Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve – Natural Resource Management (Wildlife) Individual Placement

Northwest Youth Corps – 1,040 Hour

Individual Placement

National Park Service

Craters of the Moon National MonumentPreserve

Arco, ID

Position Title: Natural Resource Management (Wildlife) Individual Placement

Position Summary:

Craters of the Moon National MonumentPreserve (CRMO) is currently recruiting one, 1,040 Hour (26-week) Natural Resource Management (Wildlife) Individual Placement beginning May through October 2026 that will support the Natural Resource Management Program. The selected placement will assist with management of natural resources at Craters of the Moon National Park, Minidoka National Historic Site (MIIN), and Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument (HAFO) (and perhaps some work at City of Rocks National Reserve (CIRO). The work will be field oriented mainly within the wildlife program with some time spent assisting the vegetation program.

Background:

The geologic landscape, wildlife, and vegetation at these three southern Idaho parks are unique resources that visitors come to enjoy every year. The resource management division deals with a variety of tasks in wildlife and vegetation management, monitoring, inventory and rehab. The individual placement will get the opportunity to assist the division in an array of tasks in resource management and gain experience in managing natural resources in the National Park Service.

The main focus of the job at CRMO will be on advancing the knowledge of CRMO cave resources. This will include exploring, assessing and mapping the natural and cultural resources of lava tube caves on the Monument and Preserve. CRMO has a large number of unexplored caves that we want to find, explore and properly document. You will explore them for subsurface water, ice, unique geological features, bats, guano, moth wings, cultural artifacts or other evidence of Native American use (lithics, artifacts, pictographs, trails, cleared sleeping areas etc.) Work will be mainly in the back country, sometimes requiring multi-day backpacking and primitive camping. Work can usually be accomplished through car-camping with day-trips to and from camp site, but may include primitive camping some nights. You will be accompanied by a Biological Science Technician for this work and equipped with radios, spot devices and satellite phone/s. In addition, you will work with and or/ lead a group of Wilderness Volunteers for 2 weeks gridding the lava flows of CRMO searching for undocumented caves. You will have the opportunity to work alongside the Cave Research Foundation during some of the 5 weeks they spend at CRMO professionally mapping caves.

Other planned projects in the wildlife program include nightjar surveys (on all 3 parks), milkweed (monarch butterfly) monitoring and inventory, camera trapping pronghorn on a regionally significant migration corridor, marking fence to prevent sage-grouse (and other species) fence collision mortality, maintenance of wildlife-friendly fence, assisting the vegetation program with seed collection, backpack spraying of invasive plants and planting native vegetation into fire-scarred lands.

The individual will NOT want to suffer from any claustrophobia and will need to be ok with primitive back-country camping for up to 4 days at a stretch. Individual placement will need to be proficient at navigating and orienteering with use of GPS units and/or tablets. Work will involve long hikes over rough (lava) terrain carrying up to 40 lbs. This project will include an office component consisting of planning logistics for trips and turning field notes and sketches into cave maps and/or reports upon return from trips.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Wildlife Management (75%)

• Work in a team and with park staff to aid in all resource management activities at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve;
  • Assist with cave field-surveys
  • Turn field notes/ sketches into maps and reports.
  • Nightjar surveys
  • Milkweed/ Monarch butterfly monitoring / inventory
  • wildlife-friendly fence maintenance
  • assist with pronghorn camera-trapping study
• Other duties
  • assist with evening programs on bats at the CRMO campground amphitheater
  • Enter data
  • Document resource findings/activities

Vegetation Management (20%)

• Work in a team and with park staff to treat invasive plants at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve;
  • Treat exotic vegetation through hand-pulling, cutting, or herbicide application
  • Document treatments and update files with use of Survey123 and Field Maps
  • Maintain equipment
  • If interested, will be able to study and test for the Idaho Pesticide Applicator's License
• Work in a team to monitor woodland/forest health
  • Survey, identify, map native vegetation
  • Hazard tree surveys
  • Tussock moth defoliation/ revegetation monitoring

• Restoration
  • Spread native seed mixes in disturbed areas
  • Seed collection
  • Plant seedlings in disturbed/ burned areas
• Other duties
  • Document resource findings/activities

General Resource Management (5%)

• Work in a team and with park staff to aid in all resource management activities at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve;
  • Assist other resource programs and other divisions as needed such as the cultural resources, education staff, and interpretation staff.
  • Preparing information on resource activities to co-workers and the public.

Approximately 20-30 nights will be spent camping.

• Percentages describe the estimated amount of time expected on each task.

Required Qualifications:

• Ages 18-30 (up to 35 for veterans)
• U.S. Citizen or lawful, permanent resident
• Must pass a background/driver check
• Willingness to submit to a government background security check
• Ability to work outdoors in remote settings and inclement weather on uneven ground
• Willingness to work independently (with a partner) in an outdoor setting
• Ability to lift and carry up to 40 lbs.
• Experience reading maps, using a GPS device and orienteering
• Good written and verbal communication skills and a positive attitude
• Current Driver's license

Desired Qualifications:

• Affinity for backcountry work and camping
• Ability to problem solve and conduct work safely in backcountry settings without direct supervision
• Basic knowledge in following wildlife survey protocols
• Coursework in biology, botany, wildlife biology, and a strong interest in conservation
• Previous experience using GPS units
• Experience with basic land navigation equipment and/or methods
• Personal transportation

Duty location:

Duty station is Craters of the Moon National Park - Arco, Idaho. Individual placement is responsible for their own food. Housing is available for the position.

Terms of Employment:

One individual placement will complete a term of service (length dependent on commitment of hours), starting May through October 2026 for a total of 26 Weeks (1,040 hours). The individual placement will average 40 hours of labor per week, minus holidays.

Individual placements are responsible for providing their own personal transportation and food.

Program Benefits:

Individual placements will earn $14,560 living allowance dispersed on a monthly basis throughout the 26 Weeks (1,040 hours). The living allowance are taxable.

Application Instructions

Application Deadline: Until Filled

Interviews: Will occur as qualified applications are received.

Type of position: Individual Placement

Service Dates: May – October 2026

Length of Term: 26 Weeks (1,040 Hours)

To Apply:

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references and completely fill out the application form found at https://nwyouthcorps.workbrightats.com/jobsearch/?job_board_classification=Internships

Please select "Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve – Natural Resource Management (Wildlife) Individual Placement" when applying.

Additional Information

If you have questions about the position, please reach Northwest Youth Corps Internship Department at interns@nwyouthcorps.org or Todd Stefanic at Todd_Stefanic@nps.gov or Sara Ihrie at sara_Ihrie@nps.gov.

All job offers are contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check (criminal history and driving history).