with local communities. The intern will focus on supporting, implementing, and leading community outreach programs that focus on fishing and birding activities. The overall goal is to increase diverse community engagement with NPS partners during the program and in years to come. The park’s Florida District consists of six units located throughout the greater Pensacola area. This district includes barrier islands, salt marshes, maritime forests, and 120,000 acres of marine habitat—82% of the park is marine. The park lies in a humid subtropical climate zone with hot, humid summers and the possibility of severe weather, such as tropical storms and hurricanes. Pensacola Beach, a resort community on Santa Rosa Island, offers numerous dining options. The nearest medical facility and a shopping center with a full grocery store are in Gulf Breeze, about 13 miles from park housing. Downtown Pensacola is about 20 miles away, providing various cultural, entertainment, shopping, and dining options. A personal vehicle is required. Work is split between indoor (approximately 40%) and outdoor (about 60%) settings. Indoor work takes place in a climate-controlled office and visitor center, while outdoor work involves soft, sandy beaches, uneven surfaces, and open water environments. Tasks include standing and walking for long periods and lifting and carrying kayaks weighing up to 60 pounds. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to support the intern's success. Summers are very hot and humid, with potential for severe weather, including tropical storms and hurricanes. A severe weather and evacuation plan is in place to ensure the safety of staff and visitors. Common insects include mosquitoes, no-see-ums, biting flies, and palmetto bugs. Other wildlife frequently encountered include venomous snakes, birds, and jellyfish. Gulf Islands regularly hosts more than one intern during the summer months.

Requirements

• Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.
• Have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record.
• A personal vehicle is required for this position.
• Ability to hike and conduct field operations as part of a team and/or independently in an outdoor setting.
• Experience giving presentations and ability to learn new skills and transfer the knowledge to participants.
• Interest in learning fishing regulations and bird identification for program development and implementation.
• Ability to learn methods employed in fish and wildlife management.
• Strong interpersonal, oral, listening, and written communication skills.
• Interest in learning new skills such as rafting, canoeing, and kayaking.

Nice To Haves

• Successful candidates will have a background and/or coursework in the following areas or a strong interest in the outdoors with experience fishing and/or birdwatching.
• Biology
• Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences
• Ecology
• Aquaculture
• Communications/Marketing
• Environmental Science
• Recreation
• Interpretation/Education

Responsibilities

• Reach out to local communities through outreach and educational activities to increase engagement in fishing and birdwatching
• Create new materials (i.e., social media, educational games/activities, signage, etc.) to provide visitors with information about fish and birds at the NPS site
• Understand regulations regarding fishing and ethical birding and communicate this information to participants
• Establish or build upon fishing and birding programs at the NPS site
• Manage and maintain program equipment
• Host World MIgratory Bird Day Event
• Meet deadlines for Environment for the Americas program requirements.

Benefits

• Interns in this program will receive 480 hours towards Public Land Corps (PLC) Hiring Authority.
• Upon successful completion of the PLC project(s), the intern is eligible for two years to be hired non-competitively into a federal seasonal, term, or permanent position.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed