Student contract position in GIS and wildlife monitoring

The USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland is seeking to hire one full-time temporary student contractor to assist with the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program (www.pwrc.usgs.gov/naamp). Tasks include working with GIS applications and other associated software to update and/or create various maps, communication with individuals and partner organizations to make map updates, and other duties related to management of the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program. Applicants should be interested in expanding their computer skills.

Application deadline:

Interested applicants should submit their resume and cover letter by February 21st, 2010.

Statement of Work

1. Types of services required: Using ArcGIS to maintain the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program's (NAAMP) route maps project. Tasks include importing site coordinates into ArcGIS, editing, using geoprocessing tools such as append, importing data from KML files
and other formats, tracking progress, communicating with partners for route information, and exporting maps to PDF. Assist with other aspects of NAAMP, such as testing webpages under development, data extraction for analyses, and assisting with database management.

2. Required expertise/skills:

a. Applicants are required to have completed at least one class in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

b. Applicants are required to have completed two years of undergraduate coursework (student must be at least a second semester sophomore).

c. Applicants must be majors in Biology, Wildlife Management, Geography, GIS or similar field.

d. Applicants are required to be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

e. Applicants with more experience with GIS tasks described above preferred. Experience with webpage creation and/or software to summarize data (i.e., Excel, Access, SQL) also preferred.

3. Eligibility requirements: To be eligible for a student contract position, applicants must be either a currently enrolled student or a recent graduate. To qualify as a student, the applicant must be enrolled at least half-time in a degree-seeking program at an accredited college or university. Former students who graduated more than 12 months ago or who left school without graduating are not eligible to work under these contracts. Applicants will be required to show proof of their student status (or recent graduation). USGS employees, their spouses, and children are not eligible to participate in this program. Non-US citizens may be eligible to participate, depending on their immigration status and the applicable regulations of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (formerly Immigration and Naturalization Service). Foreign students in the U.S. under F-1 visas are usually not able to participate in this program, due to USCIS restrictions on off-campus work.

4. Description of working conditions: Work will be performed in an office environment located on the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center campus in Laurel, Maryland. Extended periods of computer use will be required. This is not a field or laboratory position.

5. Compensation: The student contractor will be paid $13.98 per hour. Student contractors are paid only for hours worked (no holiday or leave benefits). Student is responsible for all costs of transportation to and from the principal duty station location. The Government does
not provide housing, meals or other living expenses while working at the principal duty station. Travel away from the duty station is not expected.

6. Principal Duty Station: USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, 12100 Beech Forest Road, Laurel, Maryland 20708-4038. Student contractors may enter the building only during business hours or when project manager is present.

7. Additional information: Number of students required is one. Estimated number of hours for the position is 544 (full-time for summer). There is a possibility of additional part-time hours continuing into the fall semester. The approximate start date is May 24, 2010. The approximate end date is August 27, 2010. There is some flexibility in start and end dates to accommodate variations in academic calendars.

8. How to apply: Send resume and cover letter to Linda Weir via email (lweir@usgs.gov). Applications must be received on or before February 21st, 2010. In your cover letter include an explanation of how you meet the eligibility requirements, your expected graduation date, and discuss your experience as related to sections 1 and 2 above.