US Fish & Wildlife is hiring a Refuge Information Assistant:


"The Refuge Information Assistant provides a variety of technical and analytical services to the refuge programs and field stations by providing data entry, reporting, mapping, and quality control. Applicants should have a working knowledge of spreadsheet, database and mapping software in order to accomplish the duties of this position."


For the full job description:
http://bit.ly/czDTfK

CONSERVATION TECHNICIAN (PART-TIME, LIMITED DURATION)
West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District, Portland, Oregon
Closes: Monday, November 22, 2010 at 5:00 pm


This position exists to provide assistance to District staff with technical field work, administrative tasks, outreach efforts and data collection. The person filling the position would need to posses knowledge/experience in the following areas:
- Native and invasive plant identification
- Field work experience & Data Collection
- GIS/GPS Proficiency & Mapping
- Community Outreach
- Report & article writing
- Project management
- Grant management
- Ability to use personal vehicle and clean driving record


The Technician must have the ability to work independently and as a part of a team; and be able to communicate with project leaders.


This is a limited duration (six month), at will, non-exempt, part-time position which serves as the Conservation Technician for the West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District. Some flexibility will be allowed for starting and ending dates to accommodate applicant schedules.


Job Conditions:
This position works both in the field and in the office.


Employment to begin no later than January 10, 2011.


Complete job description and application instructions available at:
http://www.wmswcd.org/content.cfm/Who-We-Are/Employment-Opportunities

AAG Community College Travel Grants
Due November 1

Support from this grant program is awarded to outstanding students from community colleges, junior colleges, city colleges, or similar two-year educational institutions to attend the next AAG Annual Meeting. These travel funds are generously provided by Darrel Hess and Robert and Bobbé Christopherson. The award consists of meeting registration, one year membership in the AAG, and a travel expense subsidy of $500 to be used to defray the costs of attending the AAG Annual Meeting. More information at http://www.aag.org/cs/grants/college_travel

Directions Magazine has posted two articles. 

Summary: Last month Penn State University and Directions Media presented a webinar titled The New Geospatial Jobs and How to be Ready for Them (archived version). A total of 940 people registered for the event. We received more questions than could be answered. We asked the hosts to respond to them in two articles. Today's Q&A addresses Geospatial Technology Competency Model, education and certification questions. Part Two, which will appear next Wednesday, will address jobs and job titles.

Part I: http://www.directionsmag.com/articles/geospatial-occupations-q-a-part-1/137246

Part II:  http://www.directionsmag.com/articles/geospatial-occupations-qa-part-two/139775

In the GeoConnexion magazine - an interview with Oregon State University Geographer & Oceanographer, Dr. Dawn Wright.  Her research interests include GIS, marine geography, benthic terrain and habitat characterization, and the processing and interpretation of high resolution bathymetry, video, and underwater photographic images.  


Read the interview:  http://www.geoconnexion.com/uploads/marinesciences_intv9i10.pdf

A full range of topics and a collection from over the years - ESRI posts all their live webinars.  check it out. 


http://training.esri.com/campus/seminars/recordings.cfm

Interested in design and wine? Please join "Salmon in the City," this Wed, 4:30-7:00 at UO Portland White Stag Bldg. It's a free, public event focused urban design + ecology. Presented by Metro, Salmon-Safe, UO, and DEQ.  www.salmonsafe.org

Internship Announcement
GIS Student Intern

TriMet is seeking an Intern to assist in improving Open Street Map for the Portland Metro regional area to support routing applications such as the Open Trip Planner (opentripplanner.com) and the Intertwine Project.  Metro regional datasets and digital aerial photography will be use as reference for digitizing and conflation purposes using editing tools such as Potlatch, MapZen, Quantum, or the ArcGIS  10 OSM Editor.


Office/Location:  TriMet Administrative Offices – 4012 SE 17th Avenue,Portland, OR 97202
Work Hours:       20 - 40 hours per week
Duration:         12 weeks
Anticipated Starting Date:  November 22, 2010

Essential Functions:
• Utilize tools such as Potlatch, MapZen, Quantum, or the ArcGIS 10
OSM Editor for Open Street Map editing purposes.
• Utilize existing RLIS data and aerial photography as reference for spatial and attribute correction.  The RLIS data includes, bike paths,street centerline file, waterways, parks and trails.
• Use conflation routines and editing tools to create coincident geometry between the RLIS datasets and Open Street Map.
• Incorporate additional files and attributes such as address point files, building footprints.
• Project and task documentation may be required.

Qualifications Required:
• Currently enrolled in Undergraduate or Graduate level work in Geographic Information Systems, Geography, Computer Science, or other related fields at an accredited college or university.
• Knowledge of basic GIS principles
• Ability to adapt quickly to new software and tools
• Ability to work independently
• Strong analytical  and problem solving skills
• Experience with Open Street Map editing tools are preferred, but not required.
• Good communication skills and ability to write clearly and concisely
• Ability to perform detailed work accurately
• Familiarity with Portland -Metro region and data
• Undergraduate or Masters candidate in good academic standing
• Ability to, after employment, submit proof of your legal right to work in the United States

Resume Submission:
• Submit your resume
• A cover letter  that includes describing the applicant’s objectivesand motivations in seeking this internship
• A list of completed course work and associated grades that would be applicable to this internship
• Letters of recommendation will be accepted but are not required.

