LHIP Internship: Natural Resource Management Assistant (PLC) - ONSITE - Death Valley National Park | Natural Resources Department | Botany Team

Location: Cow Creek, CA,None,None

Start/End Dates: May 26, 2025 – October 10, 2025 (20 weeks)
Compensation: $688 per week
Medical Insurance: Not provided
Application Due: February 7, 2025

The Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP) seeks to engage undergraduates and recent graduates ages 18 - 30, and up to 35 for veterans, for this unmatched leadership training program that is focused in the cultural and natural resource management. You must be (additional requirement):

• You must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.

• A drivers license is required for this position.

*A personal vehicle is preferred for this position.

Position Description: 

Death Valley National Park (DEVA) is recruiting a Natural Resource Management Assistant through the Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP) to join the terrestrial ecology program in the Division of Resource Management. This position focuses on rare and invasive plant data collection and herbarium duties. Death Valley is the largest national park in the continental United States and is known for being the hottest, driest, and lowest elevation park! The park’s unique combination of extremes creates a special habitat for rare Mojave Desert plants while simultaneously housing invasive species. The intern will work alongside park staff to monitor the presence of rare plants and survey for invasive plants using ArcGIS tools (Field Maps, Survey123, etc.). The intern will also gain experience working with natural history collections by contributing to the park herbarium digitization project. The DEVA herbarium houses a collection of over 3,500 vascular plant specimens, which will be made digitally accessible via the Consortium of California Herbaria (CCH2). Duties in support of this project will include data entry, plant identification, georeferencing specimens, mounting plant voucher specimens, and performing other herbarium and office duties as needed. There may also be opportunities to participate in other fieldwork, including rare plant monitoring projects, aquatic ecology surveys such as the Devil’s Hole Pupfish Early Life Stages Survey, western Joshua tree surveys, and other projects based on the intern’s interests. By the end of the project, the intern will provide a map summarizing the data collected in the field and a report detailing their research process and results.

Responsibilities:

• Educational Background:

  • Recent graduate in biological sciences
  • Field experience in extreme environments

• Knowledge and Experience:

  • Botany and/or ecology (familiarity with Mojave Desert flora preferred but not required)
  • Ability to identify plants to species using dichotomous keys

• Technical Skills:

  • Strong familiarity with ArcGIS software and program layout
  • Experience with hand-held GPS units or tablets for navigation and/or data collection
  • Familiarity with topographic maps and compasses

Qualifications:

• Educational/Experience Requirements:

  • At least two years of coursework toward a degree in biological sciences or two years of field experience related to natural resource/vegetation work
  • One semester of coursework related to geospatial data

• Clearance:

  • Government security background clearance required before starting

• Work Abilities:

  • Ability to work productively both independently and as part of a team
  • Effective communication with team members, agency staff, and a diverse public
  • Physical ability to:
    • Hike up to 10 miles daily on uneven terrain with a pack
    • Work in harsh and rapidly changing environments
    • Traverse uneven terrain and carry up to 40 pounds in a backpack
    • Maintain good physical condition

• Fieldwork Requirements:

  • Willingness to spend multiple days camping in the field, as needed

• Organizational Skills:

  • Strong organizational abilities

Interns in this program will receive 800 hours towards Public Land Corps (PLC) Hiring Authority. See below for information about PLC.

Public Land Corps Non-Competitive Hiring Authority (PLC)
The Public Land Corps Non-Competitive Hiring Authority is a special hiring authority available to qualifying interns. The intern must be between the a