Forest Conservation Intern - Full-time

The Forest Conservation Intern position at Audubon in Sharon, CT, involves assisting staff with bird habitat conservation activities, particularly for forest birds. The role includes field surveys, monitoring, and invasive plant control, with a focus on Wood Thrush. The internship is full-time (30-35 hours per week), onsite, and runs from late May to early August. Compensation is $19 per hour, and an independent project is encouraged.
pbAbout Audubon /b/ppThe National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come. Learn more at a href="http://www.audubon.org/" target="_blank"www.audubon.org/a and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram #64;audubonsociety. /pp/ppbPosition Summary: /b/ppThe Sharon Audubon Center and Miles Audubon Sanctuary comprise nearly 2,000 acres, managed primarily as habitat for forest birds. The Forest Conservation Intern will assist the full-time staff as needed in any or all activities related to bird habitat and conservation during and after the nesting season. The intern will also spend significant time becoming familiar with training materials and with the conservation activities of Audubon in CT/NY and across the hemisphere. An independent project is optional but encouraged. This internship will work within a 30-to 35-hour work week and a 4- or 5-day schedule, M-F. /pp/ppThe intern reports to Sharon Audubon’s Center Director and is supervised by SAC’s full-time staff. Start and end dates are negotiable but are expected to fall between May 28th and August 10th. /pp/ppThis position is classified as onsite at Sharon Audubon Center in Sharon, CT./pp/ppCompensation:/pp$19.00 / hour/pdivdivdivdivdivdivdivp style="text-align:inherit"/pp style="text-align:left"bAdditional Job Description/b/pp style="text-align:inherit"/p/div/div/div/div/div/div/divpbEssential Functions/b/ppbIntern Responsibilities and Learning Objectives:/b/ppDuring the internship, you will work under the direction of the SAC full-time/pullipAssist Center staff and CT-NY Forest staff in activities related to assessing or enhancing habitat for forest birds, with emphasis on Wood Thrush/p/lilipAssist as needed in tagging or tracking Wood Thrush/p/lilipTrain and participate in field surveys for breeding birds, especially in forest / young forest habitat/p/lilipAssist in planning/implementing non-chemical control of invasive plants/p/lilipAssist in nest box maintenance, monitoring, and banding of American Kestrel and Purple Martin/p/lilipAssist as needed with assembling biological material for the Bird Genoscape Project/p/lilipBecome familiar with relevant training materials and regional/hemispheric bird conservation projects/p/lilipParticipate in discussions and planning sessions with staff and other interns/p/li/ulp/ppbInternship Benefits:/b/ppInterns will gain experience and knowledge in the following: /pullipField identification of forest bird species and proficiency with Merlin and eBird apps/p/lilipTechnical expertise in evaluating forest bird habitat/p/lilipFamiliarity with migratory bird research techniques/p/lilipPotential to learn GPS technology/p/li/ulp/ppbspanIntern Schedule: /span/bThe intern’s schedule will vary according to the needs and opportunities of each week, but the expectation is that overall, the intern will spend approximately 30% of the time on the activities above; about 20% of the time learning about or participating in other Audubon projects such as the coastal bird conservation program, the shrubland habitat management program, the Healthy Forest Initiative, Audubon Americas, songbird banding, and the Motus tracking system; and up to 50% of the time planning and carrying out an independent project related to bird habitat, evaluating habitat restoration, or a similar topic to be determined./pp/ppbspanProjected Start Date/End Date:/span/b/pp6/1/26 to 8/15/26/pp/ppbQualifications and Experience/b/ppRequired:/pullipCollege coursework in relevant areas of conservation, bird biology, natural resources, forestry or related fields; or equivalent hands-on experience/p/lilipStrong interest in conservation, biology, and related areas/p/lilipAbility to organize your own time effectively/p/lilipAbility to follow instructions accurately and work as part of a team or independently/p/lilipPositive, problem-solving approach to a variety of situations/p/lilipAbility to do physical work outdoors for prolonged periods in varied terrain and weather conditions/p/lilipValid driver’s license and reliable transportation/p/li/ulp/ppPreferred:/pullipProficiency in bird and/or plant identification/p/lilipExperience operating cameras (beyond smart phone)/p/lilipPrior experience handling wild birds/p/lilipExperience using hand tools for land management/p/li/uldivp/p/divpbEEO Statement/b/ppWe are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic outlined by federal, state, or local laws. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates./pp/ppbAccessibility Statement/b/ppThe National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact a href="mailto:Accommodations#64;audubon.org" target="_blank"Accommodations#64;audubon.org/a. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications./p
