At The Garden — Internships

Employment at the Chicago Botanic Garden

TITLE: Research Assistant for Plants of Concern: Rare Plant Monitoring

Do you have a passion for finding and monitoring rare plants? Would you like to train volunteers in this field work? Are you interested in maps and GIS programs? Do you enjoy analysis of field data? Are you able to work well independently and within a team setting?

DESCRIPTION:
This 7-12 month (length dependent on funding) 35 hr/week position involves monitoring rare plants in the Chicago area through the Plants of Concern (POC) program, a widely recognized citizen science program since 2001. The office is based at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Duties include collecting field data, helping train volunteer monitors, entering/analyzing monitoring data, including GIS applications, and assisting with reports. The RA will have an opportunity to create presentations of work accomplished, as well as interact with other Division staff.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
May through September. Engage in monitoring field work throughout the Chicago region. Train and provide support to volunteer monitors and organize field outings. Monitoring consists of collecting field data, including population counts, population area, locations recorded as GPS coordinates, threats, invasive species and management activities. There is some demographic monitoring of selected species.

October through December. Collect and organize monitoring data forms from volunteers. Enter data and conduct statistical analysis for presentation at an advisory group meeting and in grant reports. Use GIS program to plot plant locations.

January through April (dependent on funding). Help finalize POC reports, co-author presentations, and assist with grant applications. Contribute to POC website maintenance. Assist with meetings with partner agencies and preparations for the monitoring season. Help conduct volunteer training workshops.

SALARY: $13.00 per hour, paid holidays and 3 personal days. Occasional weekend work.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS: BS in ecology, botany, biological sciences or related background. Plant identification skills, including use of a dichotomous key. Field experience in plant monitoring or field research. Computer experience with all Microsoft Office functions, including Access database. Basic statistical and GIS software experience helpful. Organizational and people skills. Ability to work well independently as well as in a team setting. Driver's license and access to a personal vehicle, although a company vehicle is normally available for use. Housing with a host family may be available.

DEPARTMENT: Division of Plant Science and Conservation, Conservation Programs

REPORTS TO: Manager of Regional Floristics

COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIPS: Midewin RA, Conservation Science and other Garden staff; public and private land management agency staff.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 15, 2010. (Position begins early to mid-May or July 1, 2010.)

Listing updated 11.30.09

Internship Programs

At The Garden — Internships

Employment at the Chicago Botanic Garden