This project will suppress invasive northern pike (Esox lucius) populations in Hewitt and Whiskey lakes and the Hewitt-Whiskey Creek outlet that connects these lakes to the Yentna River. Hewitt and Whiskey lakes support populations of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), as well as Chinook (O. tshawytscha), coho (O. kisutch), chum (O. keta) and pink (O. gorbuscha) salmon.  Northern pike will be removed using 1” bar mesh gillnets and hoop traps from May through September of 2018, 2019 and 2020.  Project success will be evaluated by (1) estimating the reduction in northern pike relative abundance, (2) estimating the number of juvenile salmon that would have been consumed by northern pike if the pike removal program were not conducted and (3) estimating the abundance of juvenile salmon rearing in Hewitt Lake in the fall each year.

This intern will be paired with a CIAA staff member to form a two-person crew. The crew will live on-site for the duration of the program at Whiskey/Hewitt Lake in the Susitna River watershed, except for a break at  approximately the end of June through the first week of July when the crew will be brought back to Kenai for some time off. All locations are remote, with floatplane only access. Interns will receive training in wilderness first aid/cpr, bear safety, gun safety, use of a variety of fisheries sampling gear, and data collection procedures. Round trip flight(s) from Kenai office to work site, food, and housing is provided. 

Compensation amounts:

• $1,300 - RT travel allowance to work site and back
• $160 - weekly living allowance
• Food and housing are paid for by the site organization
• AmeriCorps eligibility (Education award of approximately $1,718.25)

*All allowances subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes

*Note that acceptance of the AmeriCorps Education Award for this position is required

Please provide a 1-2 page professional resume as an attachment to your SCA application. 

It is SCA's policy that all AmeriCorps-required background checks must return cleared prior to the position's start; this includes being fingerprinted for the FBI check. Otherwise, the AmeriCorps award will be removed or the position's start date will be delayed due to non-compliance.

*For SCA's COVID-19 guidance, please refer to www.thesca.org/covid