pbAbout Audubon /b/ppThe National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come. Learn more at a href="http://www.audubon.org/" target="_blank"www.audubon.org/a and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram #64;audubonsociety. /pp/ppbPosition Summary: /b/ppThe Sharon Audubon Center and Miles Audubon Sanctuary comprise nearly 2,000 acres, managed primarily as habitat for forest birds. The Forest Conservation Intern will assist the full-time staff as needed in any or all activities related to bird habitat and conservation during and after the nesting season. The intern will also spend significant time becoming familiar with training materials and with the conservation activities of Audubon in CT/NY and across the hemisphere. An independent project is optional but encouraged. This internship will work within a 30-to 35-hour work week and a 4- or 5-day schedule, M-F. /pp/ppThe intern reports to Sharon Audubon’s Center Director and is supervised by SAC’s full-time staff. Start and end dates are negotiable but are expected to fall between May 28th and August 10th. /pp/ppThis position is classified as onsite at Sharon Audubon Center in Sharon, CT./pp/ppCompensation:/pp$19.00 / hour/pdivdivdivdivdivdivdivp style="text-align:inherit"/pp style="text-align:left"bAdditional Job Description/b/pp style="text-align:inherit"/p/div/div/div/div/div/div/divpbEssential Functions/b/ppbIntern Responsibilities and Learning Objectives:/b/ppDuring the internship, you will work under the direction of the SAC full-time/pullipAssist Center staff and CT-NY Forest staff in activities related to assessing or enhancing habitat for forest birds, with emphasis on Wood Thrush/p/lilipAssist as needed in tagging or tracking Wood Thrush/p/lilipTrain and participate in field surveys for breeding birds, especially in forest / young forest habitat/p/lilipAssist in planning/implementing non-chemical control of invasive plants/p/lilipAssist in nest box maintenance, monitoring, and banding of American Kestrel and Purple Martin/p/lilipAssist as needed with assembling biological material for the Bird Genoscape Project/p/lilipBecome familiar with relevant training materials and regional/hemispheric bird conservation projects/p/lilipParticipate in discussions and planning sessions with staff and other interns/p/li/ulp/ppbInternship Benefits:/b/ppInterns will gain experience and knowledge in the following: /pullipField identification of forest bird species and proficiency with Merlin and eBird apps/p/lilipTechnical expertise in evaluating forest bird habitat/p/lilipFamiliarity with migratory bird research techniques/p/lilipPotential to learn GPS technology/p/li/ulp/ppbspanIntern Schedule: /span/bThe intern’s schedule will vary according to the needs and opportunities of each week, but the expectation is that overall, the intern will spend approximately 30% of the time on the activities above; about 20% of the time learning about or participating in other Audubon projects such as the coastal bird conservation program, the shrubland habitat management program, the Healthy Forest Initiative, Audubon Americas, songbird banding, and the Motus tracking system; and up to 50% of the time planning and carrying out an independent project related to bird habitat, evaluating habitat restoration, or a similar topic to be determined./pp/ppbspanProjected Start Date/End Date:/span/b/pp6/1/26 to 8/15/26/pp/ppbQualifications and Experience/b/ppRequired:/pullipCollege coursework in relevant areas of conservation, bird biology, natural resources, forestry or related fields; or equivalent hands-on experience/p/lilipStrong interest in conservation, biology, and related areas/p/lilipAbility to organize your own time effectively/p/lilipAbility to follow instructions accurately and work as part of a team or independently/p/lilipPositive, problem-solving approach to a variety of situations/p/lilipAbility to do physical work outdoors for prolonged periods in varied terrain and weather conditions/p/lilipValid driver’s license and reliable transportation/p/li/ulp/ppPreferred:/pullipProficiency in bird and/or plant identification/p/lilipExperience operating cameras (beyond smart phone)/p/lilipPrior experience handling wild birds/p/lilipExperience using hand tools for land management/p/li/uldivp/p/divpbEEO Statement/b/ppWe are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic outlined by federal, state, or local laws. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates./pp/ppbAccessibility Statement/b/ppThe National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact a href="mailto:Accommodations#64;audubon.org" target="_blank"Accommodations#64;audubon.org/a. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications./p