Employment

POSITION TITLE:  CSFS Student Intern (1 position)
LOCATION: Southwest Area, Salida Field Office (Salida, CO)
SUPERVISOR(S): Kellie Solis, Forester
HOURLY PAY RATE:  $17.50 per hour
EMPLOYMENT DATES:  May 27, 2025 through August 15, 2025 (12 weeks + 1 orientation day)
CLOSING DATE: Submit applications by 11:59 pm MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.

Land Acknowledgement
Colorado State University acknowledges, with respect, that the land we are on today is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations and peoples. Read the rest of the Colorado State University Land Acknowledgement on the CSU website.

Description of Internship Program
The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) partnered with the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University in 2018 to develop a summer internship program that offers paid internships to undergraduate students. Intern positions provide students with in-depth learning and work experiences in natural resources. Internships include a 15-85% split between training for the student and hourly work for the CSFS, as defined below under “Duties and Responsibilities”. Student interns prepare 2 written documents throughout their internship period to advance professional writing skills and encourage self-reflection. They also receive one-on-one mentoring and evaluations from their CSFS supervisor(s). A small professional development stipend will be made available to support costs/fees associated with trainings, workshops, conferences, and other applicable opportunities during the internship period. A housing stipend will be offered to interns to mitigate the cost of living in Colorado.

This intern will be based out of the Salida Field Office (Salida, CO) in the CSFS Southwest Area and is directly supervised by Kellie Solis, Forester. This office serves Lake and Chaffee counties in Colorado, and the Leadville office is a satellite of the Salida Field Office. The Salida Field Office fills a variety of professional and technical roles for private landowners and communities in both forest and urban settings. Trees are their specialty, from small to large, with needles or leaves. The desire of the office is to help people be good stewards of the land. The intern at this office will assist with a wide variety of tasks, including planning steps associated with the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which is a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land. Training opportunities for the intern may include but are not limited to: forest management plan trainings, tree marking trainings, identification of forest insects and diseases, Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) training, First Aid and CPR Certification, S-130/190 classes, Women+ of CSFS meetings, experience running the chipper, paint gun maintenance, and more.

We are seeking student interns who are professional, self-directed, innovative, and energetic. The applicant should enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds and respect different viewpoints. Of special interest are applicants that demonstrate a capacity to learn new skills, think critically, and serve as effective team members.

Minimum Requirements

• Undergraduate student pursuing a degree at a Colorado institution of higher education. Students can be any year or major.
• Good academic standing with undergraduate institution (GPA > 2.0)
• Demonstrated career interest in forestry or natural resource fields
• Must have a valid driver’s license, the ability to obtain a driver’s license, or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date
• Experience working as an effective team member and clear communicator
• Exhibits a positive attitude and willingness to learn

Preferred Experience

• Good written and oral communication
• Basic ArcPro understanding and/or has completed an ArcGIS class
• Basic understanding of wildland fire fuel types
• Familiarity with MS Word and Excel
• Experience using forestry equipment (diameter tape, loggers tape, GPS, increment borer, etc.)
• Experience identifying trees, grasses, forbs and shrubs in the western U.S.
• Experience navigating with maps, compass, and GPS units
• National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) S-130/290 Wildfire Training

Conditions of Employment

• Housing stipends between $1,500 and $2,000 are available for each student to support costs associated with rent and utilities for the duration of the internship.
  • There is a possibility of cheaper dorm-style housing if it is available.
• Small professional development stipends are available for each student to help with costs associated with conferences, workshops, trainings, etc.
• Ability and willingness to work long hours with occasional evening and weekend duties (work based on a 40 hour work week) 
• Ability to safely operate 4-wheel drive vehicles, UTVs/ATVs, and forest machinery and tools
• Ability and willingness to perform strenuous outdoor work and carry backpacks with 25+ pounds of work and personal gear across steep terrain in potentially inclement weather conditions
• Ability to provide suitable work gear, including sturdy hiking boots, a raincoat and other personal items related to hiking 
• Student might be exposed to poisonous plants, biting stinging insects and wildlife during field work.
• Ability and willingness to travel throughout Colorado for 1-3 day-long trips to CSFS field offices, potentially requiring stays in hotels. Approved lodging and per diem expenses are covered (see GSA CONUS rates for Colorado).

Duties and Responsibilities

• Complete planning steps for the RCPP program, including:
  • Attend initial site visits with private landowners to gauge their interest and offer tiered treatment options
  • Develop maps in ArcPro for inventory
  • Collect inventory data using tools such as a compass, laser range finder, tablet, diameter tape, clinometer, increment borer, and calipers
  • Data acquisition and management in Excel, Access and FVS (Forest Vegetation Simulator)
  • Write a forest management plan using the condensed RCPP template
  • Paint trees for removal where necessary (i.e., ponderosa pine stand)
  • Lay out unit boundaries for harvest
• Other anticipated tasks
  • Attend weekly and monthly staff calls, as well as bi-weekly and monthly calls with partners in the area such as Envision Chaffee County, NFF, USFS and NRCS
  • Hang MCH packets with Salida staff, with the opportunity to travel to Aspen for a week of hanging packets at the ski resort
  • Use GPS, tablets and phones to map and rate wildfire risk on occupied lots
  • Public interaction with landowners on factors affecting Home Ignition Zone by modifying the Defensible Space (One hundred or more feet around a home or building that has been treated to lower the fire risk).
  • Assist adjacent field offices with project work as necessary
  • Attend monthly Tree Board meetings if interested
  • Attend Quarterly Chaffee/Lake Forest Health Council meetings
  • Assist with Mesa Antero Subdivision roadside thinning project (site visits, layout, administration)
  • Assist the Lead Forester in Leadville with Lake County projects. This will introduce interns to forest management in lodgepole pine stands that are not as widespread in Chaffee County.
• Work with supervisor(s) to prepare a summer work plan, set goals and learning objectives, and evaluate progress.
• Complete two professional writing assignments throughout the summer.
• Attend a mandatory day-long orientation session on Monday, May 19, 2025 either in person at the CSFS State Office on the Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, Colo., or virtually
• Hourly internship duties will occur from May 27, 2025 through Aug. 15, 2025.

To Apply

Please submit applications by 11:59 p.m. MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. You must submit a separate application for each position you are interested in being considered for, but you can use the same cover letter for all applications (see specific information required in the cover letter below). Include the following information in your application packet:

1. Cover letter that includes the following information:
   1. The CSFS internship position(s) you are applying for (indicate each location/specific position).
   2. Your interest in and qualifications for each of the positions for which you are applying.
   3. A statement about what diversity and inclusion means to you and why it matters in the workplace.
2. Resume
3. Unofficial undergraduate transcripts
4. Names and contact information for 3 professional references.

