New York City Urban Field Station Seeks Social Science Assistant

The mission of the New York City Urban Field Station is to improve quality of life in urban areas by conducting and supporting research about social-ecological systems and natural resource management. It began in 2006 as a partnership between the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station and the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and expanded to include the Natural Areas Conservancy as a key partner since its founding in 2013 (http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/nyc/).

The Urban Field Station does the following:

• Promotes natural resource stewardship and ecological literacy to advance human wellbeing in New York City
• Partners with land managers to create innovative “research in action” programs that support urban ecosystems
• Conducts comparative research and shares findings with counterparts in other metropolitan regions in the United States and globally
• Links to a growing network of USDA Forest Service scientists and university cooperators focused on urban research

Position

Social Science Assistant

Project Description

The New York City Urban Field Station has a social science assistant position to assist with the completion of replicating the Stewardship Assessment and Mapping Project (STEW-MAP), for New York City, in addition to help with other social assessment work affiliated with the NYC Urban Field Station. The assistant will contribute to the STEW-MAP project through developing a database of contacts and by managing a web-based stewardship group survey of stewardship groups that protect and restore the environment in NYC. The paid intern position will begin immediately, for 10 weeks, for up to 20 hours per week. It is highly likely this position would be extended into spring and summer 2017.

Agency Background

The New York City Urban Field Station, a partnership between the USDA Forest Service and the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, seeks to improve the quality of life in urban areas by conducting and supporting research about social-ecological systems and natural resource management. Efforts focus on promoting natural resource stewardship and ecological literacy within New York City, as well as conducting comparative research that can be shared across a network of urban areas in the United States and beyond.

Major Responsibilities

• Developing a database of organization contacts.
• Assisting with design and implementation of a web survey.
• Managing web survey emails and responses.
• Conducting follow-up phone calls to enhance response rate.
• Contributing to an assessment report.

Qualifications and Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management, Environmental Science, Urban Planning, Urban Studies, Community Development, Sociology, Geography, Social Work, or a similar field is preferred.
• A minimum of third-year undergraduate status is required.  Experience with managing EXCEL data files.  Experience with online survey software.
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills.

Preferred Skills

• Graduate degree (or current student working towards related degree).
• Experience/interest in social science research methods.

To Apply

To apply, please submit an application (cover letter, resume, and at least 2 references) to Michelle Johnson at michelleljohnson@fs.fed.us. Position open until filled (Posted September 19, 2016). Please note that this position will be hired through the City Parks Foundation, an equal opportunity employer.