Water Quality Intern – Apply by March 18

Mason-Lake Conservation District is hiring a water quality intern to assist with monitoring activities of the Little Manistee River in Lake, Mason and Manistee Counties. Work to be accomplished through this internship is in partnership with the Little Manistee Watershed Conservation Council. The intern will work in a welcoming, fun, fast-paced office environment or on the river with citizen scientists. This internship is intended for a college sophomore-level student or above, or a recent graduate. The position will average three days (24 hours) per week, May to mid-October. More work days are available if the intern wishes to job shadow other staff and gain experience in different fields. Normal work hours occur between 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday but may include occasional evening or weekend hours for major stream monitoring events or workshops. The Conservation District is a local unit of government that provides technical expertise on conservation projects to farms, landowners and public entities in Mason County and the west half of Lake County.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

• Coordinate macro-invertebrate sampling days on 3 stream sites in May and early October in accordance with MiCorps protocol (volunteer stream monitoring)
• Sort and identify aquatic macro-invertebrates
• Collect biological, chemical, and physical data from streams in accordance with the MiCorps Program sampling protocol
• Recruit and coordinate volunteer citizen scientists to assist with macro-invertebrate sampling days
• Maintain, calibrate, troubleshoot and properly use all water quality sampling equipment
• Assist in data analysis, writing reports and uploading data to the statewide database
• Attend meetings and trainings to update or acquire new skills related to stream management
• Implement stream habitat assessments on 3 sites using MiCorps Program protocol
• Other duties as assigned to assist with stream monitoring or other Conservation District projects. Activities may include, but are not limited to, hosting workshops, native shoreline restoration, and beachgrass harvest

WORKING LOCATION AND CONDITIONS

The position will be based in Scottville, Mason County, Michigan. This location is near Ludington on the west side of the state, where there are diverse rivers to paddle, trails to hike and parks to explore. Work time is split between office work while planning sampling events and field work on rivers. Many sampling locations will be based in other counties, but a shared work vehicle will be available for field work. Intern must be available to complete all sampling in spring and fall and submit final reports for fall sampling to statewide database.

REQUIRED EDUCATION

Must possess at least 60 credits towards an Associate’s or Bachelor of Science Degree in limnology, environmental sciences, conservation biology, biology, fisheries or related science field. Intern may be eligible to receive credit from their university.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Experience conducting macro-invertebrate stream sampling preferred
• Willing and able to collaborate with different groups that are working on various river projects
• Solid verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency required in Microsoft Excel and Word
• Must be detail oriented and able to work in an outdoor setting and office environment.
• Must be able to swim, hike/walk through uneven terrain, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl and may occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds
• Must be willing to work in all weather and elements, including places where poisonous plants or stinging insects may be present
• Coursework in invertebrates is a plus
• Must possess a valid driver’s license with a good driving record, reliable transportation to work for the duration of the internship
• Ready and willing to learn, be a positive part of our team and have fun leading citizen scientists on our rivers

COMPENSATION

A monthly stipend of $500 will be provided, in addition to a $2,500 scholarship, to be awarded at completion of the internship. For recent graduates, the scholarship may also be applied to student loans.

TO APPLY

Provide a cover letter, resume, transcripts (unofficial are acceptable), and list of three references, in an email to Dani McGarry at the Mason-Lake Conservation District at dani.mcgarry@macd.org . Please list “water quality internship” in the email subject line. Any questions pertaining to the position may also be directed to Dani McGarry via email or by calling (231) 757-3707 ext. 102.

Applications must be received by 5:00pm EDT, Monday, March 18th.

Preferred start date is May 2nd, 2022 or earlier.