Demchik - Healthy Grown Intern & Restoration Field Assistant

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These positions will start at the beginning of the Spring Semester 2026.  During the spring semester, students will have both field restoration responsibilities and summer work preparation, with weekly hours ranging from 10 to 20.  The work during spring will include using brush saws and chainsaws, assisting with prescribed burns, and planning. During the 12 weeks of summer, students will work up to 40 hours per week on three main projects: 1) Healthy Grown Initiative Farms, 2) Bird Habitat Focused Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) Project, and 3) Barrens Restoration Research Project.  For much of the summer, students will be partnered with one or two graduate students working on these same projects.  Work over summer will include: 1) data recording for bird surveys (while knowledge of birds is nice, it is not expected, these positions will act as data recorders, with that said, there will be opportunity to learn audio/visual identification of songbirds), 2) herbicide application, 3) brushsaw work on invasives and other manual treatment, 4) vegetation survey and forage sampling, 5) possible pollinator/butterfly survey, 6) other duties as needed.  During the fall semester, students will work 10 to 20 hours per week, focused on both the LSR project and the Healthy Grown Initiative Project.  This can include: invasive control, seed collection, brushsaw work, prescribed burning, and work on an independent project.  An independent project that helps advance the students to the next stage of their careers will be required. The intern will develop a project in collaboration with Dr. Demchik and his graduate students that fits within the Healthy Grown Program and their own interests, culminating in a written and oral presentation in Fall 2026 or Spring 2027. Travel between Stevens Point, WI, and participating farms is required, and travel reimbursement is included (although university vehicles will be used with some regularity). Students must enroll in a credit-bearing internship in the summer of 2026.

Required Skills and Certifications

• Must be a UWSP student during spring, summer, and fall 2026.

• Have NWCG Fire Fighter Type 2 certification and be “burnable” by UWSP Fire Crew standards

• Have S-112 or S-212 or For 396 Science of Tree Felling, and be comfortable running a chainsaw

• Have (by the end of Spring 2026 semester) a commercial pesticide applicator certification category 6.0

• Driver’s license (with two years of driving history) with ga ood record (adequate to meet university certified driver requirements)

• Ability to tolerate the combination of very cold conditions as well as heat, bugs, mud, uneven ground, and other field-related conditions while collecting high-quality data in a safe manner (note, this is intense work; if that isn’t for you, then this job is not for you)

• Ability to lift 50 lbs in a safe manner

• Ability to unconditionally follow all safety protocols, you will be issued safety equipment and will be expected to use it without fail. If this is an issue, do not apply.

• Solid plant identification skills

• A good work ethic

• An interest in learning and applying restoration techniques and habitat management.  This will be an unparalleled experience for a student interested in a career in restoration.

Pay is $18 per hour (work will begin sometime after the start of the spring semester)

Apply by January 19, 2026.

Key Job Responsibilities:

Special Notes:

Through the discovery and dissemination of knowledge, UW-Stevens Point stimulates intellectual growth, provides a liberal education, and prepares students for a diverse sustainable world. The university is committed to creating a safe, inclusive learning community for all faculty and staff from a variety of backgrounds. Visit https://www.uwsp.edu/join-uw-stevens-point/ for more information about UW-Stevens Point. To learn about the Stevens Point (aka Point) area fun, jobs, housing, education, quality of life, and bragging rights, visit www.stevenspointarea.com.

Individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process should contact Human Resources and Affirmative Action at 715-346-2606 or hr@uwsp.edu.

The safety and success of students, faculty, and staff at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is paramount. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act requires the distribution of an annual security report to all current and prospective students, faculty, and staff. You may obtain the complete report at https://www3.uwsp.edu/protsv/Pages/Clery.aspx

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

An offer of employment will require a criminal background check and authorization to work within the United States as required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer:

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.