Internship - Pecos National Historical Park Natural Resources Management

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Student Conservation Association

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Pecos, NM, United States

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Position Summary

This position will work directly with the park Biologist. The intern will learn and perform tasks necessary to manage the natural resources of the park. The intern will be part of the Natural Resource Management Team which currently has a Chief of Resources, Archaeologist, Biologist, and a Biological Science Technician. Intern will be exposed to a wide variety of task and skills related to resource management of a National Park Service Unit over the course of 12 weeks. The intern will also work with and network with a variety of National Park Service Groups such as NPS Inventory and Monitoring Teams, NPS Invasive Plant Management Teams. Other federal groups we work with during the summer are the USGS, who monitor bat populations at the park. Intern will also be able to work with researchers that have various projects within the park if time allows.

This position provides valuable project work that will benefit the community and environment include but are not limited to:

  • Restoring native vegetation communities by removing non-native plants in high visitation areas of the park
  • Making fencing more wildlife friendly by removing it all together or replacing with smooth wire
  • Protecting archaeological sites from fire by thinning trees within sites
  • Restoring historical grasslands/pastures by removing invasive trees
  • Maintaining Beaver Exclosures around native cottonwood trees.

Schedule

April 14, 2025 - July 7, 2025

Key Duties and Responsibilities

  • Removal of invasive tree species from historical pastures using rechargeable reciprocating saws and pruners
  • Removal and maintenance of fencing within the park
  • Maintaining Beaver Exclosures around native cottonwood trees
  • Thinning trees in archaeological sites and photo monitoring of the work within sites
  • Working with youth conservation crews removing invasive trees from pastures, maintaining beaver exclosures, and removing invasive plant species
  • Non-native plant management including the following
    • Spraying non-native plants with herbicide in a backpack sprayer
    • Removal of non-native plants with brush cutters and weed eaters
    • Pulling and/or digging up non-native plants
    • Mapping non-native plant treatments with GPS units
    • Collecting data and mapping work using GIS programs on tablets
    • Monitoring work completed taking photos and establishing photo points
    • Writing daily logs and reports of work completed
    • Learning plant identification skills
    • Monitoring vegetation plots and transects

Marginal Duties

  • Bird Surveys
  • Placement of game cameras throughout the park to document wildlife
  • Native Plant Restoration project using native seed and hydro mulching/hydroseeding equipment
  • Editing and storing field data using GIS programs

Required Qualifications

  • Passing a federal background check is a condition of employment if selected
  • Must have a valid driver's license
  • Member will need a personal vehicle to get from private residence to work (Park is in a rural area).

This SCA Position is authorized under the Public Land Corps Authority. All participants must be between the ages of 16 and 30, inclusive, or veterans age 35 or younger. Participants must also be a citizen or national of the United States or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States. Hours served can be applied toward the Public Land Corps (PLC) hiring authority.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Ability to work well with others.
  • Experience working outdoors
  • Experience with weed whackers, pruners, saws, hand tools
  • Removal of weeds (pulling, weed whackers, backpack sprayers)
  • Plant identification skills
  • GPS and GIS skills
  • Experience working with youth crews
  • Herbicide application

Hours

40 per week

Living Accommodations

Intern is responsible for securing their own housing in the local area.

Compensation

  • Living Allowance - $508/week
  • Commuting Allowance - $25/week
  • Housing Allowance - $1,500/month
  • Roundtrip Travel Allowance - $1,100 one time payment
  • AmeriCorps Education Award- Eligible for $1,956 award upon completion of service hours

All allowances are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes.

Personal Vehicle Information

Required

Additional Benefits

  • Defensive Drive Training
  • First Aid/CPR
  • Off-Road Vehicle Safety

Equal Opportunity Statement

SCA strives to cultivate a work environment that encourages fairness, teamwork, and respect among all staff members. SCA is committed to maintaining a work atmosphere in which people of diverse backgrounds and lifestyles may grow personally and professionally. The Student Conservation Association, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.