The Great Basin Institute, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, is hiring 1 Natural Resource Specialist -NCA - Science Plan Research Associate position under the BLM’s Direct Hire Authority Program (DHA)* with the King Range National Conservation Area, in CA. Successful completion of 11-week term will result in the applicant being eligible for the DHA-RAI Certificate of Completion, program participants that meet Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for a BLM mission-critical/hard-to-fill occupation may be directly appointed without competition to a full time, permanent position vacancy.

Working with BLM specialist and partner organizations, the intern will complete a science plan for the King Range National Conservation Area (NCA). The process of completing a science plan is an opportunity for management to engage and communicate with science and conservation partners, while identifying needs and priorities without the typical time constraints and urgency. Having science plans in place for National Monuments, National Conservation Areas, and similar designations complies with BLM policy requirements, helps guide science efforts within NCA units, and the new science outlined in the plan can provide local managers with knowledge to inform their management decisions. 

Scientific data are collected, analyzed, and/or synthesized to increase knowledge and support decision-making. Within National Conservation Lands units, there is an expectation for ‘identifying science needed to address management issues, communicating those needs to science providers, and incorporating the results into the decision-making process.

The objectives of science plans are to:

• Identify the scientific mission of the unit.
• Summarize past scientific efforts in the unit and identify the priority needs and management issues within the unit that can be addressed by scientific inquiry.
• Define a strategy for accomplishing the scientific goals of the unit.
• Develop science protocols to, for example, ensure that scientific inquiry does not negatively impact the long-term sustainability of the unit and its resources.
• Create a system to organize scientific reports; and,
• Help and promote the integration of science into management.

Examples of completed Science Plans: https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/about/science-on-the-lands 

Duties Include:

• Working with BLM specialist and partner organizations, the intern will complete a science plan for the King Range National Conservation Area (NCA).
• Organize scientific reports in order to facilitate communication of scientific findings throughout the BLM, with partners, and with the public. Present the report. 
• Collaborate with partner organizations. 

*The DHA program is intended for those currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program, at an accredited college or university. Undergraduate is defined as an associate or bachelor's degree program.
 
Contract Timeline:

• 11 week appointment beginning in June 2024, pending successful completion and passage of DOI Background Investigation
• June - August
• Full-time, 40-hrs wk

Location: King Range National Conservation Area, Whitethorn, CA. The King Range National Conservation Area (NCA) is a spectacular meeting of land and sea as mountains thrust straight out of the surf with King Peak (4,088 feet) only 3-miles from the ocean. The King Range NCA encompasses 68,000 acres along 35 miles of California’s north coast. The landscape was too rugged for highway building, giving the remote region the title of California’s Lost Coast. It is the Nation's first NCA, designated in 1970.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Wage: $20/hr
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance available at no cost
• Housing is provided
• Relocation support may be provided to those who will need to relocate (upon approval)

Job Qualifications:

• Must be currently enrolled or a recent graduate (<1 year from graduation) to be eligible for the DHA program; 
• Recent graduate or earning either their undergrad or grad degrees in a natural resources or scientific field of study or related discipline; 
• Enthusiasm about the position, with interest in and knowledge of botany, wildlife management, etc; 
• Excellent organizational skills;
• Excellent writing skills;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Possession of a clean, valid, state-issued driver’s license; and
• Successfully complete and pass a federal background check prior to starting position.