One Day, One Job » conservation

Institute for Environmental Awareness

Willy Franzen — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:13:10 +0000

I don’t know about where you are, but here in Chicago it’s pretty clear that spring is on its way. We’re going to break 50 degrees this week, and the geese are already back and looking for places to nest. I may be in a huge city, but I’m not completely out of touch with nature. However, I’ve always wanted to spend more time closer to nature. The Institute for Environmental Awareness is a Massachusetts based organization that offers that kind of experience. Their mission is “to promote and support programs and services that encourage living and learning in harmony with the Earth and all Life,” and they do this through a number of earth-based, outdoor education programs. You may have noticed that I couldn’t find a suitable logo for them. That’s because their website looks like it’s from the mid 90s, and I wasn’t going to subject you to yellow text with a black drop shadow over a photo of a tree. An ugly website may be a bad indicator for a marketing firm or a web startup, but not for a nature based organization.

Be Environmentally Aware

The Institute for Environmental Awareness runs three programs: Earthlands (“operates an off-grid program and retreat center”), the Earthlands Land Trust, and University of the Wild (“earth-based education programs that empower people to become leaders in growing new and sustainable cultures”). There’s not much more information about the Institute on their website; however, their job descriptions tell you a lot about what they do. Right now they’re looking for two Program Center Coordinator/Caretakers for Earthlands. These people will work on Program Coordination, Facilities Maintenance, Educational Program Assistance, and Community Involvement. They’ll also live on-site and receive a $500/month stipend for the 6 months that the position lasts. You’ll be able to live in harmony with nature and get away from it all. It sounds like a once in a lifetime opportunity, so if you’re interested, reach out to Michael Iacona, Earthlands Office Manager, at office@earthlands.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Can you tell that spring is coming?

Academy of Natural Sciences

Willy Franzen — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:53:00 +0000

For most of us museums are just places to go to visit for a day and to learn something new. We rarely think about what is going on behind the scenes, but we should. At many major museums there is also a significant research function. A perfect examples is the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, PA, which sounds like a research institution, but it also runs a museum. In fact, The Academy is the “oldest natural science research institution and museum in the New World” according to Wikipedia. The Academy has been at the forefront of biological and earth sciences since its inception, and it continues to promote public education in those areas. Just to give you an idea of the scale on which they operate, their collections include more than 17 million specimens. That’s crazy!

Jobs for Naturalists

One thing that is severely lacking on the Academy of Natural Sciences website is a solid About page. I had to head to Wikipedia to get a full idea of what they do, so if you’re interested, be sure to do a little extra research. The Academy has a great history, and its place in Philly reminds us about how Philadelphia used to be America’s most influential city. It’s amazing to think that The Academy is now approaching its 200th anniversary, and if you want to be able to celebrate it with them, you’ll want to take a look at their Jobs page. It does appear that they have much more interesting internships than jobs, but they do have entry level positions like Office Manager, Academy Explorers Camp Leader, Academy Explorers Camp Assistant, and Lead Sales Associate available. Additionally, there are some PhD level positions including Postdoctoral Fellowship, Macroinvertebrate Ecology of Mongolian Streams and Rivers and Stream Ecologist. You can apply by sending a résumé, cover letter, and salary requirements to hrjobs@ansp.org with the job title and requisition number in the subject line.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever visited The Academy?

California Conservation Corps

Willy Franzen — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:41:49 +0000

After my Freshman year of college, I decided that I wanted a summer job that would allow me to work outside. I ended up doing maintenance at a fish and game club. It was like a great experience—even if I only worked 20 hours per week. If you want to work outside and are looking for something a little more intense than 20 hours per week, then you need to check out the California Conservation Corps. It’s a government run program that “matches up California’s young people and its natural resources.” Every year the CCC hires 3,300 corpsmembers and pays them minimum wage to take on projects like working on backcountry trails, aiding salmon restoration, promoting watershed stewardship, and providing emergency response services. The CCC has been around since 1976, and since then they’ve employed more than 100,000 young men and women with 98% saying that they “would recommend the CCC to a family member or friend.”

Get Paid to Enjoy the Outdoors

The California Conservation Corps provides a wide range of work opportunities for people between the ages of 18 and 25. These aren’t permanent entry level jobs, but they’re a great internship alternative or a great way to get some real work experience after you graduate. The CCC has a great website that is filled with all kinds of information about their programs. You can see what a day in the life is like or read over their FAQ. There are work locations with the Corps all across California, and there is also a wide variety of project types. The CCC site gets a bit confusing when you start looking for employment opportunities, but you can find Staff Openings here and Corpmembers opportunities here. Additionally, it looks like some of the CCC programs do their own hiring, so, for instance, you can find information on applying to the Backcountry program here.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Had you heard of the California Convervation Corps before?

Long Island Pine Barrens Society

Willy Franzen — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:56:15 +0000

When I hear the words “pine barrens,” I either think of the area in New Jersey called the Pine Barrens or the band, which was also called The Pine Barrens, that played at my 7th grade class’ end of the year party. Until today, though, I didn’t really know what pine barrens were beyond a big forest of pine trees. There’s a lot more to them than that, and, luckily, Wikipedia is able to help out. Its definition of pine barrens is “plant communities that occur on dry, acidic, infertile soils dominated by grasses, forbs, low shrubs, and small to medium sized pines; most extensive barrens occur in large areas of sandy glacial deposits, including outwash plains, lakebeds, and outwash terraces along rivers.” These areas aren’t typically found in populated areas, which makes it surprising that Long Island has its own Pine Barrens (see the Wikipedia article for all of the specifics). That’s why the Long Island Pine Barrens Society exists—to protect an ecosystem that is constantly under pressure from development. They’re based in Riverhead, NY, and their focus as a non-profit is on education and advocacy.

Barren Isn’t Always a Bad Thing

Beyond preserving open space in the Long Island Pine Barrens, the Long Island Pine Barrens Society also works to preserve drinking water. These two ideals fit together because the Pine Barrens is essential to recharging the ground water that Long Island relies on for drinking. There’s a lot more to learn about the Long Island Pine Barrens Society, and the best way to do that is to check out their website. They have tons of information on their history and the work that they do along with more general organizational information. One thing that they don’t have on their website is a Jobs page, but they do list jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for a Project Coordinator, and it appears that the job would be well suited for a new or recent grad. You can get all of the details from the Idealist posting.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever visited pine barrens?

Second Nature

Willy Franzen — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:14:34 +0000

When I was in college, campus sustainability was just starting to become a common buzzword. I guess it makes sense that higher education institutions would be at the forefront of such a movement—you know, since they deal with students protesting by camping in tree tops all the time. Second Nature is a Boston based non-profit organization that is continuing this movement (no not the camping out in tree tops). They initiate and support “high-leverage national initiatives and programs aimed at re-orienting the higher education sector toward more sustainable outcomes.” It’s a smart idea, because they’re targeting the places where their ideas are most likely to catch on. If they can succeed by pushing sustainability forward on college campuses, then there’s a good chance that the sustainability movement can go a lot farther.

