January 9, 2009
2009 Diving Internships at Channel Islands National Park (Southern California)
Posted as a courtesy. Please do not contact me-Dida
Channel Islands National Park's Kelp Forest Monitoring Program has two Student Conservation Association (SCA) Internships available from April/May - September/October 2009. We are looking for SCUBA divers with a moderate amount of experience (preferably a AAUS recognized scientific diving certification, minimum of 50 cold water dives, some vessel experience and excellent recommendations) to help collect long-term subtidal data on the
kelp forest communities around the Channel Islands.
The Interns primary duty will be to assist with all aspects of the Park's long-term Kelp Forest Monitoring Program (KFMP) to determine the status of living marine resources. The KFMP has conducted annual monitoring around the five Park Islands since 1982. The Intern will collect data on population dynamics of up to 70 species of fish, invertebrates and algae. Most data are collected underwater using SCUBA and surface-supplied air diving techniques. Interns will participate in all aspects of data acquisition and data management and help to prepare equipment, vessel, and food for multi-day remote offshore monitoring cruises and other trips. The Intern will also likely have opportunities to help out with other monitoring programs at the Park such as vegetation, Island fox, intertidal and sea bird monitoring.
The work involves multi-day (but typically five-day) research cruises on 30-65 ft. vessels with up to 10 people, and may include up to 17 cruises during this Internship. Other monitoring trips may also be multi-day on the Islands. Divers typically make up to five dives per day in water
temperatures ranging from 50-73 F. Most dives are conducted at depths less than 65 ft. and are often in dense kelp forests. Travel and dive conditions are often rough as some of the monitoring sites are in exposed areas or up to one mile offshore.
A non-taxable stipend will be available to the selected Intern of up to $640/month in addition to $650/month for housing, accident and medical insurance. The Intern will also have up to $2,000 to purchase SCUBA equipment. In addition a $1,250 - $4,725 Americorps Education award offered as available. For more information on SCA, please see the Student Conservation Association website.
Posted by Dida at January 9, 2009 5:04 PM
