GIS Intern (2 positions) with Yamhill County Public Works (McMinnville, OR)

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT – GIS Intern (two positions)
Positions close June 1, 2018 (or open until filled)

Project Duration
June-August, 2018 (approximately 8 weeks, or until all funds are spent)
Part-time, 20 to 40 hours/week
The interns will work independently and as partners to develop schedules and share tasks to ensure that all tasks are completed by the end of the project period.

Location
Yamhill County Public Works Department
2060 Lafayette Avenue, McMinnville, Oregon 97128

Salary
$18.00/hour

Supervisors
Susan Aldrich-Markham, Professor Emeritus, Oregon State University
John Phelan, Director, Yamhill County Public Works Department
Michael Crabtree, Senior Conservation Technician, Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District,

Project Overview
Yamhill County Public Works Department (YCPW) recently initiated the GIS Roadside Vegetation Inventory in order to collect georeferenced data on significant features within roadside rights-of-way. These features include Native Plants, Invasive Plants, Erosion, and Optimal Vegetation. The GIS Roadside Vegetation Inventory is part of the implementation of the Yamhill County Roadside Vegetation Management Plan adopted in February 2016.

The data are managed using Esri ArcGIS software.  Data are collected using a Trimble Juno 5B GPS handheld computer with ArcPad and transferred into ArcMap on a laptop computer.  It is regularly uploaded to the larger Yamhill County ArcGIS database. The GIS Roadside Vegetation Inventory database, particularly the native plants section, is currently in the draft phase.  It will need to be revised over the project period in order to more completely capture significant attributes that YCPW can use to make roadside vegetation management decisions. The data collection procedure and the performance of database on the Trimble GPS will need to be optimized.

Beginning in June 2018, the project will expand to involve a newly-created Invasive Species Program Coordinator position at the Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), which was funded partly through a cooperative agreement with YCPW and partly through a grant from the Oregon State Weed Board.  As the Invasive Species Program develops over the summer, the person in the Coordinator position will gradually take on a greater role in managing the GIS Roadside Vegetation Inventory and in collaborating with YCPW to determine the specific task list for the GIS Interns.

Requirements

• Driver’s license and transportation to and from Yamhill County Public Works.  Interns will drive a County-owned vehicle while on the job
• Cell phone or other camera with GPS capability
  

Tasks – Interns will cooperate as partners on most tasks.

• Collect data along Yamhill County roadside rights-of-way using the Trimble Juno 5B GPS.  Data will be collected at times from a moving vehicle and at times by walking. Generally two people will collect data, with one person driving and one person using the GPS.  Other drivers may be the supervisors Susan Aldrich-Markham or Michael Crabtree, the Yamhill SWCD Invasive Species Coordinator, or a member of the Yamhill County Public Works Roadside Vegetation Management Technical Advisory Committee.
• Take photos of significant features in the field and link these to georeferenced locations.
• Transfer the data regularly to the laptop computer with the ArcGIS license site and maintain the data in ArcMap. Correct any performance problems related to communication between the database and the Trimble GPS unit.  Optimize the performance of the database on the Trimble.
• Make revisions to the database as data collection proceeds, in order to more completely capture the kind of information that YCPW can use to make roadside vegetation management decisions.  Additional features and attributes may need to be included. Consult with supervisor Susan Aldrich-Markham on revisions.
• Create maps to display data and analysis in ArcMap, and make them available as PDFs.  These maps may then be used for educational purposes, including posting to the Web and presentations to YCPW committees, County Commissioners, adjacent landowners, and the public.  The purpose is to highlight significant native plant populations for protection, invasive plant populations for control and erosion sites for restoration.
• Create PowerPoint slides using the maps and photos from the field.  
• As a team, write a Final Report and present a PowerPoint slide show to the YCPW Roadside Vegetation Management Technical Advisory Committee.

Qualifications

1. Completion of at least two college level courses in GIS.  Additional field experience is desirable.
2. Training in and ability to use Esri ArcGIS programs, including ArcPad, ArcPad Data Manager, ArcMap, and ArcCatalogue.
3. Training in agriculture, botany, or natural resources.  Additional field experience is desirable.
4. Interest in native plants and invasive plants.  Ability to recognize common Willamette Valley species of native and invasive plants.
5. Ability to work independently and manage time in order to complete all tasks by the end of the project period, including the final report and presentation to the Roadside Vegetation Management Technical Advisory Committee.

​To Apply
Submit a letter explaining why you are interested in the position and outlining your qualifications.  Specifically address each of the five qualifications listed. Include a list of appropriate courses taken in GIS and agriculture, botany or natural resources.  Submit at least one letter of recommendation.
Email application letters to:  Catherine Lindberg, YCPW, lindbergc@co.yamhill.or.us.  Selected candidates will be interviewed in person on a mutually agreed-on date.

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