Applications missing any of the above information or submitted after the deadline will not receive full consideration. Apply now. 

For questions regarding the position or program, please contact:

Kristen Switzer
Experiential Learning Specialist
Colorado State Forest Service
[email protected]
(802) 345-7523

CSU is an EO/EA/AA employer. Colorado State University conducts background checks on all final candidates. Colorado State University is committed to embracing diversity through the inclusion of individuals reflective of characteristics such as: age, culture, different ideas and perspectives, disability, ethnicity, first generation status, familial status, gender identity and expression, geographic background, marital status, national origin, race, religious and spiritual beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, medical diagnosis, documentation status, and veteran status with special attention given to populations historically underrepresented or excluded from participation in higher education. The University’s commitment to diversity is a longstanding one that reflects our role and mission as a land-grant institution.

POSITION TITLE:  CSFS Student Intern (1 position)
LOCATION: Southwest Area, Durango Field Office (Durango, CO)
SUPERVISOR(S): Josh Braun, Forester
HOURLY PAY RATE:  $17.50 per hour
EMPLOYMENT DATES:  May 27, 2025 through Aug. 15, 2025 (12 weeks + 1 orientation day)
CLOSING DATE:  Submit applications by 11:59 p.m. MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025

Land Acknowledgement
Colorado State University acknowledges, with respect, that the land we are on today is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations and peoples. Read the rest of the Colorado State University Land Acknowledgement on the CSU website.

Description of Internship Program
The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) partnered with the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University in 2018 to develop a summer internship program that offers paid internships to undergraduate students. Intern positions provide students with in-depth learning and work experiences in natural resources. Internships include a 15-85% split between training for the student and hourly work for the CSFS, as defined below under “Duties and Responsibilities”. Student interns prepare 2 written documents throughout their internship period to advance professional writing skills and encourage self-reflection. They also receive one-on-one mentoring and evaluations from their CSFS supervisor(s). A small professional development stipend will be made available to support costs/fees associated with trainings, workshops, conferences, and other applicable opportunities during the internship period. A housing stipend will be offered to interns to mitigate the cost of living in Colorado.

This intern will be based out of the Durango Field Office (Durango, CO) in the CSFS Southwest Area and is directly supervised by Josh Braun, Forester. This office is currently staffed by a Supervisory Forester, two Lead Foresters, two Foresters, a Forestry Technician, and an Administrative Assistant. The intern at this office would be involved in Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) projects, forest management plans, and a variety of other duties related to supporting communities and landowners in their forest health and wildfire risk mitigation goals. Training opportunities may include but are not limited to: basic wildland fire fighting training, forestry insect and disease identification training, natural resource management networking opportunities, and more.

We are seeking student interns who are professional, self-directed, innovative, and energetic. The applicant should enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds and respect different viewpoints. Of special interest are applicants that demonstrate a capacity to learn new skills, think critically, and serve as effective team members.

Minimum Requirements

• Undergraduate student pursuing a degree at a Colorado institution of higher education. Students can be any year or major
• Good academic standing with undergraduate institution (GPA > 2.0)
• Demonstrated career interest in forestry or natural resource fields
• Must have a valid driver’s license, the ability to obtain a driver’s license, or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date
• Experience working as an effective team member and clear communicator
• Exhibits a positive attitude and willingness to learn

Preferred Experience

• Good written and oral communication
• Field experience and/or exposure to forestry and natural resources management
• Experience operating chainsaws, including official certification in chainsaw operation such as S-212
• Ability to (or willingness to learn how to) operate 4-wheel drive vehicles, manual transmission vehicles, and UTVs/ATVs in variable weather and road conditions
• Experience using forestry equipment (diameter tape, loggers tape, GPS, increment borer, etc.)
• Experience identifying trees, grasses, forbs and shrubs in the western U.S.
• Experience navigating with maps, compass and GPS units

Conditions of Employment
Housing stipends between $1,500 and $2,000 are available for each student to support costs associated with rent and utilities for the duration of the internship.

• Small professional development stipends are available for each student to help with costs associated with conferences, workshops, trainings, etc.
• Student might be exposed to poisonous plants, biting stinging insects, and wildlife during field work
• Ability to safely operate 4-wheel drive vehicles, UTVs/ATVs, and forest machinery and tools
• Ability to provide suitable work gear, including sturdy hiking boots, rain gear, sleeping bag, and other personal items related to camping and hiking
• Ability and willingness to travel throughout Colorado for 1-3 day-long trips to CSFS field offices, potentially requiring stays in hotels. Approved lodging and per diem expenses are covered (see GSA CONUS rates for Colorado).

Duties and Responsibilities

• Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) forestry projects with the U.S. Forest Service and National Forest Foundation to treat insect and disease-infected trees, reduce hazardous fuels and other activities to improve and restore forest and watershed health, including wildlife habitat
• Inventory, boundary layout and mapping for forest management plans
• Other duties include sick tree calls, wildfire mitigation, and urban and community forestry
• Virtual and in-person meetings with local and federal partners, collaboratives and private landowners
• Become familiar with ponderosa pine, pinon-juniper and mixed conifer forest management techniques through exposure in the field, as well as reviewing and partaking in written forest management plans
• Learn to set up forest inventories in ArcGIS, Avenza and Excel
• Learn to conduct forest inventories using laser range finders, tablets, D-tape, clinometer, GPS, increment borer and other assessment tools and techniques.
• Data analysis using FVS
• Map-making and exposure to GIS work
• GeoTracks exposure and entries
• Writing forest management plans
• Work with supervisor(s) to prepare a summer work plan, set goals and learning objectives, and evaluate progress
• Complete two professional writing assignments throughout the summer
• Attend a mandatory day-long orientation session on Monday, May 19, 2025 either in person at the CSFS State Office on the Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, Colo., or virtually.
• Hourly internship duties will occur from May 27, 2025 through Aug. 15, 2025.

To Apply
Please submit applications by 11:59 p.m. MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. You must submit a separate application for each position you are interested in being considered for, but can use the same cover letter for all applications (see specific information required in the cover letter below). Include the following information in your application packet:

1. Cover letter that includes the following information:
   1. The CSFS internship position(s) you are applying for (indicate each location/specific position).
   2. Your interest in and qualifications for each of the positions for which you are applying.
   3. A statement about what diversity and inclusion means to you and why it matters in the workplace.

