American Conservation Experience:
ACE - BLM El Centro Archaeology-Museum
Internships
Summary: American Conservation Experience, a Non-Profit Conservation Corps
based in Flagstaff, AZ, in partnership with the Bureau of land management s, El
Centro field office in California is seeking two outgoing and enthusiastic interns,
with an archaeology and/or anthropology background, to provide curation
assistance at the Imperial Valley Desert Museum.
This is a great opportunity for an enthusiastic entry-level professional with a deep
interest in jointly advancing their career goals and helping preserve the cultural
history of this area. The ideal candidate will have B.A. or B.S. in anthropology,
archaeology, museum studies, or related field and have a deep interest in
archaeological preservation. The interns must possess a passion for public land
management, and a professional interest in advancing their career towards cultural
resource management.
Start Date: August 29th, 2011
End Date: December 16th, 2011
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A 16-week commitment is required
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Location: The Bureau of Land Management, El Centro Field Office is one of five field
offices within the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA). The CDCA was
established by congress through passage of the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act (FLPMA). The BLM El Centro Field Office (ECFO) manages 1.4
million acres of public lands spread across Imperial and San Diego counties.
Approximately 90% of the BLM ECFO managed lands lie within Imperial County.
The El Centro resource area covers a dramatic range of climates and ecosystems,
and is a popular area for recreation, especially in the winter. This area is rich with
biological, paleontological, and cultural resources. Archaeological resources of
special importance in this area include prehistoric geoglyphs, prehistoric camp sites
associated with ancient Lake Cahuilla, and sites associated with the Juan Bautista de
Anza National Historic Trail.
Project Partner Website: For more information regarding BLM El Centro visit:
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/elcentro.html
Compensation: Interns will work 40 hours per week and receive compensation of
$110/week, paid bi-weekly, for food and incidentals. ACE will provide shared
housing in El Centro
Position Description: ACE interns will primarily assist the El Centro Field Office
Archaeologists to provide curation assistance at the Imperial Valley Desert Museum.
Curation work will include lab work identifying, re-curating and cataloging BLM
artifacts, including possible NAGPRA collections located in the museum collection
(85%).
Additional archaeological work performed under this position (15%) could consist
of the following: fencing archaeological sites located near recreation areas, installing
kiosks, designing and installing interpretive materials that focus on the historic and
prehistoric resources including possible website and pamphlet or brochure design,
monitoring the condition of known sites, and answering questions from the public.
Duties may also include assisting with cultural resource inventories and reporting,
performing research, and other project support as needed. Weekly progress reports
will be turned in to the field office archaeologists.
Personal Vehicle is required. It is possible to get around El Centro without a car, but
summers are hot, and it is very difficult to get to any other, larger communities
without one. The hot summer temperatures make an air-conditioned car very
desirable.
Training Provided: Interns will receive training in a wide range of cultural resource
management skills, including museum curation and lab work, GIS, cultural resource
protection, site monitoring, and prehistoric and historic archaeology in southern
California. ACE and the BLM are committed to providing an educational, rewarding,
and challenging experience to best prepare interns for future careers in the
stewardship of America s public artifacts.
Qualifications: Applicants with knowledge and skills in curation and restoration of
historic artifacts, are strongly encouraged to apply. Most importantly, candidates
should have demonstrated interest in pursuing a career within the scope of this
internship. Applicants must be passionate and interested in historic preservation.
The ACE archaeology intern must be willing to represent ACE and the BLM in a
professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner. Drug users should not consider
applying, as ACE reserves the right to require drug testing and abhors the presence
of drug users in our program.
Required Skills:
Internship is available to US Citizens and Green Card holders only
Interns must be between the age of 18 and 29
Valid driver s license, clean driving record
Museum and/or archaeological laboratory experience
Archaeological field school and/or survey experience
Ability to work indoors utilizing various software programs
Proficiency in Excel and Access databases
Attention to detail
Ability to work outdoors and perform physical labor outdoors in extreme summer
temperatures (80-120 degrees F)
Personal medical insurance for the duration of their participation with ACE.
Ability and willingness to undergo a criminal background check is required
Desired Skills
Knowledge and experience using GIS software
4WD experience
Fencing or other construction experience
Experience in graphic or artistic design
To Apply:
Please email a resume and cover letter along with 3 professional references in one
document to intern@usaconservation.orgwith BLM El Centro Archaeology
Internship- Shovelbums referred in the subject heading of your email. Early
consideration will be given as resumes are received.
--Thank you
Sincerely,
Trisha Singh
Internship coordinator
American Conservation Experience
tsingh@usaconservation.org
801-946-5379 - Cell
1-866-604-9307 - Fax
www.usaconservation.org