Exotic Plant Management Internships

The National Park Service (NPS) Southeast Exotic Plant Management Team is currently recruiting two, six-month internship positions. The SE-EPMT is a mobile strike team covering 18 NPS units in seven southeastern states.


Interns will develop skills in invasive plant management control methods using integrated pest management strategies.  Training will be provided  on exotic, invasive plant control techniques including native and non-native plant identification, herbicide application techniques, operation of manual and gas powered sprayers, chainsaws and other power equipment and various hand tools. Interns will also learn safe operation of 4WD vehicles and ATV’s. Data collection using GPS/GIS, digital photography, and Microsoft Access will also be covered.


Interns should be in excellent physical condition and able to lift and carry up to 40 lbs. for five miles over strenuous terrain.  Typical work day is ten hours. A valid driver’s license is required and a willingness to travel and work as a team are a must. Interns will receive a weekly stipend and food and lodging compensation when traveling. Health Insurance is available for all interns. An Americorps Education Award may also be available.


 College coursework or experience in botany, horticulture, landscape maintenance  or environmental science a plus.


For additional information, please contact Nancy Fraley at 828-407-5651

Internship Announcement

Artist Boat is seeking a motivated, creative, and self-starting student with environmental or art background to deliver Eco-Art Workshops and Adventures to the communities of the Houston/Galveston Region; assist with production of professional development for teachers during the summer; creation of public art, and assist with fulfilling the mission of Artist Boat.

Job Description: Primary duty is to assist the Director of Education delivering professional development, assist Eco-Art Educators with interpreting habitats, ecosystems, science, and the environment through the discipline of visual art and/or science for people of all ages engaging in Eco-Art experiences with the Artist Boat.  Educator must be able to clearly and enthusiastically:

·        Present art skills and knowledge to students and adults in order to facilitate the creation of works of art interpreting the coastal margins and marine ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico in classrooms, via kayak and vessel, on walking tours, and in the classroom;

·        Interact with persons of all ages in a positive, professional, encouraging, and informative manner;

·        Lift 60 pounds, load and unload a kayak/canoe trailer, spend 8 hours outside on a regular basis, become a basic kayak instructor, and obtain first aid/CPR training;

·        Enthusiastically learn, acquire, and research new knowledge about arts media;

·        Enthusiastically learn, acquire, and research knowledge about native flora, fauna, and ecosystems in order to properly identify species and assist in interpretation of habitats;

·        Represent the Artist Boat and the mission of the Artist Boat during events and in the community,

·        Be willing and able to drive to destinations through out the Galveston Bay region to deliver programming.

Other duties will entail:

·        Assisting the Director of Education with developing materials and presentation modules for professional development during Coastal Waters Institutes and other professional development teaching teachers how to engage students in project based and placed based education.

·        Assist with the production and installation of public murals and mosaics interpreting natural processes and the marine environment of the Gulf of Mexico.

Requirements: Current undergraduate status, continuing into the fall. Interest in visual arts, outdoor education, interpretation , and kayaking. Ability to swim, or water comfort. Preferably 1 to 2 years experience in arts, outdoor or environmental education.

Additional Terms Required by the SHELL Internship Program:

Each intern must be a currently enrolled, full-time, undergraduate student who will be returning to college as a full-time sophomore, junior, or senior student for at least the fall semester after the internship.  Full-time enrollment is defined as 12 or more credits in one semester.

Before the internship can begin, each intern must obtain and provide to Volunteer Houston written enrollment verification from the college confirming the student’s enrollment status.  Student ID cards and/or phone calls are not sufficient documentation.  Official enrollment verification will come from a university’s registrar office.  As a helpful tip, this documentation is the same paperwork that auto insurance companies require to confirm student driver enrollment. Upon selection the student is reguired to provide this documentation. 

Family members of board and staff at an agency are not eligible to be hired as Shell Non-profit Internship Program interns at that agency.  Family members of Shell and Volunteer Houston are also ineligible to be hired.

Start Date: June 10, 2011

End Date: August 15, 2011.

Starting Salary: $2,500 stipend given over the course of the summer internship.

Artist Boat is a small non-profit organization that needs dedicated and contributing employees to help its success.

Mission: Artist Boat is dedicated to promoting awareness and preservation of coastal margins and the marine environment through the disciplines of the sciences and the arts.

Application Process: Please submit via mail one page resume, two letters of reference, and cover letter to Rani Henderson via mail at 2415 Ave K, Galveston, Texas 77550.  Deadline for submissions is April 15, 2011 and selections will be made by May 1, 2011. 

