Annual Internship Info Session. Invitation to all WFCB majors
Join us for pizza and information on the Swift Endowment Fund and WFCB internship and summer research opportunities followed by Q&A with guests, faculty & staff.
WHEN: Monday January 22nd 2024 4:10 – 6:00 PM
WHERE: Manetti Shrem Educational Room
HOW: Registration required by Friday January 12th 2024
Internships are great opportunities to build your resume, network, and experience the field. You can find internships in a few different ways:
Within WFCB
- Lloyd W. Swift Fund to support Experiential Learning - See below for more information.
- Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology - Read their internship webpage and make direct contact to the museum.
- WFCB faculty and grad students - Scroll down to Summer Research Opportunities.
- Review your WFCB listserv - Check your inbox regularly for internship opportunities from WFCB advising staff.
On Campus
- The Internship and Career Center (ICC) - Offers assistance in finding internships. Visit the ICC's website for more information.
- The Undergraduate Research Center (URC) - Offers guidance and advising in obtaining research opportunities. See URC's website for more information.
- Department of Animal Science - Check out their internship webpage.
- UC Davis Undergraduate Research Opportunities in Ecology and the Environmental Sciences - A continuously updated list of undergraduate research opportunities related to ecology and the environmental sciences. Visit this page to learn more.
The Department of Evolution and Ecology announces summer undergraduate research fellowships. These awards provide a stipend to allow undergraduate students to conduct full time independent research under the direction of a faculty member in the Department of Evolution and Ecology or at the Bodega Marine Laboratory. Awards are open to all continuing students at UC Davis who will continue to be enrolled in UC Davis in Fall 2023. Learn more here. Apply by March 21st 2023.
The Lloyd W. Swift Endowment Fund (rolling admission)
- The Lloyd W. Swift Endowment focuses on supporting experiential learning opportunities. These can include any experiential learning activity, such as a research experience, a non-WFCB field course (see below), or an externship experience (termed “externship” because such experiences are normally off-campus), that advances the student’s career goals.
- These opportunities can occur during summer, or during the academic year. Applications should demonstrate that the financial impact of the award will be instrumental in facilitating the experiential learning, and not merely supplementing or replacing existing funds.
- To help you find an externship we have created a list of suggested partners (see pdf). These suggestions are based on input from the WFCB faculty. Please let our Experiential Learning coordinator Pernille Sporon Boving (boving@ucdavis.edu) know if you have any particular interest in any of the suggested partners and we may be able to direct you better.
- Students receiving Swift awards must be WFCB majors, and the award will go only to the student.
- Your application will be read and evaluated by the WFCB Endowment Committee.
- How to Apply: Complete this google form and hit the submit button once you have filled all the required entries. Full preview of application can be viewed here.
Lloyd W. Swift Summer Research Award (annual call)
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The application window for summer research is closed. It will re-open next winter for summer 2024. At that time follow the instructions below and when ready apply using this google form. Full preview of application can be viewed here.
- The Lloyd Swift Endowment supports summer experiential learning opportunities for WFCB majors, and these opportunities can include externships or participation in research projects. The student must be a WFCB undergraduate for >50% of the duration of the experience. The project supervisor can be a graduate student, postdoc, research staff, or faculty; preference will be given to supervisors affiliated with WFCB. Interested students are encouraged to contact their proposed supervisor to collaboratively develop their Swift application and a letter of endorsement from the supervisor.
- Applications should demonstrate that the financial impact of the award will be instrumental in facilitating the learning experience, and not merely replacing existing funds for the same experience. The application should be brief; aside from the basic contact information, it should indicate:
- The nature and timing of the experiential learning opportunity
- How that opportunity will advance the student’s educational or career goals
- The amount of money needed to enable the opportunity, with a budget and justification; salary equivalent to half-time (max 20hrs/week), UC scale, is allowable but must be justified in terms of enabling the experience.
- A letter of support from the supervisor should endorse the application, establish that other funds to support the student for the experience are not available, and agree to ensure that a thank you letter is submitted. Funds must be expended within 60 days of the conclusion of the experience. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the proposal includes all components, presented clearly and succinctly. Submissions will be limited to a total of five per PI or lab.
- At the conclusion of the summer experience, the awardee, in collaboration with the supervisor, will briefly explain how Swift funds were spent and will write a letter to the Swift family. The letter should summarize the experience and its importance, and thank the family for making that experience possible.
- Here you may also find Summer Research Opportunities.
Total cumulative award amount will not normally exceed $10K per applicant. Previous awardees seeking additional support from the Lloyd Swift Endowment should consider the amount in their previous award when designing budgets for subsequent proposals.
