Internship Opportunity

 

University of Puerto Rico- Río Piedras

Tropical Forest Research Experience for College Graduates

Complete applications must be submitted by August 24^th, 2019

 

RESEARCH DESCRIPTION: The University of Puerto Rico will carry out fall field work in El Verde Field Station in El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico. Interns will work on different projects, Seedling Drought Experiment (duties include: clean the rain-out shelters, censuring seedlings, watering the seedlings after rains, measuring soil moisture and data entry). The Stream Free Project (duties include: monthly sampling of different aspects of the stream food chain, sorting leaf litter, general lab duties and some manual labor). The Annual Course Woody Debris assessment (duties include: complete the annual course woody debris protocol in the Luquillo Forest Dynamics Plot, a 16 he plot). Take Canopy photos with a fish eye lent and help our technicians to complete the tree census in the Canopy trimming experiment plots. Following training in census protocol and database management, the volunteers will work in the forest in teams or individually, spending long hours in the field (8 am until 4 pm, Monday-Friday, with weekends free), often in wet and muddy conditions and on challenging topography. While in Puerto Rico volunteers will have the opportunity to learn about diverse aspects of tropical ecology from scientists involved in the Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research Program.

 

PERIOD: September 9- through December 19, 2019

 

STIPEND: $600 per month to cover food and general living expenses.

 

ACCOMMODATION: Free accommodation at El Verde Field Station in Puerto Rico. Housing is communal using shared resources. The field station works with a generator since we don’t have power, is relatively isolated and transportation is available on a limited basis.

 

TRAVEL: Refund of up to $750 towards a round-trip plane ticket from mainland USA, if not already living in Puerto Rico.

NOTE: We are unable to provide any medical insurance.

 

REQUIREMENTS: College graduates with background in biology, ecology, environmental science, or related field, preferably with field-work experience, knowledge of plant identification, and excellent organizational skills. Tropical experience useful but is not required. We are currently only considering US citizens and permanent US residents for these opportunities.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Interested applicants must fill out the online Application Form (https://sites.google.com/a/ites.upr.edu/el-verde-field-station/internships/luquillo-forest-dynamics-plot-internship-opportunities/lfdp-internship-application). 

The following additional materials must also be submitted via email to the LFDP Research Manager, Jamarys Torres-Díaz, at lfdp@ites.upr.edu by August 24^th:

1) A letter of interest indicating why you wish to work in a tropical forest and describing your relevant experience. Include a statement that you understand your application is for a volunteer position and let us know which of the projects do you think you can fit better; 2) Full resume; 3) University transcripts (scanned unofficial transcripts are fine); All email attachments must include the name of the applicant as part of the file name. Please include “Fall Field Work at El Verde” as part of your subject line. Please email further inquiries to lfdp@ites.upr.edu. Following phone interviews, we will inform successful applicants in August, 2019. For more information, please see http://luq.lternet.edu/