Bachelors Degree Required
Local Candidates Preferred

The Student Conservation Association, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy-California are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity to serve as a Channel Islands Biosecurity Fellow. This position requires a Bachelor’s degree and a commitment to working full-time for close to a year. Local candidates are preferred.

Background
Over the last four decades, Channel Islands National Park and its partners have invested millions of dollars in protecting the native island species by removing harmful, nonnative species from the Channel Islands, including rats, cats, ungulates, Argentine ants, and a variety of weed species. Now, preventing the re-introduction and establishment of invasive species is a high priority for the Channel Islands. The Nature Conservancy funds a full-time position that is dedicated to implementing a biosecurity program on the Channel Islands. The main goals of the program are to prevent, detect, and respond to invasive species introductions, as well as to promote the importance of biosecurity to island users through education and outreach efforts. The program has seen steady growth since its inception in 2014 and The Nature Conservancy is looking to increase capacity by bringing on another full-time team member.

Objectives
The intern will work closely with The Nature Conservancy’s Island Biosecurity Manager to complete a variety of tasks, including: assisting with the development of various educational outreach products; creating and testing tools for detecting invasive species; assisting with mainland invasive trapping efforts at key departure points; conducting inspections of cargo, and correcting deficiencies as necessary; reviewing images for non-native species from remote monitoring cameras; installing wildlife cameras and other invasive species detection tools; interfacing with the public to promote biosecurity awareness; writing sections of plans and reports; analyzing data.

Work will mostly take place on the mainland, though there will be opportunities to conduct field work on the islands. Travel to and from the islands is by boat; occasionally small aircraft may be used. Travel on the islands is via four-wheel drive vehicles on steep dirt roads, and by hiking in steep terrain, on and off trails, for up to 6 miles a day.

Qualifications
Desired qualifications include: a completed bachelor’s degree in science-related field; proficiency with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; excellent verbal and written communications skills; strong hiking skills and outdoor work experience; experience working as part of a team; ability to complete tasks independently within deadlines; strong organizational skills; attention to detail.

Compensation
Living Allowance: $655/week
Housing Allowance: $1,100/month
Travel Allowance: $1,100

Interested candidates ar encouraged to submit a cover letter and resume

Beginning on 1/18/22, all new SCA volunteer program participants will be required to be fully vaccinated. Full vaccination is defined in SCA’s COVID Management plan, which can be found here.