Ecology Intern - ONSITE - Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Start/End Dates: May 25th, 2026 - August 10th, 2026 (11 weeks)
Compensation: $688 per week
Application Due: March 1st, 2026

The Latino Heritage Internship Program seeks to engage young professionals in natural resource careers. Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident. 
• Be between the ages of 18 - 30 years or up to 35 years if a veteran.
• Be willing to undergo a background check upon hiring.
• Have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record.

Note: A personal vehicle is required for this position. 

Position Description: 

The intern will support the development of a long-term monitoring strategy targeting the assessment and condition of vernal pools within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Data from preceding studies will be queried and classified to prioritize pools for long-term evaluation considering habitats near development and timber harvest, proximity to other pools, and diversity of indicator species. A subset of pools will be surveyed for ecological parameters for submission to the Michigan Vernal Pool Partnership database as well as measured for precise hydroperiod to inform relationships of hydroperiod types across the landscape. Trail cameras will be maintained to detect terrestrial wildlife use across an array of pool types to supplement ongoing research (in collaboration with Michigan Technological University) within the park and Hiawatha National Forest.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct surveys using trail cameras, song meters, and data loggers
• Synthesis of existing vernal pool data in GIS and database applications 
• Data submission of 18 vernal pool sites to the Michigan Vernal Pool Partnership 
• Create graphs of 2025 vernal pool hydroperiods
• Completion of field report.

Qualifications:

• Demonstrate career objectives in wetland ecology, hydrology, or ecology.  
• Possess strong organizational and communication skills.
• Previous experience with maintaining data in spreadsheets and following standard operating procedures in collecting and organizing field data is desirable.
• Proficiency in creating graphs, tables, charts, and figures in relational databases is beneficial, including applications in ArcGIS. 
• Ability to independently navigate long distances off trail on uneven and flooded terrain under inclement conditions (e.g. biting insects, humidity) while wearing a backpack and carrying equipment.
• Be a self-starter and an effective team player.

Interns in this program will receive 440 hours towards Public Land Corps (PLC) Hiring Authority. See below on information about:

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 ages of 18 and 30 years old, inclusive, or a veteran up to age 35 and complete 640 hours of work on an appropriate conservation project to be eligible for this hiring authority. Upon successful completion of the PLC project(s), the intern is eligible for two years to be hired non-competitively into a federal seasonal, term, or permanent position. The applicant must apply to a PLC-eligible position advertised on USAJobs.gov and selected off a non-competitive certificate of eligibility. For more information, see DOI Personnel Bulletins 11-02 , 12-13, and 17-03.

EEO Statement

Environment for the Americas provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employmentand prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Salary : $688