SALARY RANGE: $18.00 per hour
STATUS: Temporary, non-exempt, hourly, full time
DURATION: May 16 through September 30
ORGANIZATION: Mono Lake Committee
LOCATION: Lee Vining, California
SUPERVISED BY: Restoration Field Technician

Description:
The Mono Lake Committee is a 16,000-member non-profit citizens’ group dedicated to the protection and restoration of the Mono Basin ecosystem; educating the public about Mono Lake and the impacts on the environment of excessive water use; and promoting cooperative solutions that meet real water needs without transferring environmental problems to other areas.

As Field Monitoring & Reporting Intern you will assist with the Committee’s non-profit, mission-focused work. Duties typically include:

• field monitoring and reporting (~40%)
• leading interpretive programs (~30%)
• staffing the Information Center & Bookstore (~30%)

The Field Monitoring & Reporting Intern position is valuable for those wanting to further their data collection and data analysis skills and gain practical experience working for a successful environmental non-profit.

In this role you will:

• Collect and manage data for stream restoration monitoring programs with oversight and training from the Mono Lake Committee’s Restoration Field Technician.
• Engage seasonal staff in the field to assist with data collection.
• Produce written reports summarizing seasonally collected data.
• Staff the Information Center & Bookstore.

This includes:

• communicating the Mono Lake Committee’s mission and promoting Mono Lake Committee memberships
• completing retail sales using our point-of-sale cash and credit card register system
• providing visitors with detailed and accurate information about the region, Mono Lake ecology, and the current status of Mono Lake protection and restoration
• ensuring the store is neat and well stocked at all times and sanitizing the store, restroom, and outdoor picnic and reception areas.
• Prepare and deliver education programs at Mono Lake, including guided canoe tours on Mono Lake and walking tours of the South Tufa area.
• Other duties include assisting with program reservations, answering phones, fulfilling information requests via phone, mail, and email, assisting with Mono Lake Committee membership projects and recruitment, event planning, social media, writing assignments, and other office and field tasks needed to support operations and mission.
• Additional duties and projects may be assigned based on skills, interest, initiative, and organization needs. Duties and assignments may change unexpectedly; flexibility is required.

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated interest in stream ecology, fluvial geomorphology, hydrology, and ecosystem restoration, with a desire to gain hands-on experience in these fields.
• Strong communications skills, both written and verbal.
• Strong work ethic and a positive and collaborative attitude.
• Good independent worker.
• Excellent customer service and money handling skills.
• Ability to hike off-trail through somewhat dense vegetation and through small creek channels.
• Ability to work well with the public.
• Ability to work with diverse management styles and manage multiple priorities with different deadlines.
• Desire to learn more about how a successful non-profit operates.
• Ability to be flexible under a changing schedule.
• A valid driver’s license and good driving record are required (contact us with any questions).
• Must pass a background check to confirm you do not have any criminal violations relevant to working with youth.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive training on Mono Basin ecology, California water policy, environmental interpretation, retail operations, canoe safety, and more.
• First Aid and CPR certification training.
• Paid time off for observed holidays that occur during employment.
• Mileage is paid for all job-related travel from place of work in personal vehicle.
• Affordable shared housing within walking distance of the office in Lee Vining.
• Employee discount on merchandise in the Information Center & Bookstore.

Additional information:

The Field Monitoring & Reporting Intern position is temporary, lasting from four to six months. The Field Monitoring & Reporting Intern works 40 hours per week with two consecutive days off. Shared housing is available through the Committee at $350/month (sorry, no pets). We provide comprehensive training to develop a thorough understanding of the Mono Basin and the Mono Lake Committee in order to be able to fulfill job duties.

The Mono Basin is composed of sagebrush steppe, pinyon-juniper, and Jeffrey pine forest plant communities, 46,000 acres of Mono Lake, numerous 12,000+ foot Sierra peaks, and plug-dome volcanoes. The Mono Lake Committee Information Center & Bookstore is in the town of Lee Vining (population 400, elevation 6,780'). Lee Vining is a remote town that sees a massive influx of visitors during the peak season but stays fairly quiet the remainder of the year. It lies on the eastern edge of Yosemite National Park, overlooking beautiful Mono Lake. The town is located adjacent to the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area, and the Ansel Adams and Hoover wilderness areas. Lee Vining is situated along Highway 395. It is 30 miles north of Mammoth Lakes, California; 65 miles north of Bishop, California; and 140 miles south of Reno, Nevada.