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Public Land Name:
BLM Oregon State Office - Branch of Geographic Sciences

Position Title:
Geographer, DHA-RAI Program

Agency: BLM

Position Type: DHA

Position ID Number:
2019816

Location:
Portland, OR

Accepting Applications? No

# of current Applicants: 0

Position Description:
The Land Records Team has an ongoing project that is converting multiple land tenure documents, including Master Title Plats, Historical Indices and Controlled Index Documents, to a modern geographic database and indexing platform. This project has layers of complexity including extracting and converting tabular data from legacy tabular databases, Python code supporting the automation of data capture and transformation, and daily database management tasks. The team is small, with several vacant positions and we have several incomplete tasks that are perfect for an intern to step in and complete. There are data transformation tasks, the organization and cataloging of our Python production code, as well as tasks for the future development of our GIS process as we migrate to the newest version of our GIS software.

Goals, outcomes, and deliverables:
The intern will review and determine which easements and Right of Ways in the Master Title Plats Database should be migrated to a new database, based on specific criteria. They will also determine the energy project data that should be migrated to the new database. The intern will also help develop a plan for collecting production Python code, and compile a list of current Python code files and their locations for the project. The intern will code the files in a new directory and new ArcGIS Toolbox sourced to a new code directory. The intern will complete the header information for code files, and help work on the Master Tile Plats template in ArcGIS Pro.

Agency involvement (project oversight, mentoring, team building, etc.):
The candidate will work on a daily basis with the project coordinator. Outside of the occasional leave, we anticipate that the project coordinator will be able to work with the intern for the full duration of the internship. The candidate can expect to interact with internal experts on technical and subject matter, in both district and state offices. These experts include GIS database administrators, GIS specialists, and realty specialists. In addition, the candidate will work on the Land Records Team with cartographers, land law examiners and geographers within the office's Branch of Geographic Sciences. There may be some limited interaction with external stakeholders if the need arises, such as fielding a request for data, or other information from state or federal agencies, or even the public.

Professional development & learning opportunities: (trainings, certifications, networking, etc.):
The intern will gain experience with data transformation tasks, the organization and cataloging of our Python production code, as well as tasks for the future development of our GIS process as we migrate to the newest version of our GIS software. The candidate can expect to interact with internal experts on technical and subject matter, in both district and state offices. These experts include GIS database administrators, GIS specialists, and realty specialists. In addition, the candidate will work on the Land Records Team with cartographers, land law examiners and geographers within the office's Branch of Geographic Sciences. There may be some limited interaction with external stakeholders if the need arises, such as fielding a request for data, or other information from state or federal agencies, or even the public.

The DHA Resource Assistant Internship (DHA-RAI) Program at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is a specialized internship opportunity within the Department of the Interior (DOI). The internships bring new and diverse viewpoints to the BLM while working on specific projects targeted for attracting, recruiting, and filling mission-critical and hard-to-fill occupations. The objective of the internship is to build a pathway towards employment in the DOI for highly-motivated students in higher education.

DHA-RA interns who successfully complete the internship requirements will receive a two-year eligibility period (starting from their degree completion date) during which they can be non-competitively hired by the DOI. Successful completion of the internship does not guarantee that the participant will be hired into a federal position. For more information, please visit the BLM Direct Hire Program website.

Leadership Development:
The intern will participate in rigorous projects that focus skills and reveal the work qualities of the individual. The internship project provides the opportunity for the intern to develop or apply personal responsibility in their work. The rigorous schedule of the internship helps develop project management skills. The intern will also work with multiple stakeholders in their project, which will help the intern develop/demonstrate communication skills, and experience navigating organizational hierarchies.

Presenting Project Results:
Participant is also encouraged to present their results at a GSA Annual Meeting or GSA Section Meeting.

Physical/Natural Environment:
See the BLM office's website for more information.

Work Environment:
Office environment will have a workstation/desk/chairs, computer or laptop, printer, Internet access, and phone access.

Qualifications:
Qualified applicants will be familiar with...

  • ArcGIS 10.x
  • Understanding of the ArcGIS File Geodatabase
  • ArcGIS Pro
  • Python (Basic)
  • Visual Basic Script
  • Relational Database Management Systems

Applicants pursuing (or have very recently earned) a degree in geography or a related physical or social science such as geology, meteorology, economics, statistics, sociology, anthropology, political science, history, cartography, computer science, urban studies, or planning that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or related fields are preferred.

The candidate may use a combination of education and experience to qualify for the position, including courses equivalent to a major in geography, or a related field that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or related fields, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Candidates should demonstrate interest or experience in the following areas:
  • Skill development
  • Real-world problem solving
  • Critical thinking skills
  • Project management
  • Communication skills
  • Strong work ethic and independence
  • Teamwork and collaboration

In order to be eligible for a DHA-RA Internship, participants must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent legal resident (“green-card-holder”). The DHA-RA internship focuses on ensuring the full representation of women and participants from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) or other schools with diverse student populations, to include African Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders and Native Americans, Hispanics, Veterans, and individuals with disabilities. Applicants must be enrolled in, or recently graduated from an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree program at an accredited institution of higher education. Students enrolled in a graduate certificate program are not eligible to participate in DHA-RA Internships with the BLM. To qualify as a recent graduate, the student’s official graduation date cannot be more than six (6) months prior to June 3, 2019.

Prior to starting this position a government security background clearance will be required.

Vehicle / Driver's License Requirement (If applicable):
This position does NOT require a valid state-issued driver's license to perform the duties of the internship.

Please note many GeoCorps projects are in remote locations, where a vehicle is necessary or highly recommended for transportation and access to amenities (exceptions include the Washington D.C. area, Alaska, and Hawaii).

Position Dates:
06/03/2019 to 08/16/2019; alternate start date must be pre-approved

Position Duration: 11 weeks, 40 hours/week; applicants must be able to complete 11 full weeks

Hourly Wage: $15.00/hour + $660 allowance for commuting expenses; participant also receives round-trip travel reimbursement up to $700.

Housing Details:
Free, on-site agency housing is generally NOT available. Participants will use a portion of their wage to cover costs of a local rental. If desired, GSA and the agency can provide assistance in locating suitable housing. The selected participant is encouraged to discuss the housing situation with local agency staff.

If you have questions about the application and selection process, please contact GSA's GeoCorps managers.  If you have questions about any aspect of the position — description, qualifications, housing, dates — please direct them to the contact(s) listed in the project description. Remember, application materials can only be submitted online. The project contact(s) will not accept application materials sent to them via e-mail, mail, fax, etc. See the full program details at the GeoCorps homepage.

PRIMARY CONTACT INFORMATION
Lesley Petrie
Education and Outreach Program Coordinator
3300 Penrose Place
Boulder, CO 80301
 (303) 357-1097
 lpetrie@geosociety.org
Website

SECONDARY CONTACT INFORMATION
Matthew Dawson
Education Programs Manager
3300 Penrose Place
Boulder, CO 80301
 (303) 357-1025
 mdawson@geosociety.org
Website