Civil Engineer Tech Intern

Join us. Do Work that Matters!

MobilizeGreen seeks a conservation minded Civil Engineer Tech Intern to serve 32 weeks with  USDA, Forest Service Savannah River (USFS-SR) in South Carolina. The Resource Assistant (RA) will work with the Forest Service unit to provide technical support for engineering projects. The work of the RA involves planning and conducting engineering work (survey, design, and construction inspection) which requires determining, analyzing, and  resolving a variety of conditions. The RA will also be participating in the development, definition, and documentation of engineering design requirements under the leadership of a senior engineer. The intern will learn to do surveys, road condition surveying, facility work, provide support at the phytoremediation facility operation, and learn ArcGIS and Civil 3D at the basic level, obtain FAC-COR Level I, take COR Level II training if available, and also get some exposure to other program areas work if possible. Supervisors will try to explore competencies and gear the assignments towards the capabilities and interest of the intern.

The Resource Assistants Program is designed for recent graduates and new professionals to launch their natural and cultural resources careers. The RA will receive hands-on learning experience, mentorship, and coaching to complete mission-critical work while developing leadership, critical thinking, and strategic communication skills. This is a developmental program.

MobilizeGreen is an organization committed to diversity. Women, people of color, indigenous people, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, military veterans, and members of other historically disenfranchised groups are encouraged to apply.

Location:  USFS-SR manages over 170,000 acres of forested area located on the Department of Energy, Savannah River Site. U.S. Forest Service Savannah River was established in 1951 to help reforest the abandoned farmland on the newly formed Savannah River Site.  Since that time, forest service employees have continued to work within the Savannah River Site Natural Management Plan to help regenerate healthy forests, provide watershed protection and improvement, suitable habitat for animal and plant species, and to provide a source of revenue from the sale of forest products.

The Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) has a population over 700,000 and the largest cities with the area are Aiken SC, North Augusta, SC, and Augusta, GA. Smaller communities abound throughout the region and offer a quieter setting outside larger areas. Commutes to and from Savannah River Site, where the unit is located ,range from 15 minutes up to an hour based on where you live, traffic patterns, and seasonal time of year. Like other areas across the southeastern United States, Summers can be hot and humid, with temperatures ranging from low 70's to low 90's and occasional thunderstorms. Winters tend to be somewhat mild with the average daytime temps in the low 60's during the days and low 30's at night. The average rainfall is 47.5 inches a year making gardening and lush greenways and forests plentiful.

Recreational opportunities abound in the area and include fishing, hunting, hiking, swimming, and biking. Atlanta, the Appalachian Mountains, and the Atlantic Ocean all offer excellent recreational opportunities, and are each only two - four hours away by car. The area is rich with Revolutionary War and Civil War historic sites. Travelling to and from the area is easy via major interstates and highways as well as airports. The largest airport is in Atlanta, GA which is four hours away. Both Augusta, GA (45 minutes from Aiken) and Columbia, SC (60 minutes from Aiken) offer excellent connecting flights to many larger cities like Atlanta, Dallas/Ft Worth, Chicago, and Washington DC.

Term:  32 weeks, starting February 5, 2024, Full Time/40 hours per week

Duty Station: 1 Mile Inside Aiken Barricade, New Ellenton, SC 29809

Benefits:

• Weekly Stipend of $650 per week
• $1000 per month housing stipend
• Hands on learning and job training experience
• Site travel stipend eligible
• 2-year direct hiring certificate with the Forest Service (with successful completion and 960 hours)
• Health insurance option available at no cost to Resource Assistant
• Mentorship for career and professional development

Position Duties:

• Participates in the development, definition, and documentation of engineering design requirements under the leadership of a senior engineer.
• Working from specific design criteria, designs low volume road projects from field notes; reduces traverses, levels and topography notes; establishes "L" line design alignment from "p" line data; computes quantities; makes cost estimates; produces plan and profile sheets; and selects and adapts paragraphs from previously approved project specifications.
• Prepares sketches and develops layouts, construction details and installation drawings, plus other drafting duties including the final plan and profile sheet.
• Performs land survey work that requires very exacting measurements obtained under difficult conditions, such as steep grades; frequent river crossings; or remote areas where railroads, roads, or other more common routes are unavailable.
• Support to survey, facilities, phytoremediation facility operation, road maintenance and construction projects - in the field and electrical documentation.
• Gather, collect, and compile survey data into ArcGIS or Civil 3D.
• Support other project areas and other sites entities work in a professional manner.

Qualifications:

• Associates Degree or Bachelor's Degree in Architecture, Construction, or Engineering.
• Knowledge of, or coursework, and/or skill in applying, specialized rules, procedures, or  operations requiring extensive training or experience in  engineering methods and  practices sufficient to plan and  implement ground operations for  road management and  related facilities.   
• Knowledge of  or coursework in surveying methods, equipment and  techniques in  order to  direct survey projects and  prepare for  construction. 
• Direct experience conducting arduous field work and working as part of a team (required).
• Direct experience interacting with the public in a customer service role (required).
• Direct experience surveying (preferred, can be trained on the job).
• Basic knowledge of ArcGIS and AutoCADD (preferred, can be trained on the job).
• Basic knowledge of Word and Excel (preferred, can be trained on the job).
• A valid driver's license is required. RA will be required to drive Forest Service trucks on Savannah River site. 

Work Environment

The  work requires some physical exertion such as  long  periods of standing, walking, and carrying moderately heavy items over rough, uneven, mountainous, or  rocky surfaces. It also involves regular and recurring moderate risks or discomforts that require special safety precautions, e.g., working around moving parts, carts, machines, or irritant chemicals. Some positions require working outdoors, in environments with extreme temperatures, humidity, and/or exposure to adverse weather conditions. Employees are required to use protective clothing or gear such as hard hats, masks, gowns, earplugs, coats, boots, goggles, gloves, or shields to moderate risks, or to follow procedures for minimizing risk. Mainly field work and training. 

Competitive selection process; positions filled on a rolling basis. We encourage you to apply ASAP.

For more information on MobilizeGreen go to: www.mobilizegreen.org