It’s Your Second Nature

Second Nature has been around for more than 15 years, and since then they’ve worked with “more than 500 colleges and universities to help make the principles of sustainability fundamental to every aspect of higher education.” I guess how Second Nature defines sustainability is important to know too. They believe that the key to achieving sustainability is avoiding four situations:

systematic increases in concentrations of substances from the earth’s crust e.g. fossil fuels, heavy metals); systematic increases in concentrations of substances produced by society (e.g. CFCs, DDT); systematic degradation by physical means (e.g. deforestation, overfishing); and when social systems are subject to conditions that systematically undermine people’s capacity to meet their basic needs (e.g. oppressive conditions, non-living wages)

When you really break these four situations down, you realize how much effort must go into sustainability initiatives. If it sounds like something that you want to be a part of, then you should check out Second Nature’s Jobs page where they have a Program Associate position posted right now. You can apply by sending “a cover letter describing related experience and salary requirements, a resume, and a writing sample to: careers@secondnature.org.”

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your Second Nature?

Wildlife Conservation Society

Willy Franzen — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:41:20 +0000

I’m a nut about wildlife. I don’t watch Animal Planet all day or anything, but I get ridiculously excited when I see a new species in the wild. My hope is to one day run into a mountain lion in the wild, at least as long as I’m not being hunted. As fanatical as I am about wildlife, I bet I don’t even come close to the people at the Wildlife Conservation Society, a New York City based non-profit. They were founded in 1895 with a “clear mission to save wildlife and wild places across the globe.” Their first major success was aiding the recovery of American Bison, and now they’re working to “protect many of the world’s iconic creatures here and abroad, including gorillas in the Congo, tigers in India, polar bears in the Arctic, and ocean giants in our world’s amazing seascapes.” Beyond doing that, they also run 5 parks in New York City—the Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and Queens Zoo.

Jobs in the Wild

According to Wildlife Conservation Society’s About page, they’re committed to protecting 25% of the world’s biodiversity. I’m not sure where that number came from, how it’s measured, or what exactly it means, but it sounds like an ambitious goal for a passionate organization. The way that pursues this goal is by focusing on 4 key issues: “climate change; natural resource exploitation; the connection between wildlife health and human health; and the sustainable development of human livelihoods.” With so much on their plate, Wildlife Conservation Society has a lot of job opportunities. You can find all of the information on their Jobs page, where they separate opportunities into New York City Full Time, New York City Seasonal, and Opportunities in the Field. Oddly enough, all of these pages feed into the same job search function. You can narrow down your search by any of the aforementioned categories, or you can just look at all of their job opportunities. You’ll probably want to take an especially long look at the following positions: Development Associate – Operations, Guest Relations Supervisor, Marketing Assistant, Membership Sales Associate, Pathology Technician, Program Assistant – Global Program Development, and Program Coordinator. You can apply for any of these positions online.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever been to any of Wildlife Conservation Society’s parks?

American Rivers

Willy Franzen — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:45:26 +0000

I love rivers (mostly because they’re where I usually go fly fishing). They’re the lifeblood of our society, and even though we’ve figured out ways to move water on our own, they’re still a huge part of our infrastructure. There’s no question as to why most major cities sit on the banks of a large river. The problem with that is that it means that many of our greatest rivers have been subjected to significant abuse. Dams, pollution, irrigation, and overconsumption have left many of our rivers in pretty sad states. American Rivers is a Washington, DC based non-profit that hopes to fix this. They describe themselves as “the leading conservation organization standing up for healthy rivers so communities can thrive.”

Go with the Flow

American Rivers focuses on five program—Rivers and Global Warming, River Restoration, River Protection, Clean Water, and Water Supply. These are extremely important issues that are sometimes ignored by other environmentalists. For instance, many environmentalists advocate hydroelectric dams, yet they fail to realize the damage that these dams can do to our watersheds. I’ve also noticed that even the most environmentally conscious cities (cough, Ithaca) destroy their rivers by bounding them with concrete and allowing trash like shopping carts and mattresses to litter their riverbeds. Many of our rivers are healthier than they were 10 years ago, but there’s still plenty of work to be done to ensure that future generations have healthy rivers. Here’s a video from American Rivers that outlines the issues better than I can:

If American Rivers looks like somewhere that you might want to work, you can check out their Jobs page here. Right now they’re looking for a Conservation Associate, which looks like a perfect position for a new grad. Check out the job description for all of the details on how to apply.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite river?

Seed Savers Exchange

Willy Franzen — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 15:00:14 +0000

You’ve probably heard the term “heirloom,” in reference to fruits or vegetables. For the longest time I had no idea what it meant, but eventually I asked someone and the gist of the definition is “any garden plant that has a history of being passed down within a family, just like pieces of heirloom jewelry or furniture.” More often than not the plants are passed down in the form of seeds. Heirloom breeds of plants are important not only for sentimental reasons, but also because they provide genetic diversity. By maintaining old breeds of plants with their unique resistance to disease and pests, we are able to ensure the security of our food supply. Seed Savers Exchange is a Decorah, IA based non-profit that “saves and shares the heirloom seeds of our garden heritage, forming a living legacy that can be passed down through generations.”

Seeding a New Career

Seed Savers Exchange maintains “more than 25,000 endangered vegetable varieties,” which makes them “biggest non-governmental seed bank in the United States.” They’re more focused on working with smaller farmers and gardeners, which makes sense because those are typically the people most interested in heirloom varieties. In a lot of ways, the seeds that Seed Savers Exchange provides resemble art. The genetic diversity thing is important, but the history of the seeds and the varieties of flavors of the plants that grow from them is just as important. If you’re intrigued by what Seed Savers Exchange does, you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they have a number of positions posted that seem suitable for entry level candidates including Lab Technician, Collection Assistant – Field Operations, Assistant Curator – Seed Plants, and Horticulturist – Field Manager. The job descriptions go into a lot of detail, so check them out for all of the details.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you do any gardening?

Oceana

Willy Franzen — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:47:50 +0000

I love our oceans—everything about them. I love swimming in them, eating the food that they provide, fishing in them, watching sunsets over them, and all of the other wonderful things that they offer. However, our oceans are both blessed and cursed by the same thing—they seem infinite. That’s what makes them so great, but it’s also what has led us to abusing them nearly to the point of no return. A little pollution will disappear in the vastness of an ocean. Overfishing doesn’t matter because there are always more fish. Scraping up the bottom isn’t a big deal because we can’t see the bottom. I wish that oceans were that resilient, but they’re not. Oceana is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “seeks to make our oceans as rich, healthy and abundant as they were in our grandparents’ youth.” They recognize the value of their oceans, and they’re doing something to protect them.

