San Francisco Estuary Institute, Resilient Landscapes Program Internship, Summer 2022
Description of agency and internship overiew:
The San Francisco Estuary Institute provides independent science to assess and improve the health of the waters, wetlands, wildlife and landscapes of San Francisco Bay, the California Delta and beyond. SFEI’s Resilient Landscapes Program is a multidisciplinary team of scientists dedicated to developing innovative ecosystem restoration and management strategies that help improve the functioning of California landscapes for people, plants, and wildlife.
The intern will be working closely with an interdisciplinary team of ~30 scientists within the Resilient Landscapes Program. Day-to-day work will be a combination of independent and collaborative work, with regular meetings with the supervisor.
Depending on SFEI’s projects and the intern’s qualifications and interests, the intern could contribute to a range of different ongoing projects. Examples include: 1) Historical ecology projects focused on collecting, compiling, and synthesizing archival data to reconstruct the physical and ecological characteristics of past landscapes in various regions throughout California (e.g., an upcoming study of Suisun Marsh); 2) Urban ecology projects evaluating ways to enhance the biodiversity support and ecosystem services provided by urban environments (e.g., ongoing projects in San Francisco, New York, elsewhere); 3) Efforts to develop management and restoration strategies for adapting to sea level rise around the San Francisco Bay; 4) Multi-benefit stream management projects aimed at developing strategies to improve flood protection, restore floodplain and riparian habitats, and enhance channel functioning; 5) “Visioning” projects to develop management and restoration strategies to enhance ecological resilience at the landscape scale. Depending on his/her preferences, there is generally flexibility for the intern to either contribute to multiple projects spanning a range of focus areas or to focus more intensively on 1-2 primary projects.
- Conduct literature reviews, summarize relevant ecological information, and synthesize historical and contemporary data on land use and species distribution
- Conduct internet-based research to collect data on the historical conditions of California watersheds (and possibly conducting in-person archival research as well, depending on the situation with COVID-19)
- Use GIS or other geospatial tools to manipulate spatial data and map/analyze landscape characteristics
- Research, write and edit sections of technical reports and publications
- Compile and analyze spreadsheet-based datasets to develop visualizations and graphics for scientists and stakeholders
Eligibility:
Bill Lane Center internships are part of Cardinal Quarter opportunities and we encourage students from all disciplines to apply to our opportunities. The opportunities are full-time (35-40 hours a week) for 10-weeks during the summer. Specific start and end dates can be coordinated directly with the supervisor.
Students with more experience (Juniors, Seniors, and Co-terms) are preferred, though the internship may be appropriate for qualified Freshmen and Sophomores as well.
Earth Systems, Geological Sciences, Biology, Human Biology, Environmental Systems Engineering, Urban Planning, History.
Note: Students are only eligible for one Stanford-funded full-time experiential learning opportunity during the 2021-22 academic year (inclusive of summer).
For more helpful application advice, please visit the BLC’s FAQs page.
Required Skills:
-
Some background in an environmental science field (e.g., earth systems, geology, biology, ecology, environmental engineering) or other field related to landscape and environmental planning (e.g., urban planning, landscape architecture, or environmental policy)
-
Experience conducting independent research
-
Strong verbal and written communication skills
-
Ability to work both independently and with a close-knit team
-
Self-direction and the ability to manage tasks with minimal supervision
Desired Skills:
-
Experience using ArcGIS or other GIS programs to create maps and/or analyze geospatial data
-
Data analysis skills and experience using analytical software tools such as Excel and R
-
Design or data visualization skills and experience using graphic design tools such as Adobe Illustrator
-
Experience with historical archival research
-
Experience working on projects that translate science into applied management (e.g., internship or class project working with government staff or NGOs)
Selection of applicants:
Complete applications are screened and finalists are contacted for an interview with staff from the Bill Lane Center for the American West. The top candidates for each position are forwarded to the agency for direct interviews with their potential supervisors and other agency staff. Host agencies will then notify the Lane Center of their preferred candidate and that applicant will receive an internship offer by email. The applicant is expected to respond promptly (within 48 hours) via email to the offer, or the offer will be rescinded. Once an applicant accepts an offer, the student should promptly notify all other Stanford and non-Stanford programs to which they have applied that they have accepted another offer and to withdraw their candidacy.
