Fish and Feathers Internship Program - ONSITE - Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Environment for the Americas

12d • $640 - $640 • Onsite

About The Position

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 physical area that the intern would be based is the Headquarters Visitor Center of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve in Copper Center. Much of the daily work is indoors, but many of the programs (including ranger walks, pop-ups) and community education programs and events (Jr. Angler programs, Salmon Days, and culture camps) will be outdoors. The Headquarters area has multiple short trails through the boreal forest as well as a historic section of the Valdez trail. There are overlooks of the Wrangell Range to the east, as well as the Chugach Range to the south, and even the Alaska Range to the north. Boreal forest wildlife including moose, bears, lynx, and wolves could be present at any time. Other fauna include red squirrels and a multitude of migratory and resident birds. Mosquitoes and other biting insects are present during the peak summer months. Most of our team works on their feet for most of the day, although accommodations can be made for an intern with different physical requirements. Light lifting, bending, and carrying may be necessary, especially at education programs and community events. Slips, trips, and falls can occur on uneven outdoor surfaces, and we cover this as well as wildlife safety (bear spray training) with all staff. The work culture at our park grows out of our team, so it shifts from season to season based on the talents, cultures, and strengths of our seasonal staff. That being said, we are intentional about building solid work and team expectations early in the season. It is always a top priority to nurture a caring, empathetic, and respectful team of people where everyone can develop as a learner at their own pace. Interns would be mentored by the visitor center supervisor as well as one of the lead rangers.

Requirements

• Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.
• Have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record.
• 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.
• 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