RISE Internship: Wildlife Ecology Intern at the Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Position Title: Summary Wildlife Ecology Intern
Reports to: Max Roberts
Hours/Week: Up to 25 hours/week through May 14; Up to 35 hours/week from May 15 to June 19
Internship Date Range: March 1 through June 19
Location: Tucson, Arizona
About the Resilience Internships and Student Experiences (RISE) Program
The RISE Program is hosted by the Arizona Institute for Resilience (AIR) and provides undergraduate and graduate students with paid internships related to resilient environments and societies. RISE internships give students workplace setting experience with an opportunity to grow their core skills and prepare them for careers after graduation.
About the Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit:
The Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (AZCRU) is a branch of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit System.
Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units distributed across the U.S.A. and work closely with cooperating state and federal fish and wildlife management agencies and their host universities. Cooperative Research Units conduct applied research on fish and wildlife to provide information to their cooperating agencies, teach and mentor graduate students at their host universities, and provide technical support to their cooperators.
The AZCRU supports three full-time federal scientists who are also faculty within the University of Arizona’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment (SNRE).
Internship summary:
We are seeking an intern to assist with ongoing wildlife research projects in the lab of Dr. Javan Bauder, an Assistant Unit Leader in the AZCRU and Assistant Professor in SNRE.
This internship will begin March 1 (or as soon thereafter as possible) and run through June 30. The intern will be able to work up to 210 hours at $19.00 per hour for the duration of the internship and can work up to 25 hours per week during the semester and up to 35 hours per week during the summer.
The intern will work with graduate students and staff in the Bauder Lab on multiple wildlife research projects including, but not limited to, amphibian surveys using visual observation and dip-nets, leopard frog mark-recapture surveys, Sonoran mud turtle trapping and marking, gartersnake surveys and trapping, and herpetofauna surveys at the Santa Rita Experimental Range.
The intern will obtain field experience with several aspects of wildlife field research including amphibian surveys, turtle trapping, measuring and marking, pitfall and funnel trap monitoring, and herpetofauna species identification. Additional opportunities may be available to assist with other AZCRU wildlife research projects depending on intern interest.
Internship description:
The intern will primarily work with graduate students and staff in the AZCRU by assisting with various field tasks including, but not limited to:
- Assist with daytime and nighttime surveys for amphibians in pond and stream environments using visual survey methods, dip-nets, and seine nets.
- Set and monitor aquatic traps for Sonoran mud turtles
- Measure and mark Sonoran mud turtles
- Assist with mark-recapture surveys for Chiricahua leopard frog
- Assist with visual surveys and pitfall and funnel trap monitoring for herpetofauna on the Santa Rita Experimental Range
Schedule of work will alternate between days (7:00 AM through 5:00 PM) and nights (3:00 PM to 1:00 AM). Long work days and irregular hours will be required and the applicant must feel comfortable working outside under a variety of (often inclement) weather conditions.
Primitive camping will be required to assist with gartersnake surveys and camping gear will be provided by the AZCRU. Must possess valid U.S.A. drivers license and be able to take defensive driver trainings required by the University of Arizona and the U.S. Geological Survey. Must attend a 3-day WFA/CPR/AED course during spring break.
Compensation:
The intern will be hired and paid by the University of Arizona. The pay rate is $19/hour.
Credit Requirements:
The intern will be hired as a U of A student employee.
- For internships during the academic year: applicants must be active U of A students enrolled in at least 6 credits.
- For summer internships: applicants must either
- Be enrolled in at least 3 credits during the summer
OR
- Be enrolled in at least 6 credits the Spring semester before and at least 6 credits in the Fall semester after
Allowable Work Hours:
- During the semester, student employees are limited to 25 hours/week (20 hours/week for international students) across ALL U of A positions.
- During the summer, student employees are limited to 35 hours/week across ALL U of A positions.
International Students:
International students should consult with International Student Services (ISS) if work authorization is needed before securing an internship. ISS advising information can be found here.
How to Apply:
To apply, please submit via email:
- A cover letter explaining why you are interested in this position, any relevant experience, and the days of the week and hours you are available to work.
- A resume
- Names and contact information for 1-3 references (class professors or personal references are acceptable)
Submit all application materials to Max Roberts (maxroberts@arizona.edu)
Applications must be submitted no later than March 1, 2026.