Description: The position will be based out of Catoctin Mountain Park in Thurmont, MD, and is a fulltime, 10-week, housing-provided, paid internship. The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) National
Capital Region (NCR), Office of Natural Resources and Science (NRS) Urban Ecology Research
Learning Alliance (UERLA) is seeking an upper-level undergraduate student with an interest in Geographic Information System (GIS)Mapping, Geographic Data, Invasive Species Management, Public Land Management, Native Plant Species, and/or related fields. Working knowledge of GIS is
strongly preferred. The Invasive Plant Management Priorities Intern will document park conditions using GIS mapping tools. In collaboration with the Summer 2020 Guest Geoscientist-in-the-Parks, the intern will develop strategies for prioritizing the treatment of invasive species at Catoctin and for potential application in other national park units. Consideration for current natural resource
management priorities will be included in the final maps and reports. The highly urbanized and rapidly growing region around NCR parks makes them increasingly important as critical refugia for urban visitors and other species in a changing climate. Students must be enrolled in a degree program for the duration of the internship. The internship will require working outdoors in warm environments, hiking long distances over uneven terrain, and working for several hours at a time in an office environment. The intern will work closely with project mentors including the NPS Urban Ecology Research Learning Alliance’s Science Education Coordinator and the Chief of Resource Management at Catoctin Mountain Park. The intern will have the opportunity to present findings to NPS staff in the National Capital Region. The internship will begin in May of 2020 and continue through August of 2020 but start and end dates are negotiable. Hours are full-time for 10 weeks.
About Catoctin Mountain Park: Catoctin Mountain Park is a 6,000-acre forested park with more than 25 miles of hiking trails, scenic vistas, miles of high-quality fly-fishing streams, and camping opportunities. The park is 15 minutes from Thurmont, which has groceries and restaurants and is a 30-minute drive from Hagerstown and Frederick, Maryland, which provide all the amenities of medium-sized cities.
About UERLA: UERLA is a National Park Service Research Learning Center that serves 16 parks in
National Capital Region. We translate complex research results in to readily understandable
information, providing research, education, and technical assistance for parks. UERLA also provides
science communication outreach to park managers and external audiences via websites, workshops,
and publications. UERLA maintains research and education partnerships with universities, not-forprofit, education, and other federal agencies. The education activities of UERLA include providing
training opportunities for NPS staff and partners, participating in science education programs, and
building external partnerships that support science education in parks. Within the Natural Resources
Invasive Plant Management Priorities Internship The U. S. National Park Service, National Capital Region and Science Office, other science programs, such as botany, wildlife, geology, air resources, and inventory and monitoring, aquatic ecology work with the Urban Ecology Research Learning Alliance on interdisciplinary projects.
How to Apply: If interested, provide a current resume with references, transcripts, and letter of interest electronically to Ann_Gallagher@nps.gov, Science Education Coordinator, Urban Ecology Research Learning Alliance, National Capital Region, National Park Service, 4598 MacArthur Blvd., NW, Washington, DC 20007, Cell: (202) 322-9888. Please use the subject line ‘IPM’. The deadline for applying is April 30, 2020 at 5 pm ET. We expect to begin to interview candidates the following week.