Submit all material  to:
TriMet
Human Resources –
Attention: Angela Burns-Brown, Human Resources Manager
4012 SE 17th Avenue
Portland, OR 97202  or at (browna@trimet.org)

The internship is paid, at an hourly rate of $12.00.  Closing Date:
November 5, 2010

TriMet is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Job Title: GIS Volunteer
Job Type: volunteer position Opportunity
location: Punta Gorda Town
Closing date (if specified): 15 Nov 2010
         
Opportunity Description:

Position: GIS Volunteer, Ya’axché' Conservation Trust
Location: Belize, Central America
         
Responsible for: Assisting the Sustainable Land-Use Programme to develop a program for monitoring land use change over time within the Golden Stream Landscape. The purpose of this program is to promote sound and sustainable land use, planning decisions, and to help produce models for future development, especially as it relates to future community land needs as a result of population increase.

Duration of placement: 6 months to 1 year

Background Information:
          Ya’axché Conservation Trust is a community-oriented organization which advances integrated landscape management for equitable development in southern Belize through sustainable land use management, strategic advocacy and awareness, and by supporting socially innovative and economically viable enterprise.

Assistance to the SLM Programme in:
          1. Ensure the timely progress of Planet Action project activities and deliverables
          2. Assist the SLPM in gathering and analyzing social and biological data as needed for Sustainable land-use, including physical features, land-use, demography, human resources, traditional and cultural practices, health and nutrition, livelihood activities, infrastructure, forest and water resources, land resources, archaeological sites.
          3. Strengthen the capacity of Ya’axché staff in all relevant areas.
          4. Provide additional assistance in the areas of GIS mapping and analysis as needed
          5. Assist Ya'axché staff, under the supervision of and alongside the SLPM, in developing and/or revising (as necessary):
          a. Landscape level sustainable land-use plan(s).
          b. Resource use and development plans for the both the communities of the Golden Stream Landscape and the private land owners.
          c. Scenario models to guide ongoing and future development.
          d. Protected Area Management plans for the Golden Stream Landscape’s Protected Areas.
          e. Reports, as required by Planet Action and under the SLM Progamme.
          f. Education, training and advocacy materials
          Preferred Qualifications:
         
The Sustainable Land-use Programme Volunteer will ideally have:
          • An advanced academic degree in GIS, the social sciences, rural development, planning or a closely related field.
          • Experience in rural development projects involving community participation.
          • Proven ability to promote cooperation between, and negotiate with, a range of actors.
          • Highly advanced ability to use GIS for modelling and spatial analysis, coupled with the ability to design and carry out a project using recently acquired ArcGIS and ITT-ENVI software.
          • Experience in remote sensing and able to perform land-use classification.
          • Capable of innovating solutions for the application of GIS for conservation land use planning and monitoring.
          • Previous experience in working with communities in developing countries and strong cultural sensitivity would be advantageous.
          • Excellent written and spoken English is essential and spoken Spanish, K’ekchi or Mopan languages would be be advantageous.
          • Excellent written and spoken English is essential and spoken Spanish, K’ekchi or Mopan languages would be advantageous.

Personal Qualifications:
          Volunteer is expected to provide general support to the Sustainable Land-use Programme by working flexibly, responsibly, with initiative and in a professional manner. Volunteer should have a strong work ethic and the ability to pick up concepts quickly and run with them.

For more info, contact:

To Apply:
          First read the Volunteer Information Manual at the bottom of this link: www.yaaxche.org/volunteers.html
          Submit letter of interest detailing interest, how you meet qualifications, along with resumé to Ya'axché Conservation Trust
          By email: ginny.fuhs@yaaxche.org with the subject line “GIS volunteer”
          Ya’axché Conservation Trust
          P.O. Box 167
          #2 Alejandro Vernon, Punta Gorda,
          Toledo District, Belize
          Central America
          Phone: (501)722-0055
          Phone/Fax: (501)722-0108
          Website: www.yaaxche.org

Benefits of Volunteering with Ya’axché:
          o Shared housing (or camping) in a quiet, nature preserve
          o Opportunity to work closely with dynamic, multi-cultural staff
          o Appreciation for your dedication and hard work
          o References and invaluable experience for future employment
          o Adventure in a country with pristine ecosystems, world-class snorkeling and SCUBA
          o In-depth, interactive cultural experience unattainable by tourists
          Volunteers live and work in a beautiful but rustic, rural setting at Ya’axché Field Center and become part of the team to gain and promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Accommodations offer limited solar power, a cold water, shared bathroom, and the occasional rat, bat, tarantula, or scorpion. Alternatively, volunteers can choose to live in Punta Gorda at their own expense.
         
Volunteer Personal Expenses:
          There are no program fees charged for this experience, but the volunteer is expected to arrange and pay for:
          o Transportation to Punta Gorda, Belize, including airfare.
          o Food, personal expenses, in-country travel, passport, visa (if applicable)
          o BZ$50 per month contribution toward butane costs at Field Centre (for cooking and refrigeration)


Our Opportunity ID: 16740

Please join us at the USGS Oregon Water Science Center office for our next brown-bag seminar:
 Date: Tuesday, October 19
 Time: 12:45 pm to 1:45 pm  (note the somewhat later time)

The speaker is Randy Hunt, a Research Hydrologist with the USGS Wisconsin Water Science Center.  This talk is part of the USGS National Research Program's lecture series.  The title of Randy's talk is:

 "From Buckets to Clouds: Building Better Environmental Models for Today's Decision-Making"

An abstract and links to two related publications, as well as more information on the seminar schedule and directions to our office, can be found at the USGS Portland Seminar Series website at http://or.water.usgs.gov/brownbag/.