Dive in to a Job at Oceana

From what I can tell, most of what Oceana does is based on advocacy and creating awareness. They do this through a number of campaigns including Stop Climate Change, Stop Dirty Fishing, Stop Destructive Trawling, Stop Seafood Contamination, Cut the Bait, Save Seat Turtles, Safeguard Sharks, Dive Into Ocean Conservation, Surf Into Ocean Conservation, Stop Cruise Ship Pollution, Advocating for Ocean Change, and Protect Prey. This approach makes sense because our everyday choices impact the future of the ocean, and until we understand that, we’re not going to take a collective action for positive change. Here’s what Oceana has to say about their campaigns:

To achieve real benefits for the oceans, Oceana conducts focused, strategic campaigns. Each campaign has a specific timeframe and objective that will make a significant difference to the oceans. Each campaign combines scientific, legal, policy and advocacy approaches to reach its goal. Saving the oceans may take decades, but in each of our campaigns we aim to accomplish an important milestone in that effort within two to five years.

If you love the oceans as much as I do, you might want to consider Jobs at Oceana. Right now they have a couple of opportunities that seem suitable for recent grads. These include Grantwriter and E-Activism Fellow. You can apply by sending a cover letter and résumé to resumes@oceana.org with the job title in the subject line.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you love about the oceans?

Green Seal

Willy Franzen — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:25:07 +0000

Whether or not we’re really going through a green revolution is up for debate, but I can assure you that Marketing departments across the world are taking advantage of the public’s appetite for “green” products. Unfortunately, “green” doesn’t really mean anything. To you it might mean one thing, and to me it might mean another. We assume that something that is labeled or advertised as green will be better for the environment, but how do we really know? That’s where Green Seal comes in. They are Washington, DC based “independent non-profit organization dedicated to safeguarding the environment and transforming the marketplace by promoting the manufacture, purchase, and use of environmentally responsible products and service.” They do this by certifying products that meet their Green Seal standards. By having an independent third party set standards, consumers can actually make informed choices about the products they buy (as long as they’re Green Seal certified, of course).

Are You Green Seal Certified?

There’s a lot that goes into the certification process, and there are plenty of other organizations and businesses that work in the green certification field. The reason that Green Seal is different is that their “standard-setting process is open, collaborative, fair, and completely transparent.” There are no trade secrets. That means that even the most environmentally conscious customers will be able to know if Green Seal meets their personal standards. If Green Seal meets your personal standards, you may want to think about a job with them. I couldn’t find a Jobs page on their website, but they do post open positions on Idealist. Right now they have two opportunities that appear to be suitable for new grads: Environmental Scientist and Environmental Engineer. The jobs sound pretty similar, and they require a strong science background, so check out the full job descriptions and see if you’re the right fit.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you try to buy certified products? Which certifications?

New Canaan Nature Center

Willy Franzen — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:05:17 +0000

Having grown up in Fairfield County, Connecticut, I took at least one school field trip to the New Canaan Nature Center. I think that I was pretty young, so I don’t remember the trip very well, but I do know that I always loved nature related field trips. If you’re not familiar with the idea of a nature center, it’s simply a “visitor center designed to educate people about nature and the environment.” At least that’s what Wikipedia has to say about the topic. New Canaan Nature Center certainly accomplishes that, as they have some pretty awesome facilities. In addition to a Visitor Center, they include a 4000 square-foot Greenhouse, an Education Building and Annex, an Apple Cider House, an Animal Care Building, an Herb Garden and Cottage, Two Observation Towers, Staff Residences, an Arboretum, a Wildflower Garden, and quite a bit more. It’s the perfect place for people to step out of suburban Fairfield County life and get a taste of the nature around them.

Be a Part of Nature… Center

One of the things that I didn’t mention about New Canaan Nature Center’s is their Birds of Prey exhibit. It features seven aviaries, and sounds awesome (maybe it’s just me, but I’m absolutely fascinated by birds of prey). The birds of prey in the exhibit include a Bald Eagle, a Barred Owl, a Common Raven, a Great Horned Owl, a Harris’ Hawk, a Peregrine Falcon, a Red-tailed Hawk, and a Turkey Vulture. If you get even more excited about this stuff than I do, then a career as an Environmental Educator at New Canaan Nature Center might be worth considering. Although they’d like someone with some experience in the field, I’m sure that there are plenty of new college grads who have that type of background. You can apply by sending a cover letter, résumé, and three references to jobs@newcanaannature.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you ever been to a nature center?

The School for Field Studies

Willy Franzen — Sat, 30 May 2009 14:36:13 +0000

We all know it; studying abroad can be a total joke. I know plenty of kids who partied in a different country for a semester and managed to get college credit for it. Fortunately, there are plenty of study abroad programs that focus more on the “study” than the “abroad.” One of those is The School for Field Studies. Now, you may be skeptical when you see their list of locations sounds more like your top 5 vacation destinations (Costa Rica, Turks & Caicos, Kenya, Mexico, and Australia), but look at all of their student accomplishments. The School for Field Studies is “the nation’s oldest and largest environmental study abroad program,” and it combines “hands-on environmental studies with scientific research to develop sustainable solutions to critical environmental problems.”

Work in the Field

While some students are drinking their way across Spain, The School for Field Studies’ students are getting works like Wood density predicts plant damage and vegetative recovery rates caused by cyclone disturbance in tropical rainforest tree species in North Queensland, Australia or Efficacy of a starch-iodide swab technique to detect the illegal use of bleach in a Spiny Lobster published. Those topics may seem way out of left field to you, but I’ll bet that you’ll be happy they did that research when you’re on vacation and order for lobster for dinner. Or would you rather eat a lobster that was poisoned with bleach? Exactly. The School for Field Studies sounds like a really cool institution, which is why you might want to consider a job with them. They have a few current openings that could be suitable for new grads including Safety Program Specialist at their headquarters in Salem, MA and Student Affairs Manager at their Center for Rainforest Management Studies in Australia. You can apply for a job with SFS by sending a cover letter and resume to jobs@fieldstudies.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Did you study abroad?

National Park Service

Willy Franzen — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:37:02 +0000

Memorial Day is one of my favorite holidays—not only because it signifies the start of summer, but also because I love small town patriotism. My hometown always has a fantastic parade that is often accompanied by a fighter jet fly over. Now, today’s employer may not immediately make you think of Memorial Day like last year’s did (it was Weber-Stephen, the manufacturer of my favorite charcoal grills), but you’ll realize pretty quickly why the National Park Service is a great choice for today. Not only are some of the parks that they manage great places to celebrate the Memorial Day weekend outdoors, but they’re also responsible for quite a few memorials including The Marine Corps War Memorial, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Korean War Veterans Memorial, and The World War II Memorial. Memorial Day is really about our fallen heroes, and the National Park Service is constantly working to honor them by maintaining and managing our memorials.

