Internship Opportunity: The​ ​Willamette​ ​Valley​ ​National​ ​Wildlife​ ​Refuge​ ​Complex

Job Description: The​ ​Willamette​ ​Valley​ ​National​ ​Wildlife​ ​Refuge​ ​Complex will​ ​be​ ​hiring​ ​a ​Biological Intern​ ​during​ ​April​ ​–​ ​August​ ​2020. This position is co-funded by the Audubon Society of Corvallis, and administered through Environment for the Americas. The Biological Intern​ ​will​ ​assist​ ​the​ ​refuges’ Biology​ ​Program​ ​staff​ ​with population​ ​monitoring​ ​for​ ​federally​ ​Threatened​ ​Streaked Horned​ ​Larks​ ​(SHL),​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​other biological,​ ​habitat management,​ ​and​ ​outreach​ ​duties.​

Work​ ​will​ ​occur​ ​at​ ​three​ ​refuges​ ​–​ ​William L.​ ​Finley, Ankeny,​ ​and​ ​Baskett​ ​Slough​ ​NWRs. This​ ​position​ ​will​ ​help​ ​assess​ ​the​ ​Refuges’​ ​contribution​ ​to SHL recovery​ ​efforts. Monitoring​ ​work​ ​will​ ​help​ ​answer many​ ​questions​ ​regarding​ ​conservation​ ​of​ ​SHLs​ ​on the​ ​Refuges,​ ​esp.​ nesting habitat use,​ ​timing of nesting attempts,​ ​and​ ​reproductive​ ​success.​

The​re may also be opportunities to work with staff from the Audubon Society of Corvallis.

Wage: $14.00 / hour

Start / End Dates: mid- to late April through late August 2020 (start and end dates negotiable)

Work Schedule: 40 hours / week
If intern is a locally enrolled student, intern must work a minimum of 3 days/week during the spring term (specific schedule negotiable). Schedule may include weekend work. Intern will work a shifted 8-hr daily schedule, with early morning start times.

Primary Duties: Conduct SHL reproductive monitoring, and assist with monthly SHL breeding pair surveys. Intern will search for SHL nests using lark behavioral cues and visual observations. Nests will be monitored every 3-4 days to assess nest success and fledgling survival. Intern will collect relevant photo-documentation and enter data into spreadsheets.

Other Duties:
Intern also will help conduct acoustic bat monitoring as part of the continent-scale NABat project. Intern may conduct presence/absence surveys of Oregon Vesper Sparrows at several refuge sites. There will be numerous opportunities to assist refuge staff with habitat management activities, esp. invasive plant control and mapping.
Experience Required​ ​(specific training​ ​provided​ ​as​ ​necessary):
Field​ ​birding​ ​skills​ ​(use​ ​of​ ​binoculars​ ​&​ ​spotting​ ​scopes;​ ​identification​ ​of​ ​songbirds​ ​by​ ​sight​ ​and​ ​sound)
Biological​ ​field​ ​survey​ ​experience
Orienteering​ ​experience​ ​and​ ​use​ ​of​ ​GPS​ ​(Global​ ​Positioning​ ​System)​ ​equipment

Physical Requirements:
Ability​ ​to​ ​walk​ ​on​ ​uneven​ ​and​ ​sometime​ ​steep​ ​terrain,​ ​up​ ​to​ ​several​ ​miles​ ​per​ ​day
Ability​ ​to​ ​carry​ ​a​ ​spotting​ ​scope,​ ​binoculars,​ ​daypack,​ ​and​ ​water/food​ ​for​ ​extended​ ​periods
Ability​ ​to​ ​stand​ ​for​ ​long​ ​periods​ ​while​ ​using​ ​spotting​ ​scopes​ ​and​ ​binoculars
Tolerance of sun exposure​ ​for​ ​long​ ​periods
Tolerance of allergen exposure ​(grass​ ​and​ ​weed​ ​pollen)​ ​and​ ​poison​ ​oak

Conditions of Employment:
This internship is being administered by Environment for the Americas
Intern must have, or obtain, a valid driver’s license by the Start Date
After reporting, the Intern will be required to pass an online Defensive Driver’s Training course as part of the orientation process
Intern will receive a safety session on operation of 4WD vehicles

All​ ​necessary​ ​work-related​ ​equipment​ ​will​ ​be​ ​provided;​ ​this​ ​includes​ ​binoculars,​ ​spotting​ ​scope,​ ​GPS, field notebooks,​ ​maps,​ ​etc.

A​ ​Federal​ ​Government​ ​work​ ​vehicle​ ​will​ ​be​ ​provided​ ​(but​ ​cannot​ ​be​ ​used​ ​off-duty).​ ​​ ​A​ ​personal vehicle will​ ​be​ ​required​ ​for personal travel needs. Intern will be reimbursed for travel costs associated with off-refuge work (e.g., with Audubon Society of Corvallis).

Summer​ ​housing​ ​may​ ​be​ ​provided​ ​at either​ ​William ​L. ​Finley NWR​ ​and/or​ ​Baskett​ ​Slough​ ​NWR.

Application Process:

On-line applications and instructions are now posted at the Environment for the Americas website (click on the ‘APPLY‘ link from the webpage below):

https://www.environmentamericas.org/internships/internships/

Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59pm MDT on February 28, 2020.

Specific​ ​questions​ ​about​ ​the internship​ ​or​ ​application​ ​process​ ​should​ ​be​ ​directed​ ​to:

Brian Root, Refuge​ ​Wildlife​ ​Biologist
Willamette Valley NWR Complex
26208 Finley Refuge Road
Corvallis, OR 97333
541-757-7236 x112
​Brian_Root@fws.gov