Intern - Acquisition, Stewardship, And Development (Pond Management)

The Position

This internship opportunity is only open to students in the Merritt College Natural History & Sustainability program.

ABOUT US:The East Bay Regional Park District is a system of beautiful parklands in Alameda and Contra Costa counties to the east of San Francisco. The system comprises 73 parks spanning across 126,809 acres; 1,250 miles of trails; 55 miles of shoreline. We manage and preserve natural and cultural resources for all to enjoy and protect. The regional parks are ideal for healthful recreation and environmental education. Learn about our Mission and Vision, History, and our contributions to the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

OUR MISSION:

EBRPD preserves a rich heritage of natural and cultural resources and provides open space, parks, trails, safe and healthful recreation, and environmental education. An environmental ethicguides the District in all of its activities.

OUR VALUES:

• Respect

• We honor the land we steward, each other, and the park visitors we serve.

• Resilience

• We creatively adapt to change. We address challenges with empathy, perspective, and determination.

• Relationships

• Our greatest strength lies in the trust, accountability, and teamwork we cultivate with our colleagues, partners, and the public we serve.

• Responsiveness

• We communicate openly, honestly, and reliably.

• Transparency

• We hold the public's trust through meaningful stakeholder engagement and access to timely and reliable information on decisions and performance.

WHY INTERN FOR EBRPD?

• Working with a purpose for a better world today and for future generations through the preservation of open space, public access to the outdoors, and a commitment to the conservation of the natural world found east of the San Francisco Bay across 33 cities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

• A community of colleagues who are passionate about public service and the East Bay Regional Park District, the communities it serves, and its mission.

• Gain valuable paid work experience in the field of academic study or interest which includes the completion of a project to add to your resume. Possible academic credit may be awarded from participating colleges or universities.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

The Park District is currently recruiting for anIntern for Pond Management efforts in our Acquisition, Stewardship & Development Division headquartered at the Administrative Offices inOakland, CA.The Park District manages over 500 ponds that supply water to cattle and provide essential habitat for amphibians and other wildlife. The Stewardship Department is working with researchers to monitor how to manage land use and amphibian populations in a changing climate characterized by extreme weather events. The intern would work with an interdisciplinary group of professors, graduate students, field technicians and land managers, to perform 1) macro and micro identification of amphibians, fish, invertebrates, and parasites (2) performing field sampling techniques such as but not limited to: dipnet, seine, visual survey, pathogen swabbing, and transects, (3) necropsy of freshwater aquatic snails for parasite isolation, and (4) data entry. In addition, individual(s) will aid in the collection of SD camera cards, processing of images from these cameras and assist in the offloading of previously deployed Hobo Loggers.

What environmental issues/problems will the work address?The intern's effort will contribute to a grant-funded research project which seeks to quantitatively identify wetland characteristics that promote resilience in aquatic communities and combine this information with climate forecasting to enhance habitat suitability in an uncertain future. We focus on native communities of amphibians, which are now the most imperiled group of vertebrates globally, and in particular on species of greatest conservation need such as the California red-legged frog and the California tiger salamander.

Internship location/How much of the work is remote versus in-person?This position is mostly lab- or office-based (70%) with some field-based work (30%) but may be flexible depending on the intern's interests. The office-based work has the option to be performed remotely.

Special Requirements:Tasks include some field work requiring bending, stooping, kneeling, and hiking on uneven terrain and surfaces; work may occur in adverse weather conditions and in noxious vegetation including poison oak; around stinging insects and other wildlife. Intern should be able and willing to spend many of the internship hours doing data entry or reviewing and cataloguing photos and videos. Lab work may be done at Blue Oak Ranch, in Santa Clara County. Valid Driver's License and clean driving record required for travel to different parks or lab. Note: The position may be available for early start (before August 21) and for more than the 225 hours required for the internship course.

IDEAL CANDIDATE:

• Strong interest in land management, ecology, and wildlife identification;

• Good technical and computer skills, ability to learn how to use GPS/GIS mapping software to collect quality data in the field;

• Excellent work ethic and attention to detail;

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Essential Functions

• Under the direction of the department head of a department, the intern is assigned to work on various projects up to forty (40) hours per week, for a short-term period of approximately ten to twelve (10-12) weeks.

• Interns in the assigned departments would handle projects designed to be a working and learning experience in any of several fields in that department.

• Work on various projects as assigned by the department head;

• Become familiar with District policies and practices together with the reasoning behind these procedures;

• Gain insight into being an effective decision-maker within the context of projected career goals;

• Develop the ability to initiate or reject situations that are presented for intern's evaluation;

• Prepares reports;

• Compiles and analyzes data pertaining to assigned projects.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Must be in attendance at, or on legitimate leave from, a high school, trade school, college or university. Academic background compatible to departmental assigned projects.

License:Must possess a valid California driver's license. This requirement may be waived at the discretion of the General Manager for disabled or other applicants where the projects are such that a valid California Driver's License would not be necessary.

Additional Information

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to investigate and analyze situations, plan and organize research.

• Ability to speak and write effectively.

• Ability to follow instructions and to maintain harmonious working relations with fellow employees and the public

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Must pass a Level 1 background check.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

The East Bay Regional Park District is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and respects a diverse workforce and community. It is committed to promoting an equitable and inclusive workspace that is welcoming to all. Applicants from all backgrounds and life experiences are encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.