Celebrate Memorial Day All Year Long

If you love Memorial Day as much as I do, then a job with the National Park Service might be something worth thinking about. Whether you love the outdoors and want to be at Yosemite, love history and want to be at Lincoln’s Boyhood Home, or love our country and want to be at one of the memorials, you’ll have plenty of options. The NPS is constantly working to preserve “unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.” So, how do you land a job with them? You can start at the NPS Jobs page (it has some awesome photos from the 70s), but that will dump you into USAJobs.gov—use this link so that you only see jobs posted from the NPS. There are 163 jobs posted right now, and many of them are entry level, so we’re not going to wade through all of them for you, but you should know that the NPS typically hires in the following areas: Administration, Health and Safety, Archeology, History, Architecture, Human Resources, Biological Sciences, Landscape Architecture, Community Planning, Maintenance and Facility Management, Concessions, Natural Resources, Contracting, Park Police, Cultural Resources, Park Ranger (Protection), Engineering, Park Ranger (Interpretation), Financial Management, Park Site Interpretation, Firefighting, Physical Sciences, and Fire Management. That should help you direct your search on the USAJobs.gov site a little better. Applying for government jobs can be tricky, so be sure to pay very close attention to the details before you send in your application.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite National Park/

National Parks Conservation Association

Willy Franzen — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 12:05:41 +0000

Having grown up in Connecticut and now living in Illinois, I’ve lived in areas that don’t have too many National Parks. Luckily, I’ve had the chance to see Yellowstone and Grand Teton. They are unbelievable. Our National Parks here in the US are one of the best things that the government has done – they’re a big part of what makes this country so special. Unfortunately, the same government that gave us those parks doesn’t always seem to have their best interest in mind. That’s why National Parks Conservation Association exists. They are a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, DC that is focused on “working on key initiatives to restore America’s national parks by the centennial anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016.” If you’ve never visited a National Park, you should. You can use this locator provided by the National Park Service to find the park closest to you.

These Jobs Are a Walk in the Park

If you love the outdoors as much as I do (or dig historic sites, which many National Parks are), and you want a job that is going to put you to work protecting what you love, then the NPCA may be the place for you. They have a great website that is filled with information about what they’re doing to protect our National Parks. The best way to get a quick introduction to the organization is probably to check out their video, which does a nice job of presenting their story. Put simply, the NPCA is all about making our National Parks’ 100th birthday a real reason to celebrate. 2016 is still far enough away that a lot of meaningful work can be done before then, which is why you should check out jobs with the NPCA. Right now there’s only one job that appears to be suitable or new college grads at the NPCA – Program Coordinator. The job is located in Bozeman, MT, and it looks fantastic. You can apply online, so get at it before 2016 comes around!

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite National Park?

Seacology

Willy Franzen — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:36:37 +0000

We’re less than a week away from the start of Spring here in the Northern Hemisphere, but it’s still kind of cold. If I could swing it, I’d probably try to get out of Chicago until early April and spend some time on a tropical island (who wouldn’t want to do that?). Unfortunately, the demand for tourist destinations along with other factors has put many of the world’s most beautiful islands at risk. Islands are important – not only are they awesome places to spend a vacation – they’re also the “earth’s great repositories of biological diversity.” Luckily, we have non-profits like Seacology to protect the world’s islands. Seacology is an organization that “searches for win-win situations where both the local environment is protected and islanders receive some tangible benefit for doing so.”

Island Jobs

As the “the world’s premier nonprofit environmental organization with the sole purpose of preserving the highly endangered biodiversity of islands throughout the world,” Seacology has a pretty cool niche. What’s even cooler is that they have a group of field representatives located across the world who scout out projects. I wish that I could tell you how to land that job, but it seems that they don’t have any island hopping vacancies right now. The kinds of projects that Seacology does vary pretty wildly, but they all have the structure of a trade.

Here are some of their more recent projects.

Repair to 20 primary schools and seven municipal offices in exchange for the protection of ten Madagascar Flying Fox roosts totaling 321 acres in the Mangoro Region of Madagascar.
Construction of a kindergarten and school administration building in exchange for the establishment of a forest preserve and two marine protected areas for Vuna Village, Fiji.
Establishment of a permanent no-take mangrove forest reserve in exchange for coral reef clean-up and mangrove restoration in Iboih Village, Indonesia.
Protection of the highly endangered Hainan Gibbon in exchange for the education of the children of four villages, Hainan, China.
Construction of a community center in exchange for protection of a forest reserve on Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu.

It sounds like an awesome concept, and it’s something that you can be a part of. Seacology currently has a job opening for a Development Assistant in Berkeley, CA posted on Idealist. It doesn’t sound as though you’ll get to go island hopping, but maybe that will be in the cards eventually. If it sounds like something that you’d want to do, send a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references to islands@seacology.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

If you could visit any island, which one would it be?

NOAA

Willy Franzen — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:13:00 +0000

Happy Groundhog Day! Unfortunately, it looks like we’re headed for 6 more weeks of winter according to Punxsutawney Phil. That really aggravates me, so I think that I’m done trusting the rodent for my weather prediction. Last year we recommended that you consider working for the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, but this year we want you to actually be able to predict the weather. That’s why we want you to take a look at entry level jobs with the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. NOAA is a government agency “that enriches life through science,” which makes them almost the exact opposite of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. NOAA’s responsibilities range from “daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings and climate monitoring to fisheries management, coastal restoration and supporting marine commerce.” In fact, “NOAA’s products and services support economic vitality and affect more than one-third of America’s gross domestic product.”

From the Bottom of the Sea to the Surface of the Sun

NOAA has a great video that does a nice job of telling their story, so we thought we’d spare you some reading and embed it below. (If you’re reading via e-mail or RSS, you might need to click through to view the video).

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So what about entry level jobs with NOAA? You can find all kinds of information about working at NOAA on their Careers page. Unfortunately their Recruitment Events Calendar hasn’t been updated lately, but you can still check out their Career Fields and What NOAA Has to Offer pages. What you’re really looking for though – NOAA’s Jobs, you can find on USAJobs.gov. Right now they have 63 jobs posted in fields ranging from Computer Science to Fisheries Biology and from Program Specialist to Service Hydrologist. They list jobs by salary grade, which makes identifying entry level opportunities pretty easy. The jobs are located all across the country, so location depends on what’s available. You can apply online directly from the job listings on the USAJobs.gov site, so if you love earth sciences, there are probably some jobs for you. Beyond the USAJobs.gov site, there’s also a Student Opportunities page that links to Fellowships that may interest new grads.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you think Punxsutawney Phil was right?