Credit For Internships:
Students can receive credit for internships via units and/or transcript notation.
92/192: Variable unit internship. Ask the faculty member if you can register for 92/192 units, and then contact the department staff adviser to obtain a Course Registration Number (CRN). The number on units your register for depends on the number of hours you work. Use ICC guidlines to determine this number. You will need to register for your internship by the 12th day of the quarter. After this time, you will need to be issued a PTA by the department’s staff adviser. Transcript notation can be obtained through the ICC with cooperation from your employer. See the ICC's instructions for more
information.
Summer Research Opportunities:
We are seeking one undergraduate WFCB major to join us as a technician for our short-term Alaska bat survey and monitoring project during July 2024. This project is based in Alaska, with travel to remote locations throughout the state. This is a great opportunity to get hands-on experience with remote field work, acoustic surveys, and bat-related acoustic analysis.
Project description: This project is led by Jesika P. Reimer (Post lab) and is focused on performing acoustic surveys to document bat activity in under-surveyed areas throughout Alaska. Fieldwork will include backpacking and paddling into remote locations. The technician will receive training in acoustic survey techniques following NA Bat protocols, including the deployment and maintenance of acoustic equipment, data collection, and the use of acoustic software to identify bat species and activity. For interested candidates, there is also the potential to assist with a separate bat capture survey in Skagway, AK in August.
Duration: Fieldwork for the acoustic surveys will take place over a 3-week period during the month of July (dates TBD). The optional bat capture surveys will occur August 6 to 13, 2024.
Qualifications: No previous bat experience is required; however, candidates must be comfortable living and working in remote locations including living in a tent, hiking for long hours each day, and traveling through bear country. Paddling experience (canoe, kayak, paddleboard) is a plus. Preference will be given to students that are eligible to apply for the Lloyd W. Swift Endowment Fund.
Compensation: An hourly wage for the acoustic surveys will be provided by the project, and the PI will work with the technician to apply for a Swift award to offset the travel costs.
Application deadline: We will be accepting applications for this position until January 1st, however, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and we may fill the position before then to ensure adequate time for the student to apply for a Swift grant.
To apply: Please email Jesika Reimer (jpreimer@ucdavis.edu) with 1) a cover letter stating your interest in the position and a description of your relevant experience, and 2) a current CV.
Opportunities with the Todd Lab. During the Swift Fund application cycle for summer research 2024, we (typically) take on 2 field technicians to work on a Western pond turtle conservation and non-native turtle impact study. Summer positions run from mid June (when classes end) to early September. As a field technician, you will assist graduate student Sidney Woodruff in setting turtle traps weekly in the Arboretum and nearby Putah Creek, handling live turtles to collect size and shape data, marking Western pond turtles, and communicating with the public about the project. You will also gain skills in project management, teaching field skills to volunteers, science communication, and data management. Field technicians will have to remain in Davis (or nearby) for the summer since we will start early in the mornings every weekday.
Sidney will send out a call for applications in Winter Quarter 2024 over the WFCB student listserv. If chosen, you will collaboratively develop an application with them (Swift deadline mid-February 2024). More information on the project can be found here on the Todd Lab website. At times, we take on a handful of volunteers to assist with field trapping and this can be useful for students who cannot commit to the Swift Fund internship opportunity. A call for volunteers will be sent out along with the call for internship applications. Note: internship and volunteer opportunities are restricted to WFCB students.
1. Fisheries in USA Reservoirs Internship. During the course of this internship the student will be able to participate and gain recognition for the formation of a legacy database which will lay the foundation for a scientific research manuscript exploring variations in fish species biomass across reservoirs in the USA.
2. Alpine Zooplankton Communities Internship. This internship will chiefly consist of handing zooplankton sub-samples, morphospecies sorting, and community density assessments to prepare samples for food web stable isotope analysis.
See the full project descriptions at https://caparisek.github.io/opportunities.html. If interested, contact Christine Parisek (caparisek@ucdavis.edu) with (1) your interest and relevant experience, (2) CV, (3) short description of your availability/credit requirements. Students interested in applying for the Swift fund should reach out and express interest early.
We are seeking applications for a field technician to monitor bird nest boxes and assist in GPS tagging of birds in Napa Valley from mid-June ‘24 (after classes end) to early August ’24. The field technician will assist graduate students Cody Pham and Karen Gallardo-Cruz with handling and banding nestlings to collect growth measurements as well as affixing GPS tags to adults to study avian movement behavior. This project is part of a broader study on the impacts of temperature spikes and climate change on bird movements and nesting success; Field technicians will be given opportunities to earn co-authorship on resulting manuscripts. Housing will be provided in Napa, and students of all levels of experience are encouraged to apply.
