Snowy Plover Monitoring Project Community Recreational Use Intern

National Audubon Society

  • Plover, WI
  • $15.00 per hour
  • Training
  • Part-time
  • 27 days ago
Job Description:Position SummaryThe Snowy Plover (SNPL) Monitoring Project Community Recreational Use Intern will establish and implement dual survey protocols for Human recreational use on and near SNPL habitat on the South Shore of Great Salt Lake. The western intermountain population of SNPL is believed to be in decline as documented breeding pairs at Great Salt Lake (one of the two most important breeding areas in North America) have plummeted in recent years. Audubon Rockies and Saline Lakes of the National Audubon Society and Tracy Aviary initiated a pilot breeding SNPL monitoring project during the summer of 2023. The project is expanding this year to include dual surveys to quantify the extent and type of human-related disturbance to the birds. Survey types may consist of (but are not limited to) visitor usage surveys, geospatial monitoring, remotely accessed data with cameras, etc. Interns will develop the survey scope under the advisory of Dr. Jeff Rose, Assistant Professor, Parks, Recreation & Tourism, University of Utah, and Dr. Heidi Hoven, Sr. Manager, Gillmor Sanctuary, Audubon Rockies.Ultimately, this internship is an excellent introduction to research that is intended to drive the co-creation of conservation actions by science and the community. Interns will gain invaluable experience from interactive communications with diverse community members, conducting research in the field, and honing data management skills that will help prepare them for advanced degrees and future employment.The position is part-time hourly at $15/hr. Flexible schedule of 15 to 20/hrs. per week for 20 weeks. The project team will coordinate on schedule to align field visitation to nesting activity and achieve stratification of visitor use (day/evening, weekends/weekdays, holiday/non-holiday). Interns will work as a team for field safety. Interns can expect to spend approximately 75% of their time at the research sites, accessed primarily from the frontage road and Saltair, and 25% in the office / on computers. Project orientation and equipment training will be provided. Mileage reimbursement is included.This role is remote to Audubon Gillmor Sanctuary.Interns will gain experience and knowledge in the following:
  • Mentorship from trained and skilled scientists
  • Participation in a scientific study
  • Conducting in-person surveys
  • Operating and maintaining scientific equipment
  • Working independently in the field with partner
  • Large dataset management
  • Basic data analysis approaches
  • Scientific reporting
  • Learn how the intersection of biological monitoring and recreational use surveys are used to co-create conservation actions.
  • Collaboration and communication skills
Interns will work weekdays and some weekend days with early morning start times for nest survey work and varying times of day, evening, and weekend for in-person surveys. The bulk of the nesting survey work will occur late May through June, although it is possible we will locate nests in April, July, and August. In-person surveys will be carried out from May – August. Due to the nature of this scientific study, there will not be a traditional work schedule, but the schedule will adhere to 15-20hrs per week under the supervision of Drs. Rose and Hoven.Projected Start Date:
May 6th – September 20thCompensation:$15.00 / hourAdditional Job DescriptionEssential FunctionsIntern Responsibilities and Learning ObjectivesConducting and quantifying in-person and remotely acquired surveys of recreational use of South Shore access points of Great Salt Lake by diverse groups of community members.Retrieve and replace SD memory cards from nesting sites and other trail cameras.Place and retrieve nesting site cameras.Analyze choke point image captures for human and other disturbance.Analyze nesting site images for anthropogenic or predator disturbance and hatching results.Create a catalogue database that will overlap with project bird survey data.Interact with the core research team at regular weekly meetings to share observations and troubleshoot any issues.Equipment management and inventory, maintenance, storagePrepare a summary report of all disturbance survey data by the end of internship.Qualifications and ExperienceExcellent communication skills and technical capacity to operate and maintain equipment such as geo-locators and remote trail cameras and download data and images to user-interfaced platforms (Qualtrics, ArcGIS, Survey123, Excel, etc.).Have good data management skills and be able to assist with or independently conduct statistical analysis.Tolerance to working outdoors in low and high temperatures, extreme sun exposure, and being physically able to walk on uneven terrain for up to 5 miles at a time while carrying research equipment.Must have a valid driver’s license and be willing to drive their personal vehicle.Must be willing to work some evenings and weekends.EEO StatementThe National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.Accessibility StatementThe National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact . This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

National Audubon Society