TITLE: RANGE MONITORING INTERN (2 OPENINGS)

START/END DATE: September 13, 2021- March 4, 2022 (anticipated)

STIPEND: $500/week

TERM: 25 weeks

REPORTS TO: Rangeland Management Specialist

LOCATION: BLM Carlsbad Field Office (620 East Greene St, Carlsbad, NM 88220)

STATUS: 900-hour AmeriCorps Service Term

BENEFITS: AmeriCorps Education Award $3,047; Public Lands Corps Certificate; both with successful completion of the internship.

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. 

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Carlsbad, New Mexico Field Office is providing an opportunity for a qualified individual to assist the Field Office with range monitoring and land-use related geographic information systems (GIS) projects. The selected individual will be tasked with locating and cataloging historical monitoring sites, inputting and analyzing monitoring data, and help with range improvement compliance inspections. The position will be primarily field based, with some office work as well. Long days and irregular hours may be required to complete field work.

The Carlsbad Field Office administers over 2 million acres of surface estate and 3 million acres of mineral estate in the southeastern portion of New Mexico.  The Field Office is located within the extent of the Permian Basin, a prolific oil basin in the United States, and one of the oldest oil fields in the nation, having been in operation since the 1920s.  There are many recreational opportunities in the rolling limestone foothills of the Guadalupe Mountains and the rugged Chihuahuan Desert environment.

The Carlsbad Field Office does not have available housing. Interns must provide their own personal transportation to the duty office.

• ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND FUNCTIONS:
• Work with Range staff to select grazing allotments that are due for monitoring and create monitoring schedules.
• Assist in data collection at established monitoring sites within grazing allotments including plant identification, plant production estimation, and rangeland health evaluation
• Use GIS, GPS, and written directions to locate and navigate to established monitoring sites.
• Become familiar with specific database entry protocol.
• Synthesize data from survey forms and enter into appropriate database.
• Assist with allotments in need of compliance inspections.
• Travel to field sites to locate range improvements, inspect item, and detail observations.

Required Skills

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Familiarity with rangeland plant identification and soils identification.
• Basic understanding of common range practices.
• Familiarity using GPS and ability to work with maps.
• Willingness to hike in rough terrain with exposure to the elements.
• 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:

• Beginner to intermediate experience with GIS.
• Pursuing or holding an undergraduate degree in range science, ranch management, or related field.
• 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.
• 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
• Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training, and national
• Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues, and organization
• Appropriately represent Conservation Corps New Mexico, the BLM and AmeriCorps to the public and partners at all
• Flexibility, adaptability and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work

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
• 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
• 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

SUBSTANCE FREE:

• In accordance to 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.

TO APPLY: Please submit an updated resume and cover letter along with the online application. If you have questions, contact CCNM’s Individual Placement Program Director, Marissa Strong at mstrong@conservationlegacy.org.

For more information about Conservation Corps New Mexico, please visit www.corpsnm.org. Conservation Corps New Mexico is a program of Conservation Legacy.

Required Experience

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Familiarity with rangeland plant identification and soils identification.
• Basic understanding of common range practices.
• Familiarity using GPS and ability to work with maps.
• Willingness to hike in rough terrain with exposure to the elements.
• 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:

• Beginner to intermediate experience with GIS.
• Pursuing or holding an undergraduate degree in range science, ranch management, or related field.
• 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.
• 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
• Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training, and national
• Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues, and organization
• Appropriately represent Conservation Corps New Mexico, the BLM and AmeriCorps to the public and partners at all
• Flexibility, adaptability and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work

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
• 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
• 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

SUBSTANCE FREE:

• In accordance to 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.

TO APPLY: Please submit an updated resume and cover letter along with the online application. If you have questions, contact CCNM’s Individual Placement Program Director, Marissa Strong at mstrong@conservationlegacy.org.

For more information about Conservation Corps New Mexico, please visit www.corpsnm.org. Conservation Corps New Mexico is a program of Conservation Legacy.