Current Positions/Opportunities with "The Conservancy"

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Paid Positions with The Conservancy
No open positions at this time. 

Paid Internships
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Natural Resource Management Internship (GLISTEN), 2021 Season
(Click here for .pdf file)

Reports to:                        Stewardship Manager
Classification:                  Grant-Funded Internship, Seasonal $13.00/hr   
Schedule:                          Generally, 8:30am to 3:00pm
                                            2 Days/Week with Coffee Creek, 2 Days/Week with The Nature Conservancy
Positions Available:        2 Resource Management Interns for the 2021 Growing Season
                                            Current or recently graduated students of Biological or Environmental/Earth Sciences preferred
Overview:
Funding for the 2021 Internship Program is provided by the “Great Lakes Innovative Stewardship Through Education Network” (or GLISTEN), a generously funded program of the Flora Richardson Foundation. The “Flora Richardson Foundation” promotes education in the field of natural history, focusing on the region of Southern Lake Michigan.
 
This internship will provide a student with the fieldwork experience required for a professional career in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Management. This intern will spend two working days at Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve, learning skills in habitat assessment and restoration, and will apply those skills both at Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve and at properties around Northwest Indiana of The Nature Conservancy.
 
Resource Management Interns, with direct supervision of Stewardship Manager, will successfully implement stewardship initiatives through hands-on day-to-day management and monitoring of plant life (both native and non-native) and wildlife at the 157 acre Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve (“The Preserve” or “CCWP”). Resource Management Interns will take an active role in evaluating, identifying, and documenting with mobile tools in ArcGIS, the control and management of roughly 22 invasive plant species in 24 separate upland ecological management units. Invasive plant control is the cornerstone to managing a diverse biological ecosystem, therefore a focus on learning and properly identifying many species of plants (both native and non-native invasive) is key to this internship experience. Interns will also learn proper removal techniques for invasive plant species, including appropriate and safe chemical control, mechanical control, and other methods as directed. Interns will assess wildlife impacts on vegetation at The Preserve and document observations as they move through the property on a daily basis. Other activities and opportunities while interning at CCWP will include water quality sampling, wildlife monitoring, and mutual workdays with other local conservation organizations.
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Job Duties
Job duties will include carrying out management activities related to prairie, wetland, woodland and other natural community restoration, installation and stewardship. Specific job tasks may include:

• Maintaining and enhancing the native plant communities in the CCWP; including Riparian corridors, Remnant woodlands, prairies, wetlands, creek/pond ecology, and native landscaping
• As directed by Stewardship Manager, follow management unit-specific restoration and preservation plans
• Wildlife management and monitoring activities, including Bluebird Nest Box Monitoring
• Herbicide application utilizing backpack sprayer and other common application methods
• Participate in current scientific studies at CCWP, through data collection and field work
• Collect field data through ArcGIS Mobile Applications for use by Stewardship Manager
• Participate in work days with local conservation partners

Interns will learn to:       
Properly identify a wide array of native plants and animals as well as non-native invasive plants and animals.
Use mobile platforms in ArcGIS in the field.
Care for entire ecosystems through environmental management techniques listed above.
Use scientific methods in field work.
Ability to utilize the following tools/equipment while interning with CCWP:
Backpack Herbicide Sprayer filled to 3 gallons of liquid (with appropriate PPE), shovels, rakes, hand clippers, and mechanical tools like hedge trimmers and drills, etc.
 
Current or recently graduated students of Biological or Environmental/Earth Sciences preferred. This job description includes, but is not limited to, the primary duties and responsibilities noted above. Submit resume and cover letter to Stewardship Manager, Matt Harmon, at matt@coffeecreekwc.org, no later than April 23, 2021. 

Volunteer Opportunities
No specific volunteer events planned at this time, but please let us know how you'd like to help!