Position Overview: The Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) in cooperation with the Chicago Botanic Garden is recruiting two (2) Conservation Land Management Interns to conduct field surveys and collect seed from throughout the Snake River Basin and Great Basin. Interns will operate out of Boise and work on lands administered by both the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service across Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and California. Ongoing projects at the Boise lab are designed to provide land managers and scientists with a better understanding of restoration and adaptation in native forb species. In support of this mission, interns will participate in a variety of activities including wildland seed collection, DNA tissue collection at wetland sites, common garden data collection and alpine vegetation monitoring in the Lemhi Mountains.  Seed and tissue collection will have a short-list of target species, with seasonality and local geographies shaping search efforts. 

Interns will typically work four days per week with about 60% of their time spent in the field. Fieldwork will consist of day or overnight trips. Throughout the season, a few longer trips lasting five days will be necessary.  

Mentorship will entail hands-on training with the Boise RMRS botanist, as well as cross-over with Boise lab crew leaders and field technicians. Progressing into late-summer, interns will be expected to operate with increased independence, writing a weekly travel plan and making daily decisions on search locations and providing a weekly debrief to their mentor. During the season there will be a couple occasions for lab-based keying sessions in addition to opportunistic and informal opportunities for plant identification.  

These positions are funded for ~22 weeks. The ideal start date for these positions is June 3rd, 2024. 

Primary Responsibilities:  

• Locate populations of target species and collect DNA tissue, seed, and population data
• Perform measurements on common garden plants using survey 123 
• Participate in alpine vegetation monitoring at established sites in the Lemhi Mountains 
• Process, inventory, and ship both DNA tissue collections and seed lots 

Related Responsibilities: 

• Participate in one or more conferences or educational opportunities during internship
• Communicate with host site (RMRS) mentor on a regular basis
• Record data electronically using a variety of devices and software applications, including Survey 123, Arc Collector, and Garmin GPS units
• Utilize maps, herbarium records and aerial imagery to plan trips to target species populations on public lands 
• Collect herbarium vouchers, and identify species using a microscope and taxonomic key
• Report accomplishments and provide recommendations for program improvements, priorities, and future projects

Qualifications 

The ideal candidate will have the following: 

• B.S. in Botany, Natural Resources Management, Ecology, Biology, or a related field 
• Experience keying out herbaceous plant species using a dichotomous key 
• Knowledge of flora of the western US 
• Experience following data collection protocols for biological fieldwork. 
• Experience maintaining accurate and detailed data records (in field and in electronic databases – Excel/Access) 
• Capable of conducting field work safely in rough terrain in harsh environmental conditions 
• Experience hiking and camping, and the willingness to do so for this position 
• Experience driving large field vehicles with 4-wheel drive; driving on gravel and dirt roads 
• Wilderness First Aid or other field safety training 
• Excellent organization and communication skills 
• Flexibility and ability to adapt to changes in work plans and schedule 
• Self-starter, independent worker, able to learn quickly and adapt to challenges. 

Physical Demands:  

Field-work at RMRS Boise generally entails a significant amount of time standing or crouching in the open with no shade available. Temperatures will frequently get into the 90°s during the summer, and occasionally above 100°F. During the spring and late fall, temperatures can be close to freezing at night. Interns must be prepared to encounter biting/stinging insects.  

Much of this work requires paying close attention to detail to accurately record phenology, herbivory, to locate specific plant species in natural vegetation. Weeding (either by hand or with the use of hand tools) may be a component of some of our field work at common garden sites. In the lab setting there may be significant repetitive work that entails focus and attention to detail. Over the course of a season, there will be hundreds of samples of different collected and they will need to be counted, sorted, cleaned, inventoried, etc.  

Seed collection work differs significantly from other project work as it entails more open-ended trip planning and an ability to explore remote, sometimes extremely rugged areas. Long drives and multiple short cross-country hikes are integral this work. Successful interns should be able to hike up to three miles per day, traversing loose rocks, downed trees, steep 30° slopes, thick brush, and small creeks. Elevations of will range from 2,000’ to 8,000’, with work primarily focused in shrubland, grassland and desert landscapes.  

The use of handheld GPS units, tablets, and 4wd vehicles are essential. Accommodations while in the field will be a combination of primitive camps and established campgrounds. Incumbents should be capable of the following activities: 

• Lift up to 30 pounds of material or equipment
• Crouch, stoop, kneel, stand, or bend for hours at a time
• Walk off-trail on steep, rocky surfaces; up to 3 miles per day.
• Be outside in high heat (100F) or cold (30F)
• Work for up to 11 hours per day while in the field
• Drive a 4wd truck on narrow rocky roads on steep grades in mountain environments 
• Travel and car camp away from Boise overnight or up to 5 days at a time.