The Wilderness Society

Willy Franzen — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:51:04 +0000

For me the wilderness is central to life itself – I can’t be happy without time spent outdoors. That doesn’t mean that I’m not enjoying life in downtown Chicago, but I plan on spending lots of time in the woods and rivers of Wisconsin and Michigan once Spring starts to show its face. My philosophy is shared by the people at The Wilderness Society. Their About page says that “It is our calling and our passion to protect America’s wilderness, not as a relic of our nation’s past, but as a thriving ecological community that is central to life itself.” I couldn’t agree more. They’re a non-profit organization that provides “scientific, economic, legal and policy guidance to land managers, communities, local conservation groups and state and federal decision-makers” to “ensure the best management of our lands – national forests, parks and refuges, as well as public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.” I’ve seen one of my favorite places in the world (a Northern Michigan tract of wilderness and quality fishing areas) put at risk by poor land management policies that would have allowed natural gas drilling in an extremely sensitive area, so I know how firsthand how vital The Wilderness Society’s work is.

Work for the Wilderness

If you feel the same way about the wilderness as I do, then an entry level job with The Wilderness Society might be something worth considering. Their website does a great job of telling their story, so you should be able to get a much clearer picture o who they are and what they about by spending a little time browsing it. They even have a cool section where you can tell them what you’ve been doing to help. I’m not sure what they do with those stories, but it’s nice to see that they’re putting user-generated content to work for them. Their Jobs page lists a couple of opportunities that look like they have potential for new college grads. The most likely jobs are Office Administrator (San Francisco, CA) and Development Operations Coordinator (Washington, DC). To apply for these jobs, visit the specific job descriptions and use the e-mail at the bottom of the posting to send your cover letter and resume.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you enjoy the wilderness as much as I do?

National Wild Turkey Federation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:00:23 +0000

My thoughts about Thanksgiving are still lingering like leftovers in the fridge, so we’re going to look at some more turkey related jobs today. The National Wild Turkey Federation is a “non-profit conservation and education organization with a mission dedicated to conserving wild turkeys and preserving hunting traditions.” They’re not talking about the turkeys that you had for dinner (at least not most of you), these are the ones that you may have seen in your backyard. It wasn’t too long ago that seeing a wild turkey was a rare occurrence, but these days it seems like they’re all over the place. That doesn’t mean that the work of the National Wild Turkey Federation is done, though. In fact, their numbers are expanding faster than those of wild turkeys. Since the Federation was founded in 1973, wild turkey numbers have increased from 1.3 million to more than 7 million, in the same time the Federation has grown from 1,300 members to almost half a million. That’s called success.

Bringing a New Meaning to the Job Hunt

It may seem counterintuitive that hunters are the ones who are trying to save the animals that they hunt, but it makes sense when you think about it. The individuals who utilize a natural resource are also the most likely to want to protect it. I guess that analogy doesn’t work for job hunters though. I’m sure that you’ll be more than happy to take another job off the market, and that’s why you should check out jobs with the National Wild Turkey Federation. Their Jobs page shows a number of available opportunities, and a couple of them seem perfect for entry level candidates. There are seasonal positions in the NWTF’s Warehouse, Frame Shop, and Customer Service departments in Edgefield, SC, but those aren’t what caught our interest. The Regional Director positions in Wisconsin and Oregon are. They look like awesome opportunities for new grads who are ready to take on a lot of responsibility. If you love wild turkeys and want to do everything in your power to conserve the resource, then head over to the NWTF’s Jobs page, read the job descriptions, and apply online.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Any turkey hunters out there?

GreenWood

Willy Franzen — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 15:00:17 +0000

Usually when we feature non-profit entry level jobs on the weekends, we like to go with well established organizations that we can find a lot of information about. Today, I came across a non-profit that I can’t find much background on, but I’m impressed by how cool what they’re doing is. GreenWood is a non-profit organization that “trains artisans to make high-quality wood products, adding value to forest resources and creating incentives to protect biodiversity.” I know firsthand how cool artisan crafted wood products from the rainforest can be, because my parents recently received a huge wooden table that they bought in El Salvador. It’s absolutely beautiful. There is a huge market for these types of products, and GreenWood is doing its best to “foster self-sufficiency by promoting good forest management, the use of lesser-known species, inspired designs, skilled hand-tool production and access to good markets.”

Help Build Sustainable Forest Enterprise

GreenWood’s website is only one page, but it certainly tells their story well. It loaded with pictures, and it shows exactly how teaching people who live in rural, rainforest communities simple skills and providing them with simple tools can completely change the way that they live. So what about working for GreenWood? Right now they have an Executive Assistant position available. The job listing says that they’d like someone with experience, but we think that this job looks perfect for a new college grad who is looking to break into the sustainability/non-profit world. You might have to sell yourself a little bit to land this job in South Berwick, ME, but to be part of such a cool project is certainly worth it. You can apply by sending your cover letter and resume to scott@greenwoodglobal.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

GreenWoodGlobal.org
Jobs at GreenWood Global (Idealist)

What do you think about what GreenWood is doing?

Sea Turtle Restoration Project

Willy Franzen — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:56:12 +0000

One of the cooler fly fishing moments that I’ve had was sea turtle related. I was in Costa Rica fishing for sailfish when we trolled past a couple of sea turtles. Immediately a dorado (aka mahi mahi aka dolphin fish) came out from below the sea turtles (they love hanging out under debris… or turtles) and started chasing the hookless plugs that we had let out behind the boat. We teased the fish in to the boat, I cast my fly to it, hooked it, and caught it after an amazing battle. It was a perfect example of how ecosystems work with the fish using turtles as cover to ambush prey. Unfortunately, our experience with sea turtles from the previous year’s trip wasn’t so heartwarming, as another boat from our party came across a turtle that had been tangled in commercial fishing long lines (nothing like what sport fishermen use). Luckily they were able to get the turtle in the boat and cut it free from the tangle of lines, but it was a reminder of how many risks sea turtles are facing out in the wild (see below for a picture of the turtle as it was being rescued). The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is a non-profit organization that is trying to protect sea turtles from these threats of pollution, coastal development, commercial fishing long lines, and shrimping nets.

Who Doesn’t Love Sea Turtles?

As I’ve seen firsthand, sea turtles are both important parts of the ocean ecosystem and at a high risk for extinction. They’re amazing animals to watch in their natural habitat, and they deserve to be protected. You can help protect them by taking a job with the Sea Turtle Restoration Project. Right now they’re looking for a Human Health and Oceans Campaigner “to help save the oceans from industrial fishing and save ourselves from mercury poisoning from contaminated fish: tuna, swordfish, shark.” They’re looking for someone with a background in campaigning, journalism, community or political organizing, lobbying or legal advocacy, so you probably should have worked on some projects on these areas (and really love sea turtles) if you’re going to apply. This is a one year position with a salary in the low to mid 40s and the opportunity for renewal. The job is based about an hour northwest of San Francisco near the Pt. Reyes National Seashore, and you can apply by sending your cover letter and resume to tshore@TIRN.net. There’s also the potential for a part-time Web Activist position if you’re willing to start as a volunteer. The application details are the same as for the previous position.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you had any firsthand experiences with sea turtles? Tell us about them.

