Restoration Intern

The National Audubon Society is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects birds and the places they need today and tomorrow. We work throughout the Americas towards a future where birds thrive because Audubon is a powerful, diverse, and ever-growing force for conservation. Audubon has more than 700 staff working across the hemisphere and more than 1.5 million active supporters.
North America has lost three billion birds since 1970, and more than 500 bird species are at risk of extinction across Latin America and the Caribbean. Birds act as early warning systems about the health of our environment, and they tell us that birds – and our planet – are in crisis. Together as one Audubon, we are working to alter the course of climate change and habitat loss, leading to healthier bird populations and reversing current trends in biodiversity loss. We do this by implementing on-the-ground conservation, partnering with local communities, influencing public and corporate policy, and building community.
Audubon is committed to a culture of workplace excellence, where our talented and diverse staff are deeply engaged with a strong sense of belonging. The birds Audubon pledges to protect differ in color, size, behavior, geographical preference, and countless other ways. By honoring and celebrating the equally remarkable diversity of the human species, Audubon brings new creativity, effectiveness, and leadership to our work throughout the hemisphere.

Restoration Interns play a critical role in the management and restoration of Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC) and Chicago Park District (CPD) Natural Areas. Under the direction of Audubon's Stewardship Program Associate, Restoration Intern - Crew Chief and Restoration Intern - Assistant Crew Chief, Restoration Interns will help to restore ecological health and integrity of prairie, savanna, woodland, wetland, and hemimarsh habitats by removing invasive species at various preserves and natural areas in Cook County. This internship is an excellent opportunity to gain experience in natural areas management and land stewardship, as well as contribute to the growing network of individuals and organizations in the Chicago area that possess a personal commitment to conservation.

It is preferred but not required that interns have reliable transportation to and from work sites. Interns will report to the Stewardship Program Associate and preference will be given to those who commit to the full length of the program. The program is physically rigorous and challenging but offers interesting and educational experiences to an energetic and motivated individual. The positions are offered through Audubon’s Wings Internship program in partnership with the FPCC and CPD.

This program offers:

• Paid position with competitive compensation.
• Reimbursement of mileage to and from work sites.
• Uniforms, work vests and personal protective equipment (PPE) provided by Audubon.
• Ecological certifications, licenses, conference, and field seminar experience.

This role is on-site and based out of Audubon Great Lakes (125 S. Wacker Dr., Suite 2125, Chicago, IL 60606).
Forest Preserves District of Cook County (Powderhorn Nature Preserve, Orland Grassland, Michigan City Road Savanna, + multiple other properties), Chicago Park District (Deadstick Pond, Marian Byrnes, Big Marsh Park, and Indian Ridge Marsh Park).

Compensation:
$18.50/hour

Intern Responsibilities and Learning Objectives
Restoration Interns will receive on-the-job training and develop skills in a variety of practices related to the management of natural habitats, including:

• Stewardship and land management responsibilities in ecological restoration.
• Brush and weed management by using a wide variety of tools, including: backpack herbicide sprayers, chainsaws, brushcutters, and hand tools.
• Restoration techniques, including plant identification, planting native plugs, seed collection, processing, and dispersal, and when applicable, controlled brushpile or prescribed burns.
• Ability to test for and obtain IL Herbicide Applicator License, and obtain certifications in Chainsaw, Brushcutter, Group Leadership, Managing Invasives, and other ecology-related field courses during the internship.

Internship Benefits
Interns will gain experience and knowledge in the following:

• Develop leadership and team-building skills while receiving professional job-skill training.
• Learn effective collaboration by working alongside Audubon crews and staff, partner restoration staff, volunteers, and other conservation partners in the region.
• Attend educational trainings and events to gain exposure to other conservation organizations and professionals for the purpose of future job placement.
• Professional and appropriate interaction with members of the public and volunteers carrying out work and visiting the preserves and natural areas.

Intern Schedule
The commitment is a full-time, 40-hours per week, Monday – Friday, with most workdays scheduled 7am-3pm. The seasonal paid position runs from May through December. Interns must also be extremely flexible with scheduling as field work is subject to change daily to hourly due to weather, work adjustments and crew needs.
Projected Start Date:
June 3, 2024, and projected end date is December 13, 2024

• Preferably working towards a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, natural resources management, or related field preferred but not required. An equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered.
• Must be 18 years or older.
• Strong interest in conservation and/or working outdoors.
• Willingness to work an extremely flexible schedule that can change daily to hourly, as applicable.
• Access to a car or other means of transportation to get to and from meet sites, designated work sites and training locations, preferred.
• Ability to work in inclement weather conditions, withstanding extreme temperatures, heavy mosquito presence and difficult terrain.
• Ability to work collaboratively as a member of a team.
• Ability to perform repetitive tasks with attention to detail.
• Ability to study for and pass the Illinois Herbicide Applicator Exams within the first 15 days.
• Experience with, or ability to quickly learn, safe usage of basic maintenance tools including hand tools, brushcutters and potentially chainsaws.
• Ability to lift, carry and move heavy objects up to 50lbs for extended periods of time.
• Ability to follow instructions and use independent judgment in decisions, as needed.

The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

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