2. Resume
3. Unofficial undergraduate transcripts
4. Names and contact information for 3 professional references.

Applications missing any of the above information or submitted after the deadline will not receive full consideration. Apply now. 

For questions regarding the position or program, please contact:

Kristen Switzer
Experiential Learning Specialist
Colorado State Forest Service
[email protected]
(802) 345-7523

CSU is an EO/EA/AA employer. Colorado State University conducts background checks on all final candidates. Colorado State University is committed to embracing diversity through the inclusion of individuals reflective of characteristics such as: age, culture, different ideas and perspectives, disability, ethnicity, first generation status, familial status, gender identity and expression, geographic background, marital status, national origin, race, religious and spiritual beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, medical diagnosis, documentation status, and veteran status with special attention given to populations historically underrepresented or excluded from participation in higher education. The University’s commitment to diversity is a longstanding one that reflects our role and mission as a land-grant institution.

POSITION TITLE: CSFS Student Intern (1 position)
LOCATION: Southeast Area, La Veta Field Office (La Veta, CO)
SUPERVISOR(S): Jared Fleming, Lead Project Forester
HOURLY PAY RATE: $17.50 per hour
EMPLOYMENT DATES: May 27, 2025 through Aug. 15, 2025 (12 weeks + 1 orientation day)
CLOSING DATE: Submit applications by 11:59 p.m. MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.

Land Acknowledgement
Colorado State University acknowledges, with respect, that the land we are on today is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations and peoples. Read the rest of the Colorado State University Land Acknowledgement on the CSU website.

Description of Internship Program
The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) partnered with the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University in 2018 to develop a summer internship program that offers paid internships to undergraduate students. Intern positions provide students with in-depth learning and work experiences in natural resources. Internships include a 15-85% split between training for the student and hourly work for the CSFS, as defined below under “Duties and Responsibilities”. Student interns prepare 2 written documents throughout their internship period to advance professional writing skills and encourage self-reflection. They also receive one-on-one mentoring and evaluations from their CSFS supervisor(s). A small professional development stipend will be made available to support costs/fees associated with trainings, workshops, conferences, and other applicable opportunities during the internship period. A housing stipend will be offered to interns to mitigate the cost of living in Colorado.

This intern will be based out of the La Veta Field Office (La Veta, CO) in the CSFS Southeast Area and is directly supervised by Jared Fleming, Lead Project Forester. The La Veta Field Office serves Huerfano and Las Animas counties in Colorado. This office provides forest land management and watershed protection services to Colorado landowners, monitors insect and disease activity and trends, helps mitigate hazards of wildfire to communities, and is involved in a variety of other initiatives. The intern at the La Veta Field Office will assist with a wide range of such activities associated with the priorities of the area, including community and private landowner projects. The intern may also assist with projects involving other CSFS Field Offices, such as the Alamosa Field Office, and partner agencies, such as the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the State Land Board, and a local organization, the Spanish Peaks Alliance for Wildfire Protection. Training opportunities may include but are not limited to: management conferences/workshops, First Aid/CPR Certification, Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) trainings, forest measurements and more.

We are seeking student interns who are professional, self-directed, innovative, and energetic. The applicant should enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds and respect different viewpoints. Of special interest are applicants that demonstrate a capacity to learn new skills, think critically, and serve as effective team members.

Minimum Requirements

• Undergraduate student pursuing a degree at a Colorado institution of higher education. Students can be any year or major.
• Good academic standing with undergraduate institution (GPA > 2.0)
• Demonstrated career interest in forestry or natural resource fields
• Must have a valid driver’s license, the ability to obtain a driver’s license or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date
• Experience working as an effective team member and clear communicator
• Exhibits a positive attitude and willingness to learn

Preferred Experience

• Good written and oral communication
• One season of forestry field work
• Experience operating chainsaws, including official certification in chainsaw operation such as S-212
• Ability to (or willingness to learn how to) operate 4-wheel drive vehicles, manual transmission vehicles and UTVs/ATVs in variable weather and road conditions
• Experience using forestry equipment (diameter tape, loggers tape, GPS, increment borer, etc.)
• Experience identifying trees, grasses, forbs and shrubs in the western U.S.
• Experience navigating with maps, compass and GPS units
• Experience using ArcGIS
• Experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, internet and e-mail.
• National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) S130/190 Wildfire Training
• Successful completion of Natural Resources Ecology and Measurements (NR220) and/or F230 Forestry Field Measurements at the CSU Mountain Campus, or successful completion of a similar course at another college/university

Conditions of Employment

• Housing stipends between $1,500 and $2,000 are available for each student to support costs associated with rent and utilities for the duration of the internship.
  • USFS bunkhouses in the area are likely to be available for the intern at a low cost.
• Small professional development stipends are available for each student to help with costs associated with conferences, workshops, trainings, etc.
• Ability and willingness to work long hours with occasional evening and weekend duties (work based on a 40-hour work week)
  • Occasionally, there may be the need for 4, 10-hour work days in a week.
• Ability and willingness to perform strenuous outdoor work and carry backpacks with 25+ pounds of work and personal gear across steep terrain in potentially inclement weather conditions
• Student might be exposed to poisonous plants, biting stinging insects and wildlife during field work.
• Ability to safely operate 4-wheel drive vehicles, UTVs/ATVs, and forest machinery and tools
• Ability to provide suitable work gear, including sturdy hiking boots, rain gear and other personal items related to hiking
• Ability and willingness to travel throughout Colorado for 1-3 day-long trips to CSFS field offices, potentially requiring stays in hotels. Approved lodging and per diem expenses are covered (see GSA CONUS rates for Colorado).

Duties and Responsibilities

• Intern will assist with the entire suite of programs the CSFS agency and the La Veta Field Office deliver to the public and partners.
  • Assistance with project layout (timber marking and boundary marking)
  • Shadowing project administration
  • Timber cruising
  • Gran administration
  • Landowner property walkthroughs
  • Insect and disease assessments
  • Hands-on work with potential slash piling, chipping and other field activities as assigned and depending on the intern’s ability
• Office activities
  • All levels of shadowing programmatic functions
  • Assisting in data processing
  • Management recommendation development
  • Spatial data work and GeoTracks recording
  • Landowner and public outreach
• Field office maintenance with property management activities assigned as necessary to help field staff accomplish objectives to have a fire conscious example to share with the public
• Work with supervisor(s) to prepare a summer work plan, set goals and learning objectives, and evaluate progress
• Complete two professional writing assignments throughout the summer
• Attend a mandatory day-long orientation session on Monday, May 19, 2025 either in person at the CSFS State Office on the Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, CO or virtually
• Hourly internship duties will occur from May 27, 2025 through Aug. 15, 2025.

