*Internship Opportunity*

University of Puerto Rico- Río Piedras

Tropical Forest Research Experience for College Graduates

Complete applications must be submitted by August 24th, 2019

*RESEARCH DESCRIPTION*: The University of Puerto Rico will carry out fall

field work in El Verde Field Station in El Yunque National Forest, Puerto

Rico. Interns will work on different projects, Seedling Drought Experiment

(duties include: clean the rain-out shelters, censuring seedlings, watering

the seedlings after rains, measuring soil moisture and data entry). The

Stream Free Project (duties include: monthly sampling of different aspects

of the stream food chain, sorting leaf litter, general lab duties and some

manual labor). The Annual Course Woody Debris assessment (duties include:

complete the annual course woody debris protocol in the Luquillo Forest

Dynamics Plot, a 16 he plot). Take Canopy photos with a fish eye lent and

help our technicians to complete the tree census in the Canopy trimming

experiment plots. Following training in census protocol and database

management, the volunteers will work in the forest in teams or

individually, spending long hours in the field (8 am until 4 pm,

Monday-Friday, with weekends free), often in wet and muddy conditions and

on challenging topography. While in Puerto Rico volunteers will have the

opportunity to learn about diverse aspects of tropical ecology from

scientists involved in the Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research Program.

*PERIOD:* September 9- through December 19, 2019

*STIPEND:* $600 per month to cover food and general living expenses.

*ACCOMMODATION:* Free accommodation at El Verde Field Station in Puerto

Rico. Housing is communal using shared resources. The field station works

with a generator since we don’t have power, is relatively isolated and

transportation is available on a limited basis.

*TRAVEL:* Refund of up to $750 towards a round-trip plane ticket from

mainland USA, if not already living in Puerto Rico.

*NOTE:* We are unable to provide any medical insurance.

*REQUIREMENTS:* College graduates with background in biology, ecology,

environmental science, or related field, preferably with field-work

experience, knowledge of plant identification, and excellent organizational

skills. Tropical experience useful but is not required. We are currently

only considering US citizens and permanent US residents for these

opportunities.

*APPLICATION PROCEDURE:* Interested applicants must fill out the online

Application Form (

https://sites.google.com/a/ites.upr.edu/el-verde-field-station/internships/luquillo-forest-dynamics-plot-internship-opportunities/lfdp-internship-application).

The following additional materials must also be submitted via email to the

LFDP Research Manager, Jamarys Torres-Díaz, at lfdp@ites.upr.edu by August

24th:

1) A letter of interest indicating why you wish to work in a tropical

forest and describing your relevant experience. Include a statement that

you understand your application is for a volunteer position and let us know

which of the projects do you think you can fit better; 2) Full resume; 3)

University transcripts (scanned unofficial transcripts are fine); All email

attachments must include the name of the applicant as part of the file

name. Please include “Fall Field Work at El Verde” as part of your subject

line. Please email further inquiries to lfdp@ites.upr.edu. Following phone

interviews, we will inform successful applicants in August, 2019. For more

information, please see http://luq.lternet.edu/

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