TITLE: WILDERNESS CHARACTER MONITORING CREW INTERN (3 OPENINGS)

START/END DATE: February 1, 2021- December 10, 2021 (anticipated)

STIPEND: $500/week  

TERM: 45 weeks

REPORTS TO: McKinney Briske (NCL, Wilderness Lead)

LOCATION: BLM Las Cruces District Office (1800 Marquess St., Las Cruces, NM 88005)

STATUS: 1700-hour AmeriCorps service term

BENEFITS: AmeriCorps Education Award $6,095; Public Lands Corps Certificate; both with successful completion of the internship. Health Insurance eligible.

SUMMARY:

CONSERVATION CORPS NEW MEXICO (CCNM):

Conservation Corps New Mexico, a program of Conservation Legacy, aims to continue the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930's. CCNM is focused on connecting youth, young adults, and recent era military veterans with conservation service work projects on public lands. CCNM operates programs across southern New Mexico and western Texas that engage individuals and strengthen communities through service and conservation. The CCNM Individual Placement Program is managed from the Arizona Conservation Corps office in Tucson, Arizona. The CCNM program office in Las Cruces manages the CCNM field program. 

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT:

The Bureau of Land management (BLM) is responsible for 260 Wilderness areas and 491 Wilderness Study Areas in the western United States and Alaska.  From primitive hunting locations to remote fishing spots, Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas provide unparalleled opportunities for spending time outdoors. The goal of the BLM Wilderness program is to preserve or enhance the Wilderness Character of a designated Wilderness. New Mexico currently has 18 designated Wilderness areas.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Bureau of Land Management Las Cruces New Mexico District Office is providing an opportunity for three qualified individuals to serve as Wilderness Character Monitoring Interns on a small crew, to conduct evaluation and monitoring of 13 newly designated BLM administered wilderness areas.  Wilderness areas are located with the Las Cruces District Office, Farmington Field Office, and Taos Field Office.  The crew will be based out of Las Cruces, but will travel to and from Farmington and Taos Field Offices. The position will be a combination of both office and field work. 

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS:

• During the first two months, the crew will receive training and will conduct surveillance of aerial imagery in an office setting.
• Conduct fieldwork to ground truth GIS data obtained from aerial imagery.
• Input data collected in the field in both GIS database and Measuring Attributes of Wilderness Character BLM Implementation Guide Version 2.0.
• Fieldwork will require camping up to 14 days at a time in remote desert areas.

Required Skills

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Undergraduate degree in related field (science, natural resources, wilderness studies, recreation, outdoor/environmental studies, social sciences, or communication).
• Wilderness First Aid certified
• Have knowledge of, or be capable of learning how to manipulate GIS
• Self-motivated and able to work in a collaborative team environment.
• Willingness to hike and camp in rough terrain with exposure to the elements for up to 14 days at a time.
• Applicants must pass a Department of Interior security background check and should possess a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Formal GIS training or certification.
• Ability to drive an off-road vehicle on rugged and/or unimproved gravel or dirt roads.
• Familiarity with hot, desert environments.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• To successfully perform essential functions, the individual is required to sit, stand, walk, speak, hear, etc. May be required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl for significant periods of time and be able to safely lift 50 pounds on a routine basis. He/she must be able to operate office equipment, telephone, and computer and reach with hands and arms.
• Ability to hike and navigate in rough terrain.
• This position calls for high levels of concentration. A large amount of travel is required to conduct fieldwork, provide assistance to other field offices, and to provide or receive training.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

PARTICIPANT ESSENTIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

PARTICIPATION AND EXPEDITION BEHAVIOR:

• Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept
• Contribute to a safe learning environment; no harassment of others for any reason.
• Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training, and national service. 
• Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues, and organization staff. 
• Appropriately represent Conservation Corps New Mexico, the BLM and AmeriCorps to the public and partners at all times.
• Flexibility, adaptability and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environments.

SAFETY AND JUDGMENT: 

• Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance. Must be able to do so at a distance of up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high winds.
• Effectively perceive and understand significant and apparent hazards, and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute techniques to manage hazards. These directions may be given before the hazard is encountered or may need to be given during the exposure to the hazard. Ability to respond appropriately to stress or crisis. 
• Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions.
• If taking prescriptions medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self- medicating without assistance from others.

SUBSTANCE FREE:

• In accordance with a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.

BACKGROUND CHECK:

A DOI background clearance must be completed before the selected candidate may report to duty. The BLM will provide instructions for completion of the clearance after an intern has been selected and will notify them when they have been cleared to start the internship. THIS PROCESS WILL DETERMINE THE INTERNSHIP’S EXACT START DATE.

Interns will have access to government facilities and systems, and will be supplied with access to gov’t vehicles, equipment, and materials needed to work on the projects and activities as outlined above. Interns must adhere to all government regulations and policies for operating equipment, vehicles, security awareness, and safety.

*To be eligible for a Public Lands Corps certificate, interns must be between the ages of 18-30, inclusive, at the time the individual begins the term of service.

Required Experience

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Undergraduate degree in related field (science, natural resources, wilderness studies, recreation, outdoor/environmental studies, social sciences, or communication).
• Wilderness First Aid certified
• Have knowledge of, or be capable of learning how to manipulate GIS
• Self-motivated and able to work in a collaborative team environment.
• Willingness to hike and camp in rough terrain with exposure to the elements for up to 14 days at a time.
• Applicants must pass a Department of Interior security background check and should possess a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Formal GIS training or certification.
• Ability to drive an off-road vehicle on rugged and/or unimproved gravel or dirt roads.
• Familiarity with hot, desert environments.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• To successfully perform essential functions, the individual is required to sit, stand, walk, speak, hear, etc. May be required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl for significant periods of time and be able to safely lift 50 pounds on a routine basis. He/she must be able to operate office equipment, telephone, and computer and reach with hands and arms.
• Ability to hike and navigate in rough terrain.
• This position calls for high levels of concentration. A large amount of travel is required to conduct fieldwork, provide assistance to other field offices, and to provide or receive training.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

PARTICIPANT ESSENTIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

PARTICIPATION AND EXPEDITION BEHAVIOR:

• Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept
• Contribute to a safe learning environment; no harassment of others for any reason.
• Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training, and national service. 
• Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues, and organization staff. 
• Appropriately represent Conservation Corps New Mexico, the BLM and AmeriCorps to the public and partners at all times.
• Flexibility, adaptability and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environments.

SAFETY AND JUDGMENT: 

• Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance. Must be able to do so at a distance of up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high winds.
• Effectively perceive and understand significant and apparent hazards, and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute techniques to manage hazards. These directions may be given before the hazard is encountered or may need to be given during the exposure to the hazard. Ability to respond appropriately to stress or crisis. 
• Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions.
• If taking prescriptions medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self- medicating without assistance from others.

SUBSTANCE FREE:

• In accordance with a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.

BACKGROUND CHECK:

A DOI background clearance must be completed before the selected candidate may report to duty. The BLM will provide instructions for completion of the clearance after an intern has been selected and will notify them when they have been cleared to start the internship. THIS PROCESS WILL DETERMINE THE INTERNSHIP’S EXACT START DATE.

Interns will have access to government facilities and systems, and will be supplied with access to gov’t vehicles, equipment, and materials needed to work on the projects and activities as outlined above. Interns must adhere to all government regulations and policies for operating equipment, vehicles, security awareness, and safety.

*To be eligible for a Public Lands Corps certificate, interns must be between the ages of 18-30, inclusive, at the time the individual begins the term of service.