If interested, contact Cody Pham (chupham@ucdavis.edu) to collaboratively develop a Swift application. Please include in the email (1) a short cover letter stating why you are interested in the position and any relevant experience and (2) your CV or resume. More information about the Karp Lab.
We are seeking applications for technicians to a) conduct lab-based hormone analysis in Davis in Spring 2023 and/or b) monitor nest boxes in Yolo County from late March to early August. Techs will assist graduate student Katie Lauck with a) using ELISA assays to quantify blood corticosterone concentration in previously collected blood samples and/or b) handling and banding nestlings to collect growth measurements and blood/fecal samples. We will provide training – this is an appropriate first lab/field work experience. This research is part of a broader study on the impacts of temperature spikes and climate change on bird nesting success, and techs will be given opportunities to earn authorship on resulting manuscripts.
If interested, contact Daniel Karp (dkarp@ucdavis.edu) and Katherine Lauck (kslauck@ucdavis.edu) to collaboratively develop a Swift application. Please include in the email (1) a short cover letter stating why you are interested in this position, whether you’re interested in part a) or b) or both and any relevant experience and (2) your CV or resume.
More information about the Karp Lab: https://karp.ucdavis.edu/
Non-WFCB Field Courses:
The University of California Natural Reserve System (NRS) applications for the 2023 Field Science Fellowships, an undergraduate sponsored research program is now closed. Please check back for when the application window opens for summer 2024.
The NRS Field Science Fellowship provides financial support to UC undergraduate-faculty teams conducting scientific research in the field at NRS reserves. The fellowships enable students to focus on gaining valuable hands-on research experience under the guidance of a faculty researcher. Each $6,000 award consists of a $5,000 student stipend and $1,000 to cover project costs. A maximum of $24,000 will be awarded annually.
Projects enabling the student to perform full-time research over the summer are preferred. However, we will also consider proposals that explain why the research must be conducted during another season, and how the student will be able to accomplish the research while enrolled in classes during the academic year.
Funding for the Field Science Fellowships are made possible through the Samuelsen Conservation Scholars Initiative.
All applications are welcomed and will be considered. The NRS especially invite applications from students from ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds historically underrepresented in the sciences, including but not limited to African-American, Latinx, Native American, Pacific Islander, and first-generation college students.
Eligibility requirements, evaluation criteria, and complete application information can be found here here.
The application deadline for Summer 2023 is February 15, 2023. Additional flyers can be found here. Check back for summer 2024 opportunity.
Each year, we select 20 students from around the U.S. and its territories to participate in our two-year conservation leadership program. Our students represent a diverse spectrum of cultures and backgrounds, which helps to cultivate an inclusive and rewarding experience. Photo credit: The Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program.
External Internships:
Ecological and Environmental Interns assist Conservancy staff with habitat restoration for native wildlife and plants within the nature preserve and other sites along the lower Cache Creek watershed.
The internship program has three distinct special project teams. Applicants are encouraged to select a project team in their application.
These internships are unpaid by Cache Creek; however, credit units may be available with the support of a faculty sponsor from your major department plus as a WFCB major you are eligible to apply for Swift Endowment support for the hours served at Cache Creek.
Please note this experience is volunteer and requires a project fee (see below), which covers room, board, and in-country transport. Additionally, participants must provide own transportation to Belize. We have worked with numerous students to find grant funding and to obtain university credit.
We are seeking 5-10 motivated field assistants for our wild cat study in Belize, Central America. This study focuses on jaguars, pumas, and ocelots using non-invasive detection methods and researches long-term demographics of jaguar populations and the impacts of selective/sustainable logging at multiple sites across Belize.
Interns will gain extensive field experience setting up large remote camera grids across tropical broadleaf and/or tropical pine forests, conducting habitat surveys in neotropical forest, orienteering with GPS and map and compass, field vehicle maintenance, organizing and entering data and maintaining a database.
Job includes EXTENSIVE driving and hiking on dirt roads and trails to remote camera stations and collecting vegetation data surrounding camera stations. Field assistants may be required to carry heavy equipment, and will hike long distances through rough terrain, and bushwhack through thick vegetation. Work will also include shared data entry, camp and vehicle maintenance, and other errands and household chores.
Rustic living conditions in a tropical environment (meaning very hot and humid weather, snakes, and biting insects). Field assistants will be living in close living quarters with their co-workers and will be expected to help out with group cooking, cleaning, and other basic field-house chores.