To Apply
Please submit applications by 11:59 p.m. MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. You must submit a separate application for each position you are interested in being considered for, but can use the same cover letter for all applications (see specific information required in the cover letter below). Include the following information in your application packet:

1. Cover letter that includes the following information:
   1. The CSFS internship position(s) you are applying for (indicate each location/specific position).
   2. Your interest in and qualifications for each of the positions for which you are applying.
   3. A statement about what diversity and inclusion means to you and why it matters in the workplace.

2. Resume
3. Unofficial undergraduate transcripts
4. Names and contact information for 3 professional references

Applications missing any of the above information or submitted after the deadline will not receive full consideration. Apply now. 

For questions regarding the position or program, please contact:

Kristen Switzer
Experiential Learning Specialist
Colorado State Forest Service
[email protected]
(802) 345-7523

CSU is an EO/EA/AA employer. Colorado State University conducts background checks on all final candidates. Colorado State University is committed to embracing diversity through the inclusion of individuals reflective of characteristics such as: age, culture, different ideas and perspectives, disability, ethnicity, first generation status, familial status, gender identity and expression, geographic background, marital status, national origin, race, religious and spiritual beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, medical diagnosis, documentation status, and veteran status with special attention given to populations historically underrepresented or excluded from participation in higher education. The University’s commitment to diversity is a longstanding one that reflects our role and mission as a land-grant institution.

POSITION TITLE:  CSFS Student Intern (1 position)
LOCATION: Southwest Area, Gunnison Field Office (Gunnison, CO)
SUPERVISOR(S): Dylan Eimer, Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) Forester
HOURLY PAY RATE:  $17.50 per hour
EMPLOYMENT DATES:  May 27, 2025 through Aug. 15, 2025 (12 weeks + 1 orientation day)
CLOSING DATE:  Submit applications by 11:59 p.m. MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025

Land Acknowledgement
Colorado State University acknowledges, with respect, that the land we are on today is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations and peoples. Read the rest of the Colorado State University Land Acknowledgement on the CSU website.

Description of Internship Program
The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) partnered with the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University in 2018 to develop a summer internship program that offers paid internships to undergraduate students. Intern positions provide students with in-depth learning and work experiences in natural resources. Internships include a 15-85% split between training for the student and hourly work for the CSFS, as defined below under “Duties and Responsibilities”. Student interns prepare 2 written documents throughout their internship period to advance professional writing skills and encourage self-reflection. They also receive one-on-one mentoring and evaluations from their CSFS supervisor(s). A small professional development stipend will be made available to support costs/fees associated with trainings, workshops, conferences, and other applicable opportunities during the internship period. A housing stipend will be offered to interns to mitigate the cost of living in Colorado.

This intern will be based out of the Gunnison Field Office (Gunnison, CO) in the CSFS Southwest Area and is directly supervised by Dylan Eimer, GNA Forester. This field office serves the Gunnison, Hinsdale and Northern Saguache counties, and office staff currently includes a supervisory forester, three foresters, a forest carbon specialist, and two Forest, Inventory, and Analysis (FIA) foresters. The intern will assist with various ongoing forestry projects, including GNA work, insect and disease management, and private land fuels mitigation projects. Training opportunities may include but are not limited to: online trainings in Excel, scientific writing, grant writing, GIS, and/or Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS), professional development online trainings through CSU, insect and disease identification, FIA field work training, fire hazard assessments, tree marking, forest planning, plant identification, First Aid and CPR certification, and continuing education around forestry topics at summer conferences or online webinar series.

We are seeking student interns who are professional, self-directed, innovativ, and energetic. The applicant should enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds and respect different viewpoints. Of special interest are applicants that demonstrate a capacity to learn new skills, think critically, and serve as effective team members.

Minimum Requirements

• Undergraduate student pursuing a degree at a Colorado institution of higher education. Students can be any year or major
• Good academic standing with undergraduate institution (GPA > 2.0)
• Demonstrated career interest in forestry or natural resource fields
• Must have a valid driver’s license, the ability to obtain a driver’s license or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date
• Experience working as an effective team member and clear communicator
• Exhibits a positive attitude and willingness to learn

Preferred Experience

• Good written and oral communication
• Experience using forestry equipment (diameter tape, loggers tape, GPS, increment borer, etc.)
• Experience identifying trees, grasses, forb, and shrubs in the western U.S.
• Experience navigating with maps, compas, and GPS units
• Experience operating chainsaws, including official certification in chainsaw operation such as S-212
• Experience using ArcGIS Pro, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, internet and e-mail
• Experience using FVS (Forest Vegetation Simulator)

Conditions of Employment

• Housing stipends between $1,500 and $2,000 are available for each student to support costs associated with rent and utilities for the duration of the internship
  • Previous interns have used a field office camper trailer for housing.
• Small professional development stipends are available for each student to help with costs associated with conferences, workshops, trainings, etc.
• Ability and willingness to perform strenuous outdoor work and carry backpacks with 25+ pounds of work and personal gear across steep terrain in potentially inclement weather conditions
• Student might be exposed to poisonous plants, biting stinging insects and wildlife during field work.
• Ability to provide suitable work gear, including sturdy hiking boots, rain gear, sleeping bag and other personal items related to camping and hiking
• Ability and willingness to travel throughout Colorado for 1-3 day-long trips to CSFS field offices, potentially requiring stays in hotels. Approved lodging and per diem expenses are covered (see GSA CONUS rates for Colorado).

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist with Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) projects – project layout, boundary tree marking/cut or leave tree marking, and project administration (contract compliance)
• Implement MCH anti-aggregate pheromone projects
• Assist with private land fuels mitigation and home ignition zone (HIZ) projects throughout the Gunnison basin
• Increase capacity of field office for data collection, mapping, project layout and tree painting on Ute Mountain Ute Tribal lands projects
• Assist with Forest, Inventory, and Analysis (FIA) work and learn precise data collection methods
• Use and articulate Avenza GPS Maps for field work
• Data collection using forestry equipment (diameter tape, clinometer, increment borer, etc.)
• Insect and disease surveys and sick tree calls
• Fire mitigation outreach and education
• Create and design ArcGIS Pro maps for project work
• Assist with writing Forest Management Plans and completing Forest Ag landowner inspections
• Tree City USA tree planting days
• Work with supervisor(s) to prepare a summer work plan, set goals and learning objectives, and evaluate progress
• Complete two professional writing assignments throughout the summer
• Attend a mandatory day-long orientation session on Monday, May 19, 2025 either in person at the CSFS State Office on the Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, CO or virtually
• Hourly internship duties will occur from May 27, 2025 through Aug. 15, 2025.

