08-Aug-16 11:44 AM
URL: https://www.oregon.gov/
Affiliation: non-MATE
Company / Organization: South Slough Reserve
City: Charleston, OR
Description:

This position will provide interns with training and hands-on work experience in estuarine biology and environmental monitoring projects at the South Slough Reserve. Primary projects will include fisheries biology, estuarine and invertebrate ecology, and water quality monitoring. Interns will be responsible for collecting scientific data in the field, processing samples in the field and laboratory, and data entry and analysis.

Benefits to Intern

The Intern will gain hands-on experience in estuarine and marine science. They will be exposed to field sampling protocols, data collection, and data management. Interns will receive focused training and gain work experience in the areas of:

Field work: Care and safe use of field equipment, identification of marine and estuarine organisms, data collection, and record keeping.

Laboratory work: Lab safety and data collection protocols, proper care and preparation of laboratory equipment, lab methods and techniques, and detailed record keeping.

Data Processing: Computer databases, data entry, processing & analysis, and presentation of results in tables and figures.

Requirements:

Major Tasks

The Estuarine Research and Monitoring Intern will assist South Slough Reserve staff with the following projects:

Fish Monitoring - This project relates to understanding temporal and spatial patterns of fish assemblages in the South Slough and will involve monthly beach seining and fyke netting at tidal marsh sites. Continuous water quality data collected through the Reserve’s System Wide Monitoring Program will be used to characterize the environmental conditions that influence species presence, absence, and abundance.

Native Oyster Recruitment – This project is designed to examine recruitment dynamics of native oysters in the upper Coos estuary and will involve bi-weekly fieldwork, microscope work, and data entry.

Additionally, the intern may also assist with field and laboratory work associated with the Reserve’s long-term water quality monitoring program.

Desired Skills

The ideal candidate will have a background and interest in estuarine and marine science. We are looking for someone who is comfortable working outside and doesn’t mind getting muddy or wet. They should have a positive attitude, a strong work ethic, and be detail-oriented. Because our fieldwork schedule is often determined by the tide, some of this work will take place in the early morning and often at odd hours. The Intern should be Deadline to Apply: 8/18/16 South Slough Internship Application willing to work a varied schedule and be flexible when changes arise.

Time Commitment

Hours will vary from 6-20 per week depending on the fieldwork schedule. $750 stipend award upon the completion of 150 total hours. Start date: Sept 1, 2016. End Date: December 20, 2016.

Work Station

South Slough ECOS Lab (on the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology campus) 63466 Boat Basin Drive, Charleston, Charleston, OR 97420

Evaluation

The Estuarine Research and Monitoring Intern will be assigned a mentor at South Slough. Mentors associated with this internship position are the: Research Program Coordinator, Monitoring Program Coordinator and the Stewardship Program Coordinator. The project Mentor will work directly with the intern and provide formal feedback to the intern on a weekly basis and less formally on an as needed basis. This is an informal relationship that allows the student to ask questions and the mentor to make suggestions. A final verbal and written evaluation will be conducted by the program supervisor with input from the intern’s mentor and other staff and volunteers who have worked with the intern.

Point of Contact: Deborah Rudd