Postdoctoral Research Associate position available

A postdoctoral researcher position is available to work with Dr. Anna Armitage and Dr. Antonietta Quigg in the Department of Marine Biology at Texas A&M University at Galveston. The postdoc will be primarily responsible for analyzing data from a three-year brackish marsh restoration project and synthesizing the results into peer-reviewed journal articles. Article topics may include (but are not limited to) food web development, patterns of carbon storage, and diversity/productivity relationships. This is a one-year position with an additional one-year extension possible, contingent on funding. The postdoc will be expected to co-author three articles for peer review during the first year of this position.

Required qualifications: Ph.D. or equivalent in Biology, Ecology, or related field. Strong analytical and writing skills, proficiency in the use of statistical packages such as SPSS, JMP, or R.

Additional qualifications desired: Experience with field ecology methodologies, community ecology, use of stable isotopes, productivity measurements.

Special requirements: Some field work may be involved, which requires the physical ability to conduct research in the hot and humid conditions typical of Gulf of Mexico coastal wetlands.

Responsibilities: The associate will be expected to synthesize data and write research articles. Additional duties may include conducting independent research, providing assistance to graduate students, and generating reports for the funding agency.

Salary: $36,000/year with full benefits after 90 days of employment.

Start date (negotiable) is June 1, 2011. For full consideration, submit applications by March 31, 2011. Submit TAMU application, statement of interest and experience, and CV at the online submission website, tamujobs.tamu.edu (NOV# 110546). In addition, please have three references submit letters of recommendation directly to Dr. Anna Armitage (armitaga@tamug.edu) with a cc to Betty Thompson (thomspob@tamug.edu).

Texas A&M University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity and particularly invites applications from minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities.

New Orleans Based Environmental Positions Available

Field Operations Assistant
 Industrial Economics, Incorporated (IEc) has an immediate opening for a Field Operations Assistant to join IEc’s logistical support team conducting environmental assessment work in Louisiana. IEc is providing a variety of services to federal government clients in Louisiana, including managing environmental sampling strategies and data collection, assessing impacts of the oil spill on ecosystem health and habitat, and coordinating activities and communications among stakeholders. The Field Operations Assistant position will not require any field work and will be based in an office. The Field Operations Assistant will be responsible for the implementation of safety protocols, remote tracking of field teams, coordination of field team logistical operations and assisting with the implementation of technical studies.

The Field Operations Assistant position is a temporary, benefit-eligible hourly position that runs through the fall of 2011; continuation is possible depending on client needs. The position is based in New Orleans. IEc will cover the cost of housing and meals for employees that need to relocate for this position.

The successful candidate will have at a minimum a bachelors degree. One to four years of experience is preferred. Additional education may substitute for years of experience. An academic background in the sciences is preferred; biology, chemistry, toxicology, or geophysics are applicable disciplines. Candidates with field sampling experience and data management experience are preferred. The candidate must be a self-starter, an adept problem solver, and comfortable in a fast-moving, high-pressure environment. Excellent oral and written communication skills are required. Experience working on natural resources damage issues and/or on oil spills is a plus.

Compensation commensurate with experience.

IEc is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. A corporate goal of IEc is to continue to expand the cultural diversity of its staff, enhancing career opportunities in the environmental field for under-represented groups.

Position Type: Full Time, Temporary

Required Qualifications: 

• Relevant work or internship experience.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• One to four years of experience (or additional education).

  As the first step in applying to IEc, please visit http://www.indecon.com/iec_Web/mainmenu/jobApplication.asp?jobID=147

Summer field course in tropical wetland ecology

2011 SUMMER COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT (May 15-June 9)

FIELD COURSE IN TROPICAL WETLAND ECOLOGY

COURSE LOCATION: Bocas del Toro Biological Station, Boca del Drago, Isla Colon, Republic of  Panama.  The biological station is located on a beach facing the Caribbean Sea.  Coral reef and seagrass ecosystems lie out in front of the station and lowland tropical rain forests lie directly behind.  This juxtaposition of the two most biologically diverse ecosystems provides tremendous opportunities for education and research.  See Panama: http://www.itec-edu.org/index.html for details.

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Tiffany Troxler, Florida International University, Southeast Environmental Research Center, OE 167, 11200 SW 8^th St., Miami, FL, 33199; troxlert@fiu.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will present and synthesize ideas and concepts central to wetland ecology. It will emphasize aspects of wetland structure and function of riverine, mangrove, mixed hardwood and Raphia swamp forests and herbaceous bog wetlands of Bocas del Toro. The material covered is equivalent to a university upper level course in wetland ecology.  The course is divided into three parts.  During the first few days students will become familiar with the many ecosystems found in our area and with the trail systems during “orientation” walks.  The bulk of the first 10 days will be spent learning field techniques and carrying out various group projects or exercises (see below).  Midway through the course the entire station community takes a 3-day field trip to cloud forests of Boquete (see details below).  On returning to the field station, students work on their individual research projects and continue to receive lectures or other activities in the evening.