Conservation and Land Management Internship - USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station - Grassland Plant Ecology Interns

The Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS), in cooperation with the Chicago Botanic Garden, is recruiting three (3) Grassland Plant Ecology Interns. Interns will be based at the Rapid City, SD, office of RMRS and will work on Buffalo Gap National Grassland, which is administered by the U.S. Forest Service. These positions are funded for 18 weeks. The ideal start date for these positions is May 22nd, 2023. 

Interns will conduct field measurements for a drought and climate change study in the Northern Great Plains. The research study is designed to give land managers and scientists a better understanding of northern mixed-grass prairie plant response to seasonal and extreme drought in the context of grazing. In support of this mission, interns will collect plant species composition, demography, and biomass data, as well as maintain mowing treatments and rainout shelter infrastructure. As this project is a collaboration among RMRS, the U.S. Geological Survey, and Colorado State University, interns will interact with scientists specializing in variety of plant ecology topics.  

Interns will work as part of the Maintaining Resilient Dryland Ecosystems program and thus may occasionally work in sagebrush and sagebrush-associated habitats. In addition to the drought project, interns may assist with additional projects as opportunities arise, such as fieldwork helping assess invasive annual brome germination rates. Interns will generally work four 10-hour days per week but will work five 8-hour days per week at the beginning and end of the appointment. Initially, interns will work together with the assistance of the lead scientist or an experienced technician. As the season progresses, they may be paired with each other or an RMRS technician.