Rainforest Alliance

Willy Franzen — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:14:05 +0000

Surprise, surprise. We’ve selected yet another one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Small Workplaces to be featured on One Day, One Job. That’s three in a row for those of you who are counting. We can’t express enough how helpful lists like these can be to your job search. Almost as helpful as Rainforest Alliance is to saving the rainforest. They’re a non-profit organization that “works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior.” How do they do this? By working directly with farmers, workers, business leaders, NGO’s, governments, scientists and local communities to change the way that they do agriculture to make land use more socially and environmentally responsible while maintaining its economic viability.

You Know That You Always Wanted to Save the Rainforest

Were you one of those kids who had a “Save the Rainforest” sticker on you Trapper Keeper? Have you always loved tree frogs and jaguars? Have you always wanted to take a job that will make the world a better place? You know what we’re going to tell you if you answered yes to any of those question, but here’s what you may not have considered. There are a lot of environmental organizations that take an anti-business approach to conservation. There are also a lot of non-profits that won’t help you build the business skills that you’ll need if you want to transition into a for-profit career. Rainforest Alliance works directly with businesses to certify their practices in Agriculture, Forestry, and Tourism and to help them take a greener approach. This business mindedness isn’t just relevant to how Rainforest Alliance pursues their mission of sustainability, it’s also part of how they develop their people – they have a strong focus on career development according to the WSJ article.

So you had one of those stickers on your Trapper Keeper, huh? Well if you’re interested in Jobs with Rainforest Alliance, you’re in luck, because there are a lot of them. Most of their jobs require 3-5 years of experience, but we’ve picked out the ones that seem doable for new college grads. In New York City they’re looking for a Finance Assistant, an Associate, Office of the President, and a Web Associate, and a Marketing Coordinator (US and Canada), Sustainable Tourism Division (This last one requires 3-5 years of experience, but it sounds so cool that we had to include. Consider it something to look forward to.) In Bolivia, they’re looking for a Certification Administrative Assistant, SmartWood Program, Sustainable Forestry Division and a Forestry Technical Assistant, Initiative for Conservation in the Andean Amazon (ICAA) Project. In Costa Rica Rainforest Alliance is hiring a Technical Assistant, Sustainable Tourism Division, a Program Assistant, Sustainable Tourism Division, and an Evaluation and Research Associate. Finally, in Guatemala they need a Project Associate, Environmental Services Payment Project, TREES Program and in Nicaragua they’re looking for a Technical Associate, Sustainable Agriculture Division. Each job description goes into depth about what you will be doing in the job, and Rainforest Alliance’s Careers site is simple to navigate if you want to browse through all of their listings. To apply for any of the jobs, you can use the online application form found at the bottom of each job description or you can e-mail your cover letter and resume to personnel@ra.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Just think, by reading today’s post and sharing it with your rainforest loving friends you can help save the rainforest and win an iPod Touch.

Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association

Willy Franzen — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 13:58:28 +0000

If you’ve been reading One Day, One Job for any amount of time, you probably know that I am a fanatical fly fisherman. Anything having to do with fishing catches my interests, so it should be no big surprise that I had to tell you about the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association and their entry-level jobs. Most sport fishermen aren’t too fond of commercial fishing in general, but most fishermen also like to eat fish more often than they catch fish. The Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association is a non-profit organization for fishermen who are doing it right. They limit their catch through the use of less effective fishing techniques to ensure that they preserve the ecosystem and help to improve fish stocks. The members of this organization realize that without a healthy fishery, they won’t be able to feed their families (or our families), so they sacrifice short-term gain for long-term prosperity. The CCCHFA is not a traditional trade association but an environmental non-profit organization.

A Job to Get Hooked On

Most people think of Cape Cod as a place to spend a summer, but the entire Cape Cod economy was based on fishing not too long ago. There’s still a large population of fishermen who are making a living solely through fishing, but they continue to struggle with resource depletion that comes with overfishing and habitat destruction. That’s why the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association is looking to hire two new grads as Program Associates (PDF) to help them with their Fisheries Reform Campaign and Sector Monitoring Program. They are currently hiring on a contract basis (paid hourly) through the end of 2008 with the possibility of full-time salaried employment starting in 2009. These are entry-level jobs for new college graduates who have a background in environmental science, natural resources management, fisheries, or other related fields. The CCCHFA is located in North Chatham, MA. You should apply by September 8th by sending a cover letter and resume to mel@ccchfa.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

National Audubon Society

Willy Franzen — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:28:48 +0000

John James Audubon painted birds. His seminal work, Birds of America, was a collection of 435 life-size prints. To this day, when you hear the name Audubon, you think of birds. Interestingly enough, John James Audubon had no direct involvement with the founding of the National Audubon Society. Audubon’s widow, Lucy, tutored a man named George Bird Grinnell and some of Audubon’s love of birds must have rubbed off, as Grinnell was one of the Audubon Society’s founders. To this day, the Audubon Society persists in its mission “to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity.” The Audubon Society works to achieve this mission through a national network of community-based nature centers and chapters and scientific, educational, and advocacy programs.

These Jobs Are for the Birds

The National Audubon Society has a long list of current job openings in locations all across the country. We scanned over them, and identified all the jobs that don’t list experience requirements for you. The Audubon does a very good job of identifying their desired experience level for each position, so you should be pretty confident that these jobs can be considered entry-level.

There are also quite a few jobs listed that require 2 to 3 years of experience. These may be worth a look, since many of them seem like they could be filled by competent new college grads, but we’ll let you go find them on Audubon’s Jobs page. We should also warn you that one job listing says that the start date is in 2006. We hope that this is a result of a careless copy-paste job, but we have no way of knowing how recently all of these jobs were posted. We couldn’t find much information on what it’s like to work for Audubon, but it probably varies widely depending on location. If you’re a birder, and you’re looking for non-profit work, figure out which of the above jobs you like the best and send your cover letter and resume to HumanResources@audubon.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite bird? We like birds of prey like hawks, eagles, and falcons.

Artist Boat

Willy Franzen — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:42:22 +0000

Sometimes a non-profit organization’s name tells you exactly what they do, or example The Association for Energy Affordability or The National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship. Other organizations have names that aren’t quite as straightforward, like today’s non-profit Artist Boat. Quick! Try and guess what they do. Bet you didn’t guess that they are an organization that is “dedicated to promoting awareness and preservation of coastal margins and the marine environment through the disciplines of the sciences and the arts.”

