INTEREST ANNOUNCEMENT
PART TIME FIELD BOTANIST AND DEPUTY CREW LEAD
PAID INTERNSHIP
EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE AND BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT SAFFORD FIELD OFFICE
Recruitment Date:February 15 – March 15, 2016
Start Date:As soon as possible prior to April 1, 2016 (summer only applicants will also be considered)
Time Frame: Work will be coordinated with the Eastern Arizona College calendar. The Intern should anticipate 8 weeks (up to 29.5 hours per week) Spring Semester 2016 and at least 10 weeks (up to 40 hours per week) Summer 2016. Funding is secured for these time frames. Additional funding is being sought and the internship may be extended. Additional summer weeks may be available in collaboration with USFS Coronado National Forest.
Benefits: $14 per hour plus a $125 per week stipend. If available, a BLM camp trailer may be provided.
Project Location: The project location is in Southeastern Arizona and the rugged wilderness areas of the Sky Island landscape. ( and the Gila Box RNCA ( BLM office is located in Safford, AZ (
Description:Eastern Arizona College (EAC) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Safford Field Office are seeking a field botanist with strong plant taxonomy skills to support an interdisciplinary team that is examining riparian resources on BLM lands in Southeastern Arizona. The team is comprised of four EAC interns and one BLM Biologist who will hike into remote spring sites in Sky Island landscapes and access remote areas of the Gila River. At least one office day per week is anticipated for logistical planning and data processing.. Spring semester will include springs inventory and assessment as well as support work for rare plants and habitat restoration. It will also include collaborative work with green house studies. A summer session will include at least 10 weeks with focus on lotic riparian assessment in the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area. Studies along 23 river miles will require access by kayak, UTV and field camping three to four days per week. All riparian work will include collaboration on FWS listed or review species including Yellow-billed cuckoo, Chircahua leopard frog, Lowland leopard frog, Arizona toad, and others.
Partners:
Partners work collaboratively through a Financial Assistance Agreement “The STEM Partnership.” This partnership is funded through various sources including the BLM National Landscape Conservation System, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Environmental Education Foundation and others.For more information on the program see Refer to session 5 “Partners Outdoors 2015” at about 32 minutes into the program...”Stories from the Field.”
Eastern Arizona College ( located in Thatcher, Arizona is a two year community college. The College provides an outdoor education and environmental curriculum through partnership with Safford BLM .
The Bureau of Land Management Safford Field Office ( manages 1.4 million acres in six eastern Arizona counties and another 118,000 acres of rangelands in New Mexico. The field office also manages eightunits within the National Landscape Conservation System, including sixWilderness Areas, one Wilderness StudyArea and the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area (RNCA).
Gila Watershed Partnership ( collaborates with BLM and EAC on habitat restoration. The three partners jointly own a green house dedicated to this effort.
Spring Stewardship Institute (SSI) ( partnership with the Museum of Northern Arizona provides spring assessment protocol and data base management machinery.
New Mexico Rapid Assessment Method: Lowland Riverine (a collaboration between Natural Heritage New Mexico ( and New Mexico Environment Department Surface Water Quality Bureau ( Partners collaborate on a national level with Natural Heritage to develop riparian protocol for multiple resource types. The team recently published protocol for the Gila River in Southwest New Mexico and Southeast Arizona. The STEM Partnership acts as technical advisor to this resource.
Requirements: Formal training in vascular plant taxonomy is essential. Training in agrostology, mosses, and lichens is desirable. Transcripts or proof of botanical training is required with the application. Training in safety, CPR and first aid is desirable and will be required/provided by BLM. The Intern must be physically fit, able to pack at least 30 lb. and hike into remote areas in difficult terrain with no trail system. TheIntern must be able to work as a team member and take lead in documentation of flora including plant collections, plant identification and vouchering, and cross checking/updating data sheets. The Intern will reside near Safford, Arizona and report to the Safford BLM Tuesday through Thursday during the spring semester and Monday through Thursday during summer months. In addition to botany duties, this person will serve as a Deputy Crew Lead and assist in preparation of logistics for field work, and oversight of 2-4 EAC interns in data entry and data management and report writing. The Internwill be required to obtain a federal security clearance (provided through Safford BLM). The Intern must have good off-highway driving skills and be able to drive a standard transmission vehicle. The Intern will be committed to Safford BLM through summer 2016. During summer 2016 theIntern will also participate in the Safford BLM Living Rivers program. Access to the Gila Box RNCA via kayak is required. Safford BLM will provide kayaks, camping gear and supervisory River Rangers. The Intern must be able to camp with a team and be in outdoor conditions in all types of weather extremes. Overnight backpack camping may also be required on occasion for spring inventory.
General:The Intern will work under the supervision of Dr. Joneen Cockman with Safford BLM who is Principal Investigator for the projects and will be able to assist the Crew Lead when Dr. Cockman is called away due to her other work load demands. The Intern will be a contract employee of Eastern Arizona College during the spring and Gila Watershed Partnership during the summer.
The position is ideal for a recent graduate or student who is between programs and considering a research program (MS/PhD). There may be opportunity to shape a graduate research program in collaboration with Spring Stewardship Institute. There is also opportunity to earn college credit through Eastern Arizona College.
Field packs and most overnight camping gear are provided. The intern should have their own tent and sleeping bag. Once the Intern has received federal security clearance, he/she will drive BLM vehicles and have access to BLM computers.Training in protocol for the Springs Inventory and Living Rivers programs will be provided.
The Intern will have the opportunity to present a research paper for the Springs Inventory or Living Rivers programs at one regional science symposium up through December 2016. Travel and per diem will be provided for the symposium.
To Apply: Contact Dr. Joneen Cockman, , 928-348-4464
Provide a short vitae and references with botanical training and experience including:
- Crew Lead experience
- Ability to drive a standard transmission
- Experience in operation of 4 wheel drive
- Ability to hike in rugged terrain with heavy packs
- Ability to work in extreme weather conditions
- Ability to work in and near a flowing river
- Experience with field gear including hydrolab, GPS, GoPro camera, etc.
- Experience in map reading and field orientation
- Other desirable field experience
- Water quality sampling
- Vegetation monitoring protocol
- Identification of reptiles and amphibians, insects and birds