To Apply
Please submit applications by 11:59 pm MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. You must submit a separate application for each position you are interested in being considered for, but can use the same cover letter for all applications (see specific information required in the cover letter below). Include the following information in your application packet:

1. Cover letter that includes the following information:
   1. The CSFS internship position(s) you are applying for (indicate each location/specific position)
   2. Your interest in and qualifications for each of the positions for which you are applying
   3. A statement about what diversity and inclusion means to you and why it matters in the workplace
2. Resume
3. Unofficial undergraduate transcripts
4. Names and contact information for 3 professional references

Applications missing any of the above information or submitted after the deadline will not receive full consideration. Apply now.

For questions regarding the position or program, please contact:

Kristen Switzer
Experiential Learning Specialist
Colorado State Forest Service
[email protected]
(802) 345-7523

CSU is an EO/EA/AA employer.  Colorado State University conducts background checks on all final candidates. Colorado State University is committed to embracing diversity through the inclusion of individuals reflective of characteristics such as: age, culture, different ideas and perspectives, disability, ethnicity, first generation status, familial status, gender identity and expression, geographic background, marital status, national origin, race, religious and spiritual beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, medical diagnosis, documentation status, and veteran status with special attention given to populations historically underrepresented or excluded from participation in higher education. The University’s commitment to diversity is a longstanding one that reflects our role and mission as a land-grant institution.

POSITION TITLE:  CSFS Student Intern (1 position)
LOCATION: Southwest Area, Alamosa Field Office (Alamosa, CO)
SUPERVISOR(S): Sam Scavo, Forester
HOURLY PAY RATE:  $17.50 per hour
EMPLOYMENT DATES:  May 27, 2025 through Aug. 15, 2025 (12 weeks + 1 orientation day)
CLOSING DATE:  Submit applications by 11:59 p.m. MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.

Land Acknowledgement
Colorado State University acknowledges, with respect, that the land we are on today is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations and peoples. Read the rest of the Colorado State University Land Acknowledgement on the CSU website.

Description of Internship Program
The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) partnered with the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University in 2018 to develop a summer internship program that offers paid internships to undergraduate students. Intern positions provide students with in-depth learning and work experiences in natural resources. Internships include a 15-85% split between training for the student and hourly work for the CSFS, as defined below under “Duties and Responsibilities”. Student interns prepare 2 written documents throughout their internship period to advance professional writing skills and encourage self-reflection. They also receive one-on-one mentoring and evaluations from their CSFS supervisor(s). A small professional development stipend will be made available to support costs/fees associated with trainings, workshops, conferences, and other applicable opportunities during the internship period. A housing stipend will be offered to interns to mitigate the cost of living in Colorado.

This intern is based out of the Alamosa Field Office (Alamosa, Colo.) within the CSFS Southwest Area, which serves the San Luis Valley, including Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache counties. The intern will be directly supervised by Sam Scavo, forester, and will implement the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) program on USFS lands. The GNA program enables the USFS to enter into agreements with state agencies to expand the ability to conduct treatments on federal lands. The goals of GNA projects in Colorado largely focus on wildfire risk mitigation, improving forest health and watershed protection. As many forests in this part of Colorado serve as the watersheds that drain into the Rio Grande. Watershed protection from uncharacteristic disturbances is a top priority in many of these areas. This internship may involve collaborations with adjacent CSFS Field Offices (e.g., Durango Field Office, Gunnison Field Office, Salida Field Office, etc.) with project work, mapping activities, and public outreach and education among other responsibilities. Training opportunities may include but are not limited to: Wildland Fire Training (S130/190), chainsaw certification (S-212), ROHVA – ROV/UTV Drivers Course Training, USFS Insect and Disease training, in-state professional society meetings (e.g. Society of American Foresters, International Society of Arboriculture), Colorado Incident Management and Wildfire Academy, ATFS Certified Tree Farm Inspector Training, and more as available.

We are seeking student interns who are professional, self-directed, innovative, and energetic. The applicant should enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds and respect different viewpoints. Of special interest are applicants that demonstrate a capacity to learn new skills, think critically, and serve as effective team members.

Minimum Requirements

• Undergraduate student pursuing a degree at a Colorado institution of higher education. Students can be any year or major.
• Good academic standing with undergraduate institution (GPA > 2.50)
• Demonstrated career interest in forestry or natural resource fields
• Must have a valid driver’s license, the ability to obtain a driver’s license or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date
• Experience working as an effective team member and clear communicator
• Exhibits a positive attitude and willingness to learn

Preferred Experience

• Good written and oral communication
• One season of forestry field work
• Experience operating chainsaws, including official certification in chainsaw operation such as S-212
• Ability to (or willingness to learn how to) operate 4-wheel drive vehicles, manual transmission vehicles and UTVs/ATVs in variable weather and road conditions
• Experience using forestry equipment (diameter tape, loggers tape, GPS, increment borer, etc.)
• Experience identifying trees, grasses, forbs and shrubs in the western U.S.
• Experience navigating with maps, compass and GPS units
• Experience using ArcGIS
• Experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, internet and e-mail

Conditions of Employment

• Housing stipends between $1,500 and $2,000 are available for each student to support costs associated with rent and utilities for the duration of the internship.
• Housing availability is limited, but there may be an opportunity for the intern to be based out of the USFS Bunkhouse in South Fork, Colo.
• Small professional development stipends are available for each student to help with costs associated with conferences, workshops, trainings, etc.
• Ability and willingness to work long hours with occasional evening and weekend duties (work based on a 40 hour work week)
• Student might be exposed to poisonous plants, biting stinging insects and wildlife during field work.
• Ability to safely operate 4-wheel drive vehicles, UTVs/ATVs, and forest machinery and tool.
• Ability to provide suitable work gear, including sturdy hiking boots, rain gear, sleeping bag and other personal items related to camping and hiking
• Ability and willingness to travel throughout Colorado for 1-3 day-long trips to CSFS field offices, potentially requiring stays in hotels. Approved lodging and per diem expenses are covered (see GSA CONUS rates for Colorado).

