Invasive Plants Intern (PO-00730384)

Primary duties include treatment of high priority weed-infested areas of the refuge by applying herbicide on target plant species.  ATVs with boom sprayers and/or wands, and backpack sprayers will be the primary mode of herbicide application.  In certain instances, hand-pulling or mowing may be required.  Interns will keep detailed records of treatment efforts, including herbicides used, target plants, herbicide amount applied, application period, acres treated, and efficacy percentage.  Work will be primarily outside, with a minor amount of office-related duties (mostly focused on data entry).  Interns will use GPS applications (Arc Collector) for entering data and mapping of treated areas and other target plant areas on the refuges. Interns will work with the refuge staff to organize the field data and enter into ArcGIS for future analysis.  Other duties will include light equipment maintenance, environmental education, outreach activities, facilitiy and yard clean-up, and other tasks, throughout the internship. 

Training will include: operation and maintenance of ATVs and a 4X4 truck, use of GPS applications and basic ArcGIS, and proper handling, application and equipment maintenance techniques.  All personal protective equipment will be provided by the refuge.

Location description: 
All refuges are located in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado, in an arid climate at elevations between 7,500 and 7,800 feet.

Baca National Wildlife Refuge is located near Crestone, CO. Crestone has two small grocery stores and a few restaurants.  Larger cities such as Salida and Alamosa are about a 1-hour drive from the refuge headquarters. Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge is located just east of Alamosa, CO.  Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge is located about seven miles south of Monte Vista, CO.

Qualifications:  Applicants must be willing to work in inclement weather, hot temperatures and buggy conditions.  It is necessary that applicants have excellent observation skills, be detail-oriented, and show patience because weed treatment, monitoring, and mapping can get repetitive.  After the initial job orientation, the interns will be expected to work independently with little to no supervision throughout most of the season. Applicants with knowledge or experience in western invasive plants are preferred.