Intern, Grasslands Program job in Burlington

Intern, Grasslands Program

Location: US-based remote; Livingston, MT preferred 

About Native

Since 2000, Native has worked with clients to develop authentic solutions to their sustainability challenges and to implement community-scale projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen clients’ businesses, and contribute to progress on climate change around the world. 

We construct unique project portfolios to meet climate goals, drive business value, and deliver tangible benefits to clients’ stakeholder communities – from customers and suppliers to employees and shareholders. Our methods enable companies to put their sustainability strategies into practice by investing in new climate action projects within their supply chain.

Native’s team of strategists, project developers, environmental scientists, engineers and legal counsel are devoted to strengthening the people, companies, and places at the heart of these initiatives, and we are seeking an intern for Native’s Grasslands Program to join our team for the summer.

About the role

This intern position supports our Montana Improved Grazing Project. The project engages ranches to develop and maintain improved grazing plans that are expected to sequester carbon over the 30 years of the project lifetime. Native is working with ranchers who are installing  infrastructure, such as fencing and water, needed to increase the number of pastures, decrease the size of pastures, and decrease the number of days grazed in all the pastures under management. Native, along with partner Western Sustainability Exchange, support ranchers in developing the improved grazing plans, engage eligible participants, and manage the long-term relationships with participating ranchers in ongoing best management practices and monitoring project success. 

This position will support the Native team in its work with ranchers to develop, maintain, and manage grazing plans, maps, reports, and other key project data. The position will engage directly with ranchers to clarify management and related project data that is needed to validate and verify the carbon project with the VCS Standard. The position will engage with ranchers in all phases of the program, from those who have been participating for 3 years or more years to newly engaged ranchers who are just creating their initial grazing plans. 

A key role will incorporate many different types of information into a single standardized format that can be used for streamlined project reporting and data management. Therefore the position requires an ability to understand livestock and ranch management, ability to work comfortably with livestock managers, and further ability to take ranch management data and accurately integrate it into a single standardized format. 

This paid internship is 30-40 hours per week, for eight weeks. 

What you’ll accomplish:

• Grazing report transcription and updating of current grazing records

• Reconciling grazing reports into templates needed to assess grazing practice success grazing season to grazing season

• Aligning grazing reports names and acres with maps, land ownership representation, and developments (existing and planned)

• Creating ranch/grazing data reporting and management efficiencies

• Developing templates and processes to improve accuracy of ranch/grazing data reporting

What you bring:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel

• Ranch/livestock experience

• Experience with GIS/ mapping

• Strong organizational skills

• Interest in seeking efficiencies

• A proactive commitment to problem solving, taking initiative, and curiosity

• An exacting attention to detail

• Ability to work productively both in a team and autonomously

• A process-oriented mindset, comfortable self-organizing to set and meet deadlines

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Bonus:

• A high degree of emotional intelligence

• Open to ongoing learning opportunities and skills training

• GIS proficiency

• Data management and integration experience

To submit an application, please send your resume and cover letter to careers@nativeenergy.com with “Grasslands Program Intern” in the subject line.

Native believes an equitable and inclusive work environment and a diverse, engaged team are key to providing excellent stakeholder experiences. We’re searching for teammates who can enhance our culture and make our business better, and we strive to provide all applicants with an equitable and accessible recruitment process.

Native provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Native complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Please share any feedback on how we can make our recruiting more accessible by contacting us at careers@nativeenergy.com.