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist with inventory, layout and administration of GNA small sales on the Rio Grande National Forest and San Luis Valley BLM GNA projects
• Data acquisition and management
• Use FieldMaps on tablet or cell phones
• Use GPS and ArcPad to map and rate wildfire risk on occupied lots
• Upload data to GPS, collect data, download data and create maps in ArcPro using the information collected.
• Public interaction with landowners on factors affecting defensible space and forest health
• Assist adjacent field offices with project work as necessary. Cruising for forest management plans, marking trees for thinning projects.
• Assist Alamosa Field Office staff with ongoing project layout and implementation
• When field work is not possible, office work may include the following:
  • GIS mapping projects
  • Field equipment maintenance
  • Assisting with management plan development
  • Processing and reconciling timber sale load tickets
• On-the-job training with attending partner meetings, reviewing grant reimbursements, reviewing project scope of works, attending webinar trainings, etc.
• Work with supervisor(s) to prepare a summer work plan, set goals and learning objectives, and evaluate progress.
• Complete two professional writing assignments throughout the summer
• Attend a mandatory day-long orientation session on Monday, May 19, 2025 either in person at the CSFS State Office on the Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, CO or virtually
• Hourly internship duties will occur from May 27, 2025 through Aug. 15, 2025.

To Apply
Please submit applications by 11:59 pm MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. You must submit a separate application for each position you are interested in being considered for, but can use the same cover letter for all applications (see specific information required in the cover letter below). Include the following information in your application packet:

1. 1. Cover letter that includes the following information:
      1. The CSFS internship position(s) you are applying for (indicate each location/specific position)
      2. Your interest in and qualifications for each of the positions for which you are applying
      3. A statement about what diversity and inclusion means to you and why it matters in the workplace
   2. Resume
   3. Unofficial undergraduate transcripts
   4. Names and contact information for 3 professional references

Applications missing any of the above information or submitted after the deadline will not receive full consideration. Apply now. 

For questions regarding the position or program, please contact:

Kristen Switzer
Experiential Learning Specialist
Colorado State Forest Service
[email protected]
(802) 345-7523

CSU is an EO/EA/AA employer. Colorado State University conducts background checks on all final candidates. Colorado State University is committed to embracing diversity through the inclusion of individuals reflective of characteristics such as: age, culture, different ideas and perspectives, disability, ethnicity, first generation status, familial status, gender identity and expression, geographic background, marital status, national origin, race, religious and spiritual beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, medical diagnosis, documentation status, and veteran status with special attention given to populations historically underrepresented or excluded from participation in higher education. The University’s commitment to diversity is a longstanding one that reflects our role and mission as a land-grant institution.

POSITION TITLE:  CSFS Student Intern (2 positions)
LOCATION: Northeast Area, Golden Field Office and Broomfield Office with opportunities for remote work
SUPERVISOR: Audrey Miles-Cherney, Upper South Platte Partnership (USPP) Watershed Coordinator
HOURLY PAY RATE:  $17.50 per hour
EMPLOYMENT DATES:  May 27, 2025 through Aug. 15, 2025 (12 weeks + 1 orientation day)
CLOSING DATE:  Submit applications by 11:59 p.m. MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.

Land acknowledgement
Colorado State University acknowledges, with respect, that the land we are on today is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations and peoples. Read the rest of the Colorado State University Land Acknowledgement on the CSU website.

Description of internship program
The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) partnered with the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University in 2018 to develop a summer internship program that offers paid internships to undergraduate students. Intern positions provide students with in-depth learning and work experiences in natural resources. Internships include a 15-85% split between training for the student and hourly work for the CSFS, as defined below under “Duties and Responsibilities.” Student interns prepare 2 written documents throughout their internship period to advance professional writing skills and encourage self-reflection. They also receive one-on-one mentoring and evaluations from their CSFS supervisor(s). A small professional development stipend will be made available to support costs/fees associated with trainings, workshops, conferences, and other applicable opportunities during the internship period. A housing stipend will be offered to interns to mitigate the cost of living in Colorado.

These interns will be based out of the Golden Field Office (Golden, CO) and Broomfield Field Office (Broomfield, CO) within the CSFS Northeast Area and will be directly supervised by Audrey Miles-Cherney, Upper South Platte Partnership (USPP) Watershed Coordinator. Interns will largely work with the USPP and the many agencies associated with it. The USPP consists of approximately 18 active organizations with 40 individuals working collaboratively on mutual goals. The partnership focuses on a HUC 8 watershed in which 80-90 percent of the drinking water passes through it for approximately 2 million Coloradans (primarily in the Denver and Aurora areas). This watershed is nearly 1.2 million acres, covering 8 counties located west and southwest of Denver. Interns will collaborate with USPP partners to improve forest health, increase resilience to wildfire and other disturbances, and build sustainability and fire-adapted communities within the watershed. While based in Golden and Broomfield, the intern has an opportunity to gain experience interacting with multiple CSFS offices along with local fire protection districts, government agencies and non-governmental collaborators. For past interns, this has included work with West Metro Fire and Rescue, Evergreen Fire Protection District, Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, Jefferson County Open Space, Coalition for the Upper South Platte, US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Restoration Initiative and the USPP’s professional facilitation team, Peak Facilitation. In 2025, interns are anticipated to work with those partners, as well as Stewardship West, Denver Water, Aurora Water, Jefferson Conservation District, National Wild Turkey Federation, CSU Extension and others.

The internship work duties will entail a variety of tasks supporting the USPP collaborative activities and partnering agency activities related to cross-boundary collaboration, forest health management, and wildfire mitigation projects. Examples of work duties include contributing to supporting wildfire mitigation specialists with defensible space or structural ignition zone projects, forest mensuration, treatment layout and boundary marking, monitoring, vegetation surveys, assisting in community education on wildfire preparedness and/or forest health management goals and objects, as well as contributing to the USPP administrative tasks, including but not limited to data entry, internal communications, newsletters, website content updates, planning and presentations at USPP or affiliated partner meetings, and other tasks as needed and suitable to individual skill levels and interests of the selected candidates. The selected interns will gain experience working with diverse USPP partners to conduct work throughout the USPP service area. As such, there is some flexibility to customize the interns’ experience to suit their professional interests and skills.