Art in a Boat

Artist Boat encourages collaboration between marine scientists and artists. By doing so, they can:

1) Promote the preservation of fragile ecosystems through environmental education and the arts

2) Utilize the traditional tools of the sciences and the arts in coastal margins and the marine environment to bring people to places of awareness and reflection while visiting these habitats

3) Reflect the immense beauty, wonder and diversity of life contained in coastal margins and the marine environment back to their communities.

If you take a look at Artist Boat’s website, you’ll start to understand what they do a little better. Many of the photos on the site are of artists painting or drawing in kayaks. They’re painting/drawing scenes that you can’t just drive up to. Artist Boat has programs for youths and adults and they also offer an Eco-Art Curriculum. What a unique idea for a non-profit!

Do You Love Art and Boats?

Artist Boat is currently hiring for 3 positions: Eco Art Arts/Science Educator, Eco-Art Arts Educator/Interpreter, and Administrative and Marketing Coordinator. The Educator positions are certainly appropriate for new college grads, but the Coordinator position is described as requiring a few years of experience. We think that an exceptional entry-level candidate might be able to do the job, so it’s worth looking at. The links we provided to the jobs go to Idealist, but you can also look at Artist Boat’s Employment page. Artist Boat is located in Galveston, TX, and you can apply by sending your cover letter and resume to kklay@artistboat.org.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you think it’s hard to paint in a rocking boat?

Wild Salmon Center

Willy Franzen — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:00:35 +0000

If you’ve been following us from the start, you know that the first non-profit organization whose jobs we featured was Save Our Wild Salmon. Today we’re going to look at jobs at the Wild Salmon Center, which has quite a few similarities to the aforementioned organization. I decided to do this for two reasons. First, I care deeply about wild salmon and like drawing attention to organizations that help them. Second, I’m leaving for a weeklong fishing trip today and it’s getting me in the mood for fishing (don’t worry, we’ll maintain our daily posting schedule). So let’s talk about how you can make a career out of protecting globally significant salmon ecosystems!

Why Salmon?

A lot of you might find it strange that fishermen are so concerned with protecting animals that they then impale on a hook. The truth is that few people other than fishermen have enough knowledge of salmon to fully appreciate them. The Wild Salmon Center is not a fishermen’s organization; however, you can be sure that fishermen are some of its most loyal supporters. Atlantic salmon stocks were once prolific, but are now barely holding on. The United States’ East coast used to have amazing runs of salmon as far south as the Connecticut River, but now there is not a single river in the country with a “good” run. Canadian stocks are in much better shape, but still a shadow of what they once were. Pacific salmon stock, on the other hand, are still thriving in comparison to their Atlantic brethren; although, that may not be the case for much longer. Wild salmon are important because they’re more beautiful, better tasting, more fun to catch, and native to our country. They are also key indicators of the health of our coastal watersheds – measures taken to protect salmon will have impacts on entire ecosystems. The Wild Salmon Center explains why they care about salmon in much greater detail here.

Working to Save Salmon

Whether you enjoy eating salmon or catching them, a job at the Wild Salmon Center will offer the experience to work towards protecting something that you care deeply about. The only active job listing on the Wild Salmon Center’s Jobs page is for a Development Associate. This isn’t a true entry-level position, but it may be a appropriate for a new grad who has had volunteer experience in fundraising. The Wild Salmon Center also has two new job listings on Idealist.org. They are looking for a Sustainable Fisheries and Markets Program Associate and a Conservation Finance Program Associate. The only experience that is required for these jobs is a familiarity with Russia – speaking Russian is a huge plus – and cross-cultural work. This is essential because so many of the most pristine remaining salmon rivers are located in Russia. All of the jobs at the Wild Salmon Center look fascinating (and that’s not just the fisherman in me saying so), and will offer wonderful opportunities for new college graduates who are conservation minded.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Any other fishermen out there? Leave a comment and say hello.

Conservation International

Willy Franzen — Sun, 25 May 2008 12:38:20 +0000

I grew up in suburban Connecticut, but I spent a lot time outdoors, both around my house and in more wild places. During my childhood I rarely saw deer, turkeys, coyotes, or hawks. Only a few times did I ever hear or see a woodpecker. Seeing wildlife was special. As I got older that began to change. I see all of the above relatively often now, and I swear that I hear a woodpecker banging away every day now. I definitely consider this a victory for local conservationists who have worked hard to save and bring back wildlife habitats; however, I also know that many species of flora and fauna are still in danger across the world. Conservation International is an organization whose mission statement should be “saving life on Earth.” Instead they have chosen the slightly less terse:

We believe that the Earth’s natural heritage must be maintained if future generations are to thrive spiritually, culturally, and economically. Our mission is to conserve the Earth’s living heritage – our global biodiversity – and to demonstrate that human societies are able to live harmoniously with nature.

Either way, they’re doing great work towards helping the world balance the needs of society with nature.

Conservation Across the World

The first thing that we noticed about Conservation International is that they have a gorgeous website. It looks great, it’s easy to use, and it’s full of information. They have a multimedia player on the right hand side of their web pages and articles on career ideas and job search tips. They also provide in-depth information on a wide range of conservation related issues. Their approach to conservation is also fascinating. Since their website is so great, and we have a graduation ceremony to be at today, we’ll leave most of the research up to you.

Working in Conservation

Although Conservation International doesn’t appear to have tailored any jobs specifically for new college graduates, they have a number of entry-level job opportunities. These include Editorial Assistant, Graphic Designer, Project Manager, Training Assistant, and Web Producer. The job descriptions are really detailed, so it should pretty easy to get a sense of which jobs are best to apply for. All the positions that we listed are located in Arlington, VA. We were especially impressed by some of the job descriptions for senior positions at Conservation International. It looks like the organization is working on some fascinating topics.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you hear/see more woodpeckers than you used to? We’re really curious, so please leave a comment.

National Wildlife Federation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:00:59 +0000

The One Day, One Job team is partaking in the tradition of Spring Break (even if some of us aren’t in college anymore), so our posts are going to be on the shorter side for the next week or so. We figure, time off from school should give you plenty of time to do the research yourselves, right? Our compromise is that we’re going to give you more links, and less commentary. How’s that? I’m enjoying the wildlife of Puerto Rico, which includes ospreys, tarpon, egrets, iguanas (invasive, but still cool to look at), and a lot more, so it’s appropriate that today’s entry-level jobs come from the National Wildlife Federation.

