Overview:

The National Audubon Society is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects birds and the places they need today and tomorrow. We work throughout the Americas towards a future where birds thrive because Audubon is a powerful, diverse, and ever-growing force for conservation. Audubon has more than 700 staff working across the hemisphere and more than 1.5 million active supporters.

North America has lost three billion birds since 1970, and more than 500 bird species are at risk of extinction across Latin America and the Caribbean. Birds act as early warning systems about the health of our environment, and they tell us that birds and our planet are in crisis. Together as one Audubon, we are working to alter the course of climate change and habitat loss, leading to healthier bird populations and reversing current trends in biodiversity loss. We do this by implementing on-the-ground conservation, partnering with local communities, influencing public and corporate policy, and building community.

Audubon is committed to a culture of workplace excellence, where our talented and diverse staff are deeply engaged with a strong sense of belonging. The birds Audubon pledges to protect differ in color, size, behavior, geographical preference, and countless other ways. By honoring and celebrating the equally remarkable diversity of the human species, Audubon brings new creativity, effectiveness, and leadership to our work throughout the hemisphere.

Position Summary:

The Restoration Intern – Crew Chief will play a critical role in the management and restoration of Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC) and Chicago Park District (CPD) Natural Areas. Under the direction of Audubon’s Stewardship Program Associate, the Restoration Intern – Crew Chief will lead Restoration Interns in restoring ecological health and integrity of prairie, savanna, woodland, wetland and hemimarsh habitats by removing invasive species at various preserves and natural areas in Cook County. This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience in crew management and land stewardship responsibilities, as well as develop leadership and organizational skills. The Restoration Intern – Crew Chief will be expected to work effectively with the Restoration Intern – Assistant Crew Chief to balance crew management in the field and administrative duties.

The commitment is a full-time, 40-hours per week, Monday Friday 7am-3pm, seasonal paid position that runs from May through December. The Restoration Intern – Crew Chief must also be extremely flexible with scheduling as field work is subject to change daily to hourly due to weather, work adjustments and crew needs. It is preferred but not required that the Restoration Intern – Crew Chief has reliable transportation to and from work sites. The Restoration Intern – Crew Chief will report to the Stewardship Program Associate and should commit to the full length of the program. The program is physically rigorous and challenging but offers an interesting and educational experiences to an energetic and motivated individual. The intern position is offered by under Audubons Wings Internship program in partnership with the FPCC and CPD.

This program offers:

Paid position with competitive compensation.
Reimbursement of mileage to and from work sites.
Uniforms, work vests and personal protective equipment (PPE) provided by Audubon.
Certifications, licenses, conference, and field seminar experience.

This role is on-site and based out of Audubon Great Lakes (125 S. Wacker Dr., Suite 2125, Chicago, IL 60606). Forest Preserves District of Cook County (Powderhorn Nature Preserve, Orland Grassland, Michigan City Road Savanna, + multiple other properties), Chicago Park District (Deadstick Pond, Marian Byrnes, Big Marsh Park, and Indian Ridge Marsh Park).

Compensation:
$21.50 / hour

Essential Functions:

The Restoration Intern – Crew Chief will receive on-the-job training and develop skills in a variety of practices related to the management of natural habitats.

Responsibilities include:

Communicate regularly with Audubon, Forest Preserves, Chicago Parks District and other partner staff and crews regarding weekly scheduling, workdays, mapping of projects, requests for assistance or tools on site and any other necessary updates by phone and email.
Work collaboratively with Restoration Intern Assistant Crew Chief to lead Restoration Interns in the implementation of ecological management and restoration of preserves and natural areas, while working with crews as a teammate.
Stewardship and land management responsibilities in ecological restoration.
Brush and weed management by using a wide variety of tools, including: backpack herbicide sprayers, brushcutters and hand tools.
Restoration techniques, including plant identification, planting native plugs, seed collection, processing and dispersal, and when applicable, controlled brushpile burns.
Ability to test for and obtain IL Herbicide Applicator License, and obtain certifications in Chainsaw, Brushcutter, Group Leadership, Managing Invasives, and other ecology-related field courses during the internship.
Develop leadership and team-building skills while receiving professional job-skill training.
Learn effective collaboration by leading and working alongside Audubon crews and staff, partner restoration staff, volunteers and other conservation partners in the region.
Attend educational trainings and events to gain exposure to other conservation organizations and professionals for the purpose of future job placement.
Professional and appropriate interaction with members of the public and volunteers carrying out work and visiting the preserves and natural areas.
Other job-related duties as assigned.

Intern Schedule
The commitment is a full-time, 40-hours per week, Monday Friday, with most workdays scheduled 7am-3pm. The seasonal paid position runs from May through December. Interns must also be extremely flexible with scheduling as field work is subject to change daily to hourly due to weather, work adjustments and crew needs.

Projected Start Date:
June 3, 2024, and projected end date is December 13, 2024

Qualifications and Experience:

Bachelors degree in environmental science, natural resources management, or related field preferred but not required. 1-2 years of experience in habitat restoration or leading a team. An equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered.
Must be 18 years or older.
Strong interest in conservation and/or working outdoors.
Experience leading/co-leading a group or individuals in a collaborative setting.
Willingness to work an extremely flexible schedule that can change daily to hourly, as applicable.
Access to a car or other means of transportation to get to and from meet sites, designated work sites and training locations, preferred.
Ability to work in inclement weather conditions, withstanding extreme temperatures, heavy mosquito presence and difficult terrain.
Ability to motivate and lead a small team to maintain high level of work and complete assigned work orders, as well as work collaboratively with Assistant Crew Chief and teammates.
Previous professional experience in ecological restoration, land management and/or stewardship preferred.
Previous leadership experience or experience leading and managing crews preferred.
Previous experience performing administrative tasks, including phone and email correspondence, data entry, record keeping, and public speaking preferred.
Ability to perform repetitive tasks with attention to detail.
Ability to quickly study for and pass the Illinois Herbicide Applicator Exams.
Experience with, or ability to quickly learn, safe usage of basic maintenance tools including: hand tools, brushcutters and potentially chainsaws.
Ability to lift, carry and move heavy objects up to 50-75 lbs. for extended periods of time.
Ability to follow instructions and use independent judgment in decisions, as needed.

EEO Statement:

The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

Accessibility Statement:

The National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Accommodations@audubon.org. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.