Depending on timing and availability of training schedules, opportunities may include but are not limited to First Aid/CPR/AED certification training or renewal, four National Incident Command online/self-paced training modules, CO Forest Restoration Initiative’s Monitoring Protocol, trainings organized by the CSFS or other CSU-affiliated groups, events hosted by CO Forest Collaborative Network, Fire Adapted CO, Rocky Mountain Restoration Initiative,  Front Range Round Table, Northern CO Fireshed Collaborative, CO/WY Society of American Foresters, and other relevant agencies or organizations of interest as requested by the intern(s). If available during internship work period, trainings may also include S-130/190, S-212, ATV/UTV certification, NFPA’s Assessing Structural Ignition Potential (ASIP).

We are seeking student interns who are professional, self-directed, innovative and energetic. The applicant should enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds and respect different viewpoints and be interested in learning about natural resources management, forest and watershed system health, wildfire mitigation, and collaborative multi-agency processes. Of special interest are applicants that demonstrate a capacity to learn new skills, think critically and serve as effective team members.

Minimum requirements

• Undergraduate student pursuing a degree at a Colorado institution of higher education. Students can be any year or major.
• Good academic standing with undergraduate institution (GPA > 2.50)
• Demonstrated career interest in forestry or natural resource fields
• Must have a valid driver’s license, the ability to obtain a driver’s license or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date
• Experience working as an effective team member and clear communicator
• Exhibits a positive attitude and willingness to learn

Preferred experience

• Good written and oral communication
• Previous forestry field experience
• Ability to (or willingness to learn how to) operate 4-wheel drive vehicles, manual transmission vehicles and UTVs/ATVs in variable weather and road conditions
• Experience using forestry equipment (diameter tape, loggers tape, GPS, increment borer, etc.)
• Experience identifying trees, grasses, forbs and shrubs in the western U.S.
• Experience navigating with maps, compass and GPS units
• Experience using ArcGIS
• Google suites experience, including Gmail, Drive, Forms, Calendar, etc.
• Photography and/or videography skills
• Graphic design and/or editing skills

Conditions of employment

• Housing stipends between $1,500 and $2,000 are available for each student to support costs associated with rent and utilities for the duration of the internship.
  • There may be a camper RV available for certain field-based workdays.
  • Interns that have already secured accommodations can opt to commute if they live within a reasonable distance. There will also be opportunities for remote work for select tasks.
• Small professional development stipends are available for each student to help with costs associated with conferences, workshops, trainings, etc.
• Interns might be exposed to poisonous plants, biting stinging insects and wildlife during field work.
• Reliable transportation to get to assigned work locations
• Ability to safely operate 4-wheel drive vehicles
• Ability and willingness to tent-camp and backcountry hike, including off- and on-trail
• Ability to provide suitable work gear, including sturdy hiking boots and  rain gear
• Ability and willingness to occasionally travel throughout Colorado for 1-3 day-long trips in support of work assignments, trainings or meetings, potentially requiring stays in hotels. Approved lodging and per diem expenses are covered (see GSA CONUS rates for Colorado).

Duties and responsibilities

The following are examples of potential work tasks depending on intern interests, experience and available training opportunities:

• • Mix of computer-based and fieldwork is expected for all summer interns.
  • Vegetation monitoring following CO Forest Restoration Institute’s protocols.
  • Assist wildland fire mitigation specialists with defensible space home assessments and inspections.
  • Assist volunteer ambassador programs in landowner/homeowner outreach efforts.
  • Assist wildland fire mitigation specialists and other forestry professionals with community education efforts.
  • Assist forestry professionals with project layout as appropriate to skill level and training (i.e., flagging and marking boundaries and treatments, measuring forest metrics, tree/plant ID, field data collections such as slope, aspect, basal area factors, collecting monitoring photos at sample sites, supporting forest ag program tasks, etc.).
  • Assisting with debris hauling and chipping, and/or slash piling.
  • Participate in Upper South Platte Partnership (USPP) meetings that overlap with the internship term; participate in the meeting planning and logistics, set-up/clean-up, note taking, share out/report as appropriate to skill level and agenda topics, etc.
  • Program data entry and file management to assist with program and grant reporting.
  • Project database management and ArcGIS/mapping (as applicable to skill level).
  • Photo/video documentation of field and training experiences.
  • Graphic design and editing of visual communication elements (if applicable to skill level/prior training and interests).
  • Website content development and editing (if applicable to interests and/or skills) including researching topics, writing blog post narratives, updating content as assigned.
  • Develop professional and effective communications (verbally and/or in written digital formats); the intern will provide a brief presentation or written report for USPP partnering entities at the end of the term summarizing either a research topic of interest and/or summarizing accomplishments achieved, and skills developed and/or knowledge gained.
• Work with supervisor(s) to prepare a summer work plan, set goals and learning objectives, and evaluate progress.
• Complete two professional writing assignments throughout the summer
• Attend a mandatory day-long orientation session on Monday, May 19, 2025 either in person at the CSFS State Office on the Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, CO or virtually
• Hourly internship duties will occur from May 27, 2025 through Aug. 15, 2025.

To apply
Please submit applications by 11:59 pm MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. You must submit a separate application for each position you are interested in being considered for, but can use the same cover letter for all applications (see specific information required in the cover letter below). Include the following information in your application packet:

1. Cover letter that includes the following information:
   1. The CSFS internship position(s) you are applying for (indicate each location/specific position)
   2. Your interest in and qualifications for each of the positions for which you are applying
   3. A statement about what diversity and inclusion means to you and why it matters in the workplace
2. Resume
3. Unofficial undergraduate transcripts
4. Names and contact information for 3 professional references

Applications missing any of the above information or submitted after the deadline will not receive full consideration. Apply now. 

For questions regarding the position or program, please contact:

Kristen Switzer
Experiential Learning Specialist
Colorado State Forest Service
[email protected]
(802) 345-7523

CSU is an EO/EA/AA employer. Colorado State University conducts background checks on all final candidates. Colorado State University is committed to embracing diversity through the inclusion of individuals reflective of characteristics such as: age, culture, different ideas and perspectives, disability, ethnicity, first generation status, familial status, gender identity and expression, geographic background, marital status, national origin, race, religious and spiritual beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, medical diagnosis, documentation status, and veteran status with special attention given to populations historically underrepresented or excluded from participation in higher education. The University’s commitment to diversity is a longstanding one that reflects our role and mission as a land-grant institution.

POSITION TITLE:  CSFS student intern (1 position)
LOCATION: Southeast Area, Woodland Park Field Office (Woodland Park, CO)
SUPERVISOR: Mike Till, lead project forester
HOURLY PAY RATE:  $17.50 per hour
EMPLOYMENT DATES:  May 27, 2025 through Aug. 15, 2025 (12 weeks + 1 orientation day)
CLOSING DATE:  Submit applications by 11:59 p.m. MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.

