Wetland Inventory Mapping Intern

Internship Title: Wetland Inventory Mapping

Internship Site:  Montpelier, VT; weekly field work will occur in Northwestern Vermont. 

Description: Spend you summer helping the State of Vermont map valuable habitats and learn about wetland regulations in Vermont. The internship will primarily focus on GIS mapping work, with Program assistance including data management and field work. All field travel will leave from and return to Montpelier using ANR vehicles. In this internship the individual will learn about the Vermont Wetland Rules and wetland regulations, how to identify wetlands in the field and remotely, and how integral mapping is to the success of wetland protection.

Intern support for wetland mapping projects will consist of digitizing wetland mapping, adding metadata, and preparing notice documents for landowners in accordance with Program protocol. The primary tool will be Esri ArcMap GIS. At the end of the internship, the mapping will be added to the VSWI layer and published publicly on the online VT Natural Resources Atlas. The intern will have the support of professionals with mapping experience who will provide training in aerial interpretation and other mapping tools.

Additionally, the intern will conduct field-verification of remote sensing data completed by professional contractors. The intern will travel with regulatory staff in the Missisquoi Basin to confirm wetland mapping presence and absence. Site visits will involve collecting information on wetland location, size, connectivity, functions and values; as well as an evaluation of wetland boundaries.

In support of the Wetland Program, the intern will aid in wetland protection work within the Program and complete tasks focusing on the protection of the most exceptional and irreplaceable wetlands throughout Northwest Vermont. Task will include supporting Ecologists in the field while interacting with the regulated community, providing VSWI mapping updates, and database management.

Desired qualifications/skills/coursework:

-         Successful completion of coursework in Geographical Information Systems a must.

-         Experience with using a database, data management, and GIS programs, especially ArcMap   V10.3.1.

-         Prior coursework and interest in any of the following areas; wetland/water resources, botany, soils, hydrology, wildlife biology, and/or ecology.

-         Position requires a highly organized individual with attention to detail. Flexibility is also important, with the ability to maintain focus while performing a diverse set of tasks.

-         An ability to work under adverse field conditions (adverse terrain in hot, humid and/or rainy weather).

Supervision: Intern will be supervised in the Watershed Management Division by the Wetlands Program and will work daily with the Program Manager and administrative staff. All field work will be conducted with a Wetlands Staff member. (Brock Freyer will be the primary contact)

Start and End Dates: June 1 to August 15, but dates are negotiable. 

Total Hours: 32 hours/week, 10 weeks 

Compensation:  The interns will receive an award of $3,000 thanks to funding from CCI, the Geography Department, and the Agency for Natural Resources.   If you are offered and accept this internship, please be aware that your funding for this position is provided by CCI, and therefore you will be required to complete funded internship paperwork. 

How to apply: Upload your RESUME, COVER LETTER and AN ACADEMIC REFERENCE (PROFESSOR NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION) to Handshake by March 25, 2018 (11:55pm).