Field Instructors and Field Interns Needed for 2014  

Special Information

  • This is a full-time temporary position (not benefits eligible) during the Summer Conservation Experience program.

  • While we have already filled the 2013 field staff positions, we will be seeking instructors and interns to work with us in Summer 2014. 

SCE Course Description

The Summer Conservation Experience (SCE) takes place in Flagstaff, the wider Colorado Plateau region, and the Sonoran Desert..  

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The sophomore-level college students will begin by exploring the Grand Canyon South Rim for three days, then live on the NAU campus for the rest of the first week while they attend intensive workshops on environmental conservation, Arizona history and culture, and indigenous wisdom.  Students will identify “thorny conservation problems” that will serve as the foundation for their final projects.  While in Flagstaff, students will gather resources to take in the field that will help them understand the background behind their conservation problem.  During the second week of the SCE, students will travel to the San Juan River for a 4-day professionally guided river trip that will focus on riparian ecology and the sustainability of Ancestral Puebloan culture.  After leaving the San Juan, the group will visit the Navajo and / or Hopi Reservations to conduct a service-learning project. The first field section will end with a night in La Posada Hotel.  Students then return to Flagstaff where they will further their knowledge about their conservation problem using the NAU library, local resources, and Flagstaff community members.  During the last few days of the course, students deliver final project presentations and enjoy a final dinner at Flagstaff's historic Riordan Mansion.

The Dorrance Scholarship Program

The Dorrance Summer Conservation Experience is designed exclusively for 23 Dorrance Scholars from the three state universities in Arizona.  

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The Dorrance Scholarship Program, funded by the Arizona Community Foundation, awards full scholarships to first generation college students from the state of Arizona who have demonstrated financial need.  Scholarships are renewed annually based on academic standing, participation in program events and activities, and community service projects.

Position Description

The Summer Conservation Experience (SCE) seeks to hire one field instructor and one field intern (collectively called “Field Staff”)

  • Field Staff will serve as role models to students, teach wilderness skills, and provide logistical / risk management support throughout the 25-day program.
  • SCE Field Staff will work as a team to teach 23 students how to camp on the San Juan River, cook, hike and camp on the Colorado Plateau, and collect environmental data in the field.  At times SCE Field Instructors may be expected to independently supervise 8 college sophomores in the field.
  • The Field Intern will be expected to stay in an NAU residence hall with the students while the group is in Flagstaff.  Meals on campus will be provided.

Minimum Qualifications for All Field Staff

  • Familiarity with the natural history of the Colorado Plateau and Sonoran Desert.
  • Experience managing / supervising / leading groups in a wilderness setting.
  • Valid driver's license and the ability to drive 11-passenger vans.
  • Current Wilderness First Aid and CPR certifications.

Preferred Qualifications for Field Interns

  • Academic background in environmental science, environmental history, environmental studies, Arizona history, or indigenous cultures.
  • Experience supervising and supporting students in a residential setting.
  • Current Wilderness First Responder and CPR certifications

 Preferred Qualifications for Field Instructors

  • Master’s degree in environmental science, environmental history, environmental studies, Arizona history, indigenous studies, or creative problem solving.
  • Experience working with first-generation college students from diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.
  • High school, community college, or university-level teaching experience.
  • Current Wilderness First Responder and CPR certifications.

Salary and Benefits

  • Instructors and interns will be expected to work the entire course, which includes staff training and course prep time (July 2 – August 1, 2012) for $1500 to $4500, depending on experience.
  • WFA Certification / WFR Recertification reimbursement.

Application Procedure

 Please submit a letter of interest, resume, and names and phone numbers of three references that can address your qualifications for this position by email to angie.moline@nau.edu or post to:

Dr. Angie Moline

Director, Dorrance Summer Conservation Experience Program

School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability

Northern Arizona University

P.O. Box 5694

Flagstaff, Arizona 86011