The NWF is a non-profit organization that aims to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future. They’re a little light on entry-level jobs right now, but there are a couple of openings that should interest new college graduates. There’s a position as an Online Media Coordinator, Green Hour – Affiliate & Regional Strategies as well as a job as an Online Grassroots Coordinator – Conservation Programs. Both are located in the National Wildlife Federation’s Reston, VA office. You can also search for job openings at the NWF; however, most of the other listings require at least 5 or more years of experience. If you want to try cold calling, you might want to try the NWF’s local offices.

That’s it for today, visit the links below to continue your research on the National Wildlife Federation.

Note: On April 27th we revisited entry-level jobs at the National Wildlife Federation.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite wild animal? Leave a comment and tell us.

Trout Unlimited

Willy Franzen — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 13:00:03 +0000

If you’ve visited our about page, you might have noticed that I (Willy) am a fisherman – a fly fisherman to be more precise. Those of you who are unfamiliar with fishermen might think that sport fishing has a negative impact on the environment, but the opposite is typically true. In fact, sportsmen often make the best conservationists – mostly because they have a vested interest in protecting the resources that are necessary to the enjoyment of their sport. For this reason many conservation organizations have been formed by groups of sportsmen. One such organization is Trout Unlimited, which aims to conserve, protect, and restore North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds.

One of the cool things about Trout Unlimited is how much participation goes on at the local level. Whether it’s a stream clean up, a restocking of a native strain of trout, or Trout in the Classroom, the local chapters use their own resources as well as those supplied by the national organization to improve local coldwater fisheries. TU may be an environmentalist organization, but it brings together people from a wide range of backgrounds and political persuasions to accomplish a greater good. I’ve been going to TU meetings since I was a little kid, and although I may not always agree with the national organization’s stance on some issues, I support Trout Unlimited because of the work they do. With that bias out in the open, let’s get to jobs at Trout Unlimited.

Currently there is only one entry-level job opening at Trout Unlimited, but it looks to be a good one. They are currently looking for a Development Assistant / Assistant to the President (this position is no longer listed, so we’ve removed the dead link). This position will have some administrative responsibilities, but will also play a big role in fundraising. You’ll also be working at the top levels of the organization, which has to be great for networking. If you’re a new grad who loves fly fishing and wants to get into development or fundraising, take a look at this job. If you’d like to apply for an unlisted position, there’s no mention of how to do so. We recommend that you use TU’s contact form to let them know of your interest.

Note: On April 27th we revisited entry-level jobs at Trout Unlimited.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

If you love fly fishing too, leave a comment and say hi!

Northwest Service Academy

Willy Franzen — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:00:05 +0000

There are many options after graduation – starting work right away, enjoying one last Summer off, or taking a short-term job while you think things over. Northwest Service Academy falls into that last category, and the best part is that you will get to enjoy working in the great outdoors while you reflect on your education and your future.

Northwest Service Academy is a non-profit organization that does “hands-on watershed restoration, environmental education, trail construction, resource conservation and volunteer mobilization projects throughout the beautiful Pacific Northwest.” They see themselves as a place for young people to develop leadership skills that will open up opportunities that require more experience than typical entry-level jobs.

Jobs at the Northwest Service Academy include: Trail Team Leader and Member, Wildfire Fuels Reduction Team Member, Wilderness Backcountry Ranger, and Stewardship Assistant (many of the links are now dead, so use the Northwest Service Academy’s jobs page to find current opportunities). Most of these jobs have multiple openings, and the start dates range throughout the year (for more informations see Northwest Service Academy’s recruitment timeline).

Most of the Academy’s jobs are in their Trout Lake, WA and Portland, OR centers, but there are also positions in Wisconsin and a few other places. Northwest Service Academy has done an impressive job of communicating their employment brand online, so you should be able to find a wealth of information about them through Google, including their Wikipedia entry (which we just linked to, so you won’t have to search for it).

We especially like Northwest Service Academy because their employment opportunities are so easily accessible online. All the information you could want to know about working for them is on their website and easy to find. That’s why we’re keeping it brief today.

Note: On April 27th we revisited entry-level jobs at Northwest Service Academy.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

We hope your last semester (if you’re Seniors) is starting off well, and don’t forget to use the special One Day, One Job discount at Better World Books when you buy your textbooks. Not only will you get 20% off, but the money from your purchase will help fund literacy programs.

US Forest Service

Willy Franzen — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:00:17 +0000

“I was young, and I thought I was tough and I knew it was beautiful and I was a little bit crazy but hadn’t noticed it yet.” Those are the words of Norman Maclean, from his collection of autobiographical fictional works entitled A River Runs Through It and Other Stories (the “other stories” are “USFS 1919: The Ranger, the Cook, and a Hole in the Sky” and “Logging and Pimping and ‘Your Pal, Jim’”). If Maclean’s words speak to you, a career in the Forest Service might be just the right move for you after graduation.

The US Forest Service is legally charged to “achieve quality land management under the sustainable multiple-use management concept to meet the diverse needs of people.” The United States has amazingly abundant natural resources, and the USFS ensures that they are preserved for our enjoyment. USFS employees have a wide range of day to day activities that promote the Service’s mission. If you love the outdoors, want to promote conservation, and have education in a relevant field, the Forest Service will offer you an extremely broad array of intriguing entry-level job opportunities.

About those job opportunities. We have some good news and some bad news. Bad news first. We’re not going to list individual entry-level positions for you today. The good news is that we’re leaving the research to you because the USFS has way too many entry-level openings for us to list (something like 600 this year). Just to give you a taste – USFS entry-level opportunities include jobs such as Biological Scientist, Landscape Architect, Archaeologist, and Hydrologist.

Finding jobs on their site is a little confusing (what else would you expect from the Federal Government), so we’ll guide you through the process. You can either start at their Job Openings page or you can jump straight to a search of all permanent positions. From here you can do a keyword search. If you’re looking for something specific like a location or field, feel free to choose your own keywords. We typed in “entry” and found 53 positions (many with multiple openings) that all appeared to be appropriate for someone graduating with a four-year degree.

So once you get your search results, you will get a list of positions with some basic meta information. You can click through these links to the position’s page, which then has a link to another site (we told you it’s confusing). The first time we went through their site, we thought you had to click that link to find more information on the job (so don’t click it!). We were stupid and overlooked the tabs above the job description. The tabs link to very detailed information about the openings, including a full job description, list of qualifications, salary range, other relevant information, and most importantly how to apply. If you do choose to apply for a position at the USFS, you may need to register on another website (the one with the link that you hopefully didn’t click like we did).

The USFS’s Jobs website can be pretty confusing if you haven’t used it before. Still, there is nowhere else to find this many high quality jobs in such a wide range of outdoor-related fields. If you want to work for the USFS, you might be in for some serious research and browsing around their site. That’s why we said you need to be like Norman Maclean – young, tough, and a little bit crazy.

Note: On April 22nd we revisited entry-level jobs at the US Forest Service.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have we told you that we’re giving away a Wii?