Land acknowledgement
Colorado State University acknowledges, with respect, that the land we are on today is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations and peoples. Read the rest of the Colorado State University Land Acknowledgement on the CSU website.

Description of internship program
The Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) partnered with the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University in 2018 to develop a summer internship program that offers paid internships to undergraduate students. Intern positions provide students with in-depth learning and work experiences in natural resources. Internships include a 15-85% split between training for the student and hourly work for the CSFS, as defined below under “Duties and Responsibilities.” Student interns prepare 2 written documents throughout their internship period to advance professional writing skills and encourage self-reflection. They also receive one-on-one mentoring and evaluations from their CSFS supervisor(s). A small professional development stipend will be made available to support costs/fees associated with trainings, workshops, conferences, and other applicable opportunities during the internship period. A housing stipend will be offered to interns to mitigate the cost of living in Colorado.

This intern will be based out of the Woodland Park Field Office (Woodland Park, CO) in the CSFS Southeast Area and is directly supervised by Mike Till, lead project forester. The WPFO provides forestry assistance to private landowners, counties and municipalities. This office serves the residents of El Paso and Teller counties, as well as Park County west and south of Kenosha Pass. The intern at this office will participate in data collection of current fuel reduction/fire mitigation projects, as well as layout of future treatment areas. Training opportunities may include but are not limited to forest management at scale, how to foster partnerships and engage collaboratively, watershed infrastructure and operations, insect and disease identification, plant identification and more.

We are seeking student interns who are professional, self-directed, innovative and energetic. The applicant should enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds and respect different viewpoints and be interested in learning about natural resources management, forest and watershed system health, wildfire mitigation, and collaborative multi-agency processes. Of special interest are applicants that demonstrate a capacity to learn new skills, think critically and serve as effective team members.

Minimum requirements

• Undergraduate student pursuing a degree at a Colorado institution of higher education. Students can be any year or major.
• Good academic standing with undergraduate institution (GPA > 2.0)
• Demonstrated career interest in forestry or natural resource fields
• Must have a valid driver’s license, the ability to obtain a driver’s license or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date
• Experience working as an effective team member and clear communicator
• Exhibits a positive attitude and willingness to learn

Preferred experience

• Good written and oral communication
• Field experience and/or exposure to forestry and natural resources management
• National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) S130/190 Wildfire Training
• Ability to (or willingness to learn how to) operate 4-wheel drive vehicles, manual transmission vehicles and UTVs/ATVs in variable weather and road conditions
• Experience using forestry equipment (diameter tape, loggers tape, GPS, increment borer, etc.)
• Experience identifying trees, grasses, forbs and shrubs in the western U.S.
• Experience navigating with maps, compass and GPS units
• Ability to (or willingness to learn how to) operate chainsaws and other forestry/logging equipment
• Ability to provide suitable work gear, including sturdy hiking boots, rain gear, sleeping bag and other personal items related to camping and hiking

Conditions of employment

• Housing stipends between $1,500 and $2,000 are available for each student to support costs associated with rent and utilities for the duration of the internship.
  • The WPFO is equipped with shower and toilet facilities, as well as electrical hook-ups for a camper. If an intern stays on CSFS property, utilities will be covered.
• Small professional development stipends are available for each student to help with costs associated with conferences, workshops, trainings, etc.
• Ability and willingness to work long hours with occasional evening and weekend duties (work based on a 40-hour work week)
• Ability to safely operate 4-wheel drive vehicles, UTVs/ATVs, and forest machinery and tools
• Ability and willingness to tent-camp and backcountry hike, including off- and on-trail
• Ability to provide suitable work gear, including sturdy hiking boots and other personal items related to hiking
• Student might be exposed to poisonous plants, biting stinging insects and wildlife during field work.
• Ability and willingness to occasionally travel throughout Colorado for 1-3 day-long trips in support of work assignments, trainings or meetings, potentially requiring stays in hotels. Approved lodging and per diem expenses are covered (see GSA CONUS rates for Colorado).

Duties and responsibilities

• Assist with pre- and post-fuel reduction/fire mitigation treatment projects
  • Data collection
  • Recon of future treatment areas, which includes input on future Good Neighbor Authority(GNA) areas
  • Layout of future treatment areas
  • Review and look at past treatment areas
  • Geo-spatial analysis of treatment areas
• Geo-spatial analysis of watershed properties
• Making maps in ArcPro and/or ArcOnline
• Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) data entry
• Participate in group discussion of future fuel reduction/fire mitigation treatment areas and vegetation perception
• Participate in meetings with other agencies (US Forest Service, non-governmental organizations, utilities, private industry, etc.)
• Maintaining and managing equipment (digital and analog)
• Work with supervisor(s) to prepare a summer work plan, set goals and learning objectives, and evaluate progress
• Complete two professional writing assignments throughout the summer
• Attend a mandatory day-long orientation session on Monday, May 19, 2025 either in person at the CSFS State Office on the Foothills Campus in Fort Collins, Colorado, or virtually
• Hourly internship duties will occur from May 27, 2025, through Aug. 15, 2025.

To apply
Please submit applications by 11:59 pm MST on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. You must submit a separate application for each position you are interested in being considered for, but can use the same cover letter for all applications (see specific information required in the cover letter below). Include the following information in your application packet:

1. Cover letter that includes the following information:
   1. The CSFS internship position(s) you are applying for (indicate each location/specific position)
   2. Your interest in and qualifications for each of the positions for which you are applying
   3. A statement about what diversity and inclusion means to you and why it matters in the workplace
2. Resume
3. Unofficial undergraduate transcripts
4. Names and contact information for 3 professional references

Applications missing any of the above information or submitted after the deadline will not receive full consideration. Apply now. 

For questions regarding the position or program, please contact:

Kristen Switzer
Experiential Learning Specialist
Colorado State Forest Service
[email protected]
(802) 345-7523

CSU is an EO/EA/AA employer. Colorado State University conducts background checks on all final candidates. Colorado State University is committed to embracing diversity through the inclusion of individuals reflective of characteristics such as: age, culture, different ideas and perspectives, disability, ethnicity, first generation status, familial status, gender identity and expression, geographic background, marital status, national origin, race, religious and spiritual beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, medical diagnosis, documentation status, and veteran status with special attention given to populations historically underrepresented or excluded from participation in higher education. The University’s commitment to diversity is a longstanding one that reflects our role and mission as a land-grant institution.