internship SE Exotic Plant Management

Are you a student or recent graduate looking for something to do? Do you like to travel? The Southeast Exotic Plant Management Team is looking for dedicated interns who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty. The job entails long hours of hard work and lots of travel. We need active individuals who can carry heavy backpack sprayers, operate chainsaws and ATVs in a safe manner, and perform maintenance on various types of equipment.

The Southeast Exotic Plant Management Team is a part of the National Park Service. Serving Parks in the Southeast Region, we use integrated pest management to reduce the threat of invasive, non-native vegetation to sensitive resources. Manual, mechanical, prescribed fire, and chemical techniques are used. We generally spend seven days traveling, one day performing maintenance at our office in Asheville, and six days off.

The internship is six months long. Interns receive a weekly stipend, per diem pay for travel expenses, and a possible AmeriCorps Education Award. Some housing assistance may be available. Health insurance is provided to interns for the duration of the internship. You may be eligible for college credit as well. You will be trained in exotic plant identification and eradication techniques, chainsaw and ATV operation, data collection using GPS/GIS, and equipment maintenance. If you are looking for a job in the National Park Service, or need experience in a botany/ biology related field this is a great resume builder.

Previous experience or training in botany, herbicide application, chainsaw operation, GIS or ArcMap is desired, but the only requirements are a good attitude and a willingness to learn.

For more information please contact Nancy Fraley at (828) 296-0850 ext. 100 or Toby Obenauer at (828) 674-8524