BLM Park Ranger Intern - Las Cruces, NM

Start/End Date: May 18, 2020 – November 13, 2020 (anticipated)

Stipend: $500/week (+Education Award)

Term: 26 weeks

Reports To: Edna Flores (Outdoor Recreation Planner)

Location: BLM Las Cruces District Office (1800 Marquess St., Las Cruces, NM 88005)

Status: 900-hour AmeriCorps Service Term

Benefits: AmeriCorps Education Award $3,047.50; Public Lands Corps Certificate*; both with successful completion of the internship.

Conservation Corps New Mexico, a program of Conservation Legacy, aims to continue the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930's. CCNM is focused on connecting youth, young adults, and recent era military veterans with conservation service work projects on public lands. CCNM operates programs across southern New Mexico and western Texas that engage individuals and strengthen communities through service and conservation. The CCNM Individual Placement Program is managed from the Arizona Conservation Corps office in Tucson, Arizona. The CCNM program office in Las Cruces manages the CCNM field program. 

 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Las Cruces New Mexico District Office is providing an opportunity for one qualified individual to assist the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument in carrying out its mission of sustaining the health, diversity and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The intern will help educate visitors on the natural and cultural resources that the Monument is responsible for managing and protecting; conduct trail patrols; work with Monument interest groups; support Park Rangers with recreation and visitor services tasks; collect visitation data; update, illustrate, and create a new layout for the Junior Ranger booklet for the Monument; and other projects. The intern will be provided with Interpretive Guide training and certification, in addition to other BLM trainings in trail construction, inventorying, and safety.

The BLM's Las Cruces District Office manages 5.4 million acres of public land and over 10 million acres of Federal mineral estate from the western side of the Guadalupe Mountains to the Arizona border, and from Sierra County and the southern edge of the Gila National Forest to the Mexican border. These public lands include majestic, scenic mountain ranges jutting from the desert floor, and towering over the surrounding desert. The confluence of the Chihuahuan Desert, Rocky Mountains, great plains, Sonoran desert, and Sierra Madre make the area the most biologically and recreationally diverse region of New Mexico. The Las Cruces District Office does not have available housing. Interns must provide their own personal transportation to the duty office.

·        Update, illustrate, and create new layout for the Junior Ranger booklet.

·        Conduct independent trail patrols on recreation trails during summer evening hours.

·        Work with Monument interest groups and cooperators on service events held in the Monument, which may include trail work, information tabling, or trash cleanup projects.

·        Assist Monument staff with data entry, recreational use permits, and log sheets.

·        Collect visitation data from vehicle and pedestrian counters at field locations and recreation areas.

·        Support Park Rangers with recreation and visitor services tasks.

·        Experience or prior training in illustration or graphic design.

·        Willingness to interact with the public; good public speaking skills.

·        Enthusiasm to learn about the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks and Prehistoric Trackways National Monuments.

·        Self-motivated and able to work in a collaborative team environment.

·        Some college experience.

·        Willingness to hike in rough terrain with exposure to the elements.

·        Applicants must pass a Department Of Interior security background check and should possess a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record. 

·        Prior experience with illustration and graphic design projects.

·        To successfully perform essential functions, the individual is required to sit, stand, walk, speak, hear, etc. May be required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl for significant periods of time and be able to safely lift 50 pounds on a routine basis. He/she must be able to operate office equipment, telephone, and computer and reach with hands and arms.

·        Ability to hike and navigate in uneven, rough terrain during exposure to outdoor elements.

·        This position calls for high levels of concentration. A moderate amount of travel is required to attend meetings, provide assistance to other field offices, and to provide or receive training.

·        Reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

·        Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept differences.

·        Contribute to a safe learning environment; no harassment of others for any reason.

·        Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training, and national service.

·        Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues, and organization staff.

·        Appropriately represent Conservation Corps New Mexico, the BLM and AmeriCorps to the public and partners at all times.

·        Flexibility, adaptability and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment.

 

·        Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance. Must be able to do so at a distance of up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high winds.

·        Effectively perceive and understand significant and apparent hazards, and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute techniques to manage hazards. These directions may be given before the hazard is encountered or may need to be given during the exposure to the hazard. Ability to respond appropriately to stress or crises.

·        Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions.

·        If taking prescriptions medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self- medicating without assistance from others.

 

·        In accordance to a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.

A DOI background clearance must be completed before the selected candidate may report to duty. The BLM will provide instructions for completion of the clearance after an intern has been selected and will notify them when they have been cleared to start the internship. This process will determine the internship’s exact start date.

Interns will have access to government facilities and systems, and will be supplied with access to gov’t vehicles, equipment, and materials needed to work on the projects and activities as outlined above. Interns must adhere to all government regulations and policies for operating equipment, vehicles, security awareness, and safety.

*To be eligible for a Public Lands Corps certificate, interns must be between the ages of 18-30, inclusive, at the time the individual begins the term of service.

To Apply: Please submit an updated resume and cover letter along with the online application through the external application link on Handshake.

 

For more information about Conservation Corps New Mexico, please visit www.corpsnm.org. Conservation Corps New Mexico is a program of Conservation Legacy.