GIS Specialist Intern (Student Conservation Association)

DESCRIPTION: Ice Harbor Lock & Dam, which forms 31-mile long Lake Sacajawea, is located on the lower Snake River approximately 10 miles from its confluence with the Columbia River and near Tri-Cities in southeastern Washington. The benefits of Ice Harbor Lock & Dam include navigation, hydropower generation, recreation, irrigation, and improved habitat for fish and wildlife. The topography of the area varies from plains and plateaus and rocky basalt ridgelines. This desert arid land is defined as shrub-steppe, temperatures often reach above 100 F in summer and dip below 0 F in winter. The Natural Resource Management Team supports an active recreation and wildlife program with over 4 million visitors each year. Ice Harbor Dam has numerous recreation areas, park/campgrounds, boat launches, habitat management units and a visitor center.

Assist GIS/GPS specialist with data management of existing areas, upload new data into databases and update metadata when changes occur, work to coordinate system issues, create new data layers from spreadsheets, work with geodatabases, work with Wildlife, Park and Maintenance staff with infrastructure mapping and habitat data collection and create GIS maps of Habitat Management Units and Parks, 50%; locate Corps boundary and easement lines and marker/monuments (using GPS Trimble Geoexplorer - version- 2.90 or 3), gather data and enter into database for export into Arc View and Arc Map GIS, scan survey related documents and install Carsonite markers/signs as directed, 40%; develop GIS products required for shoreline and operational plans, 10%.

Required Skills: 
US citizenship;
valid driver`s license;
ability and willingness to undergo a required criminal history background check;
ability to drive 4WD vehicles;
ability to work with geodatabases, create GIS maps, export GIS data into Arc View and Arc Map GIS and operate GPS Trimble Geoexplorer - version- 2.90 or 3;
ability to work in independently in rugged terrain and at times during inclement weather;
 intermediate computer and word processing skills;
 physical ability to walk up to 1 to 2 miles with equipment; ability to work with other people.

Desired Skills:
BA/BS in natural resource related field;
GIS/GPS, ArcInfo, ArcMap, Trimble GPS units;
experience operating motor boats, ATVs, and manual transmission vehicles;
training and/or experience in map reading and orientation skills;
good verbal and computer skills.

Training:  Boat; ATV; GPS; map reading and orientation; personal safety; first aid/CPR; defensive driving.

Housing Details:  SCA will administer rent and invoice agency: The agency will identify a suitable rental property for the intern and SCA will make arrangements and administer rent to the landlord and bill the agency for their share of the expenses.

Transportation Personal Vehicle:  Required: No other transportation is available to reach shopping facilities or worksite from housing location. Little possibility exists to share rides with other employees. Distances are too far to walk. Any mileage over the budget travel amount will be the responsibility of the host site.

Date Flexibility:  Very Flexible Start or end date is very flexible

http://www.thesca.org/node/28768