Grand Staircase-Escalante Advocacy Intern

Grand Staircase-Escalante  advocacy intern

About the position

We’re looking for a Grand Staircase-Escalante advocacy intern to help us document the impacts of grazing throughout the national monument. This will entail sifting through large datasets, analyzing photographs, and helping us understand the interaction between grazing practices and environmental conditions in the monument.

The government has set limits on how much vegetation can be consumed by livestock in a given location. We want to understand what impacts grazing has had on the landscape, and if limits have been exceeded. After attending a land-use conference and conducting on-the-ground landscape assessments with our expert staff early in the internship, you will sort through photographic evidence of grazed lands and produce a comprehensive report for land managers. This report will help the Grand Canyon Trust advocate for responsible management of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

Application deadline: Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, at 5 p.m. MST
Anticipated start date: May 19, 2025

What does this position entail?

• Summarize Bureau of Land Management data concerning grazing standards and land management from Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
• Write detailed and organized reports that convey conditions on the ground in the monument (like a term paper or a senior thesis).
• Identify and help prioritize places where livestock grazing has exceeded the established standards, and potentially go on field trips to examine these sites.
• Attend a conference about grazing and public lands management with our Utah Public Lands Program staff at the start of your internship.

What might you learn along the way?

• Increase your understanding of the impacts of grazing across the Colorado Plateau.
• Understand complexities and challenges associated with public lands management.
• Gain fieldwork skills and know-how to effectively document on-the-ground environmental conditions.

Do you have what it takes?

• Passionate about the landscapes of the Colorado Plateau, and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument specifically.
• Strong attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and the ability to keep track of data, observations, and photos, spreadsheets, etc.
• Ability to efficiently review documents and find useful information.
• Willingness to work independently on assignments.
• Capable of directing your own tasks, with minimal guidance from your supervisor.
• Ability to give and receive feedback and ask for help when needed.
• Experience with independent research and writing.
• Ability to communicate complex data effectively and succinctly in written and visual materials.
• Ability to communicate scientific data effectively through written reports and graphs.
• Ability to write clear, concise, and compelling summary reports.
• Willingness to work and camp in remote locations.
• Ability to assess risk and make conservative decisions for personal well-being while in remote settings.
• Experience recognizing degraded ecological conditions in the Southwest (preferred but not required).
• Wilderness medicine certification or training (preferred but not required).

Note that experience includes lived experience, traditional knowledge, volunteer experience, school or coursework, work experience, and other related qualifications, skills, and experience.

No candidate will meet every requirement. If you’re excited about the position and think you may be a good candidate, we encourage you to apply.

The nitty-gritty

Location

Southern Utah, or remote, but the intern must reside in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, or New Mexico. If remote, the intern would need the ability to travel to Utah at least twice for a conference and land assessment field tours.

Compensation and benefits

$23.00 per hour. This is not a benefits-eligible position, but interns accrue sick leave during their internships (about two days), and receive a $500 housing stipend, $250 travel allowance, and $200 professional development stipend.

Employment term

This is a 12-week internship, beginning on May 19, 2025, and ending on August 8, 2025. The intern is expected to work an average of 40 hours per week.

Supplies needed

If based remotely, the intern must have reliable internet access and the ability to travel to southern Utah.

Some travel will be required during this internship. To drive a Trust rental vehicle, you must be at least 20 years old with a driver’s license, car insurance, and clean driving record. Or, you must be willing to drive a personal vehicle for work travel (mileage would be reimbursed, 4WD not required).

The intern will need to camp out for about two to six days at a time during the internship. The Trust can provide some camping gear.

The Trust will provide the necessary technology for the duration of the internship.

Who would my supervisor be?

Kaya McAlister, Utah public lands manager

Grand Canyon Trust internships are managed by the Rising Leaders Program. Interns are expected to communicate regularly with Rising Leaders staff about progress and any support needed along the way.

How do I apply?

Please send your resume and a cover letter to risingleaders@grandcanyontrust.org. In the subject line, please indicate the internship you are applying for, and please put the internship title and your name in the file names of application materials (ex: Firstname_Lastname_GSENMIntern_resume.docx). Finalists will be asked to supply references.

If you need a reasonable accommodation, contact risingleaders@grandcanyontrust.org