Qualifications
Preference given to students in wildlife biology or related field (biology, forestry, natural resources, etc.). No experience is necessary, but the applicant must have a positive and flexible attitude, be enthusiastic and ready to learn, have a strong work ethic and ability to get along with others in tight, close-knit, living conditions.
Ability to drive a standard (manual) transmission and backpacking skills are not required but are a plus.
This is an internships position where the technician will need to pay for their plane ticket and a project fee of $1850 per month (1 month minimum required). This project fee covers food, accommodations, and all in-country transport, while in Belize (except for days off or vacation days). The experience is a resume builder for wild cat work. It is much less expensive than a typical study abroad experience. A large number of past students have received funding and/or independent study credit from their host institution to participate.
Winter positions available from ~December 15, 2023 to March 15, 2024
Summer positions available from May 2024 through August 2024
Please e-mail a resume/cv, letter of interest, and list of three references with contact info to Darby McPhail at dkm5ek@virginia.edu; David Lugo (dal0826@vt.edu) and Marcella Kelly at makelly2@vt.edu
Application Deadline: Rolling, will be filled continuously.
Should you successfully land an internship with the Wild Cat project you become eligible to apply for a Lloyd W. Swift endowment to support project fee and airfare. If you have any questions please reach out to Experiential Learning Coordinator Pernille Sporon Bøving; boving@ucdavis.edu.
Cramer Fish Sciences (CFS) is accepting applications for an Internship based out of their West Sacramento office for summer 2024 quarter. Make a meaningful impact in restoring aquatic ecosystems through collecting and measuring biomass data, conducting literature review where insufficient specimens are available, and comparing biomass values. This internship is anticipated to be 15 hours per week for 8-12 weeks and begins late May to early June. Application deadline is April 1st 2024
HOW TO APPLY: To apply for this external internship, you must be a current undergraduate student in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology Department at UC Davis and in good standing. If you are interested, please contact the Cramer Fish Sciences Hiring Group https://fishsciences.isolvedhire.com/jobs/ directly, and include a cover letter and recent resume. Successful applicants will be encouraged to apply for a Lloyd W. Swift award to support their internship.
BACKGROUND:
The macroinvertebrate community is an important component of aquatic ecosystems and macroinvertebrate sampling is a common monitoring method employed by Cramer Fish Sciences (CFS) to assess functionality and success of our riverine habitat restoration projects. Macroinvertebrates are sensitive to environmental change and have been used by many studies to assess ecosystem health and restoration success. Invertebrate communities can provide an indication of habitat productivity. Additionally, juvenile salmonids primarily feed on a variety of drift macroinvertebrates and sampling this community can demonstrate resource availability for our most common focal species.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM:
Biomass is one of the most common metrics assessed for invertebrate samples. Our current protocols call for technicians to enumerate organisms by taxon, life stage, and size class with a sample and this information is used to estimate total sample biomass using standard biomass values for organisms. However, in many cases, biomasses are not available for a specific combination of taxon, life stage, and size class and we are required to substitute values from comparable taxa. Additionally, it would be helpful to measure expected accuracy of sample biomass estimates compared to direct sample weighing, which is more accurate but destructive.
PROJECT GOALS:
To contribute to a more complete and accurate table of biomass values and investigate accuracy of biomass estimates.
POTENTIAL TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Collect data on missing biomass values – collect and weigh representative specimens of missing taxa.
Literature review – where insufficient specimens are available, review peer-reviewed literature for biomass estimates.
Compare estimated and actual biomass values – collect dry biomass values for whole samples and compare to values calculated through existing estimation protocol to contribute to a growing dataset on accuracy and precision of biomass estimation.
ABOUT CRAMER FISH SCIENCES: We are a fisheries research consulting firm serving throughout the Pacific States and Idaho. We are a growing, employee-owned company whose mission is to rigorously apply the scientific method to afford our clients innovative, scientifically robust solutions to address a variety of fisheries and environmental challenges. Our team achieves this through effective and unbiased data collection, insightful analysis and interpretation, and clear communications and publication of results in scientific journals.
Interns will work alongside staff and other volunteers/interns to complete all tasks associated with animal rehabilitation. Interns will primarily work in the WIC helping with cage cleaning, animal feeding, medication distribution and other daily tasks. Some duties, however, may include animal pick-ups from vets, or special projects as needs arise.
Gold Country Wildlife Rescue is a non-profit organization, dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of injured and orphaned wildlife. We are permitted through the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service. We have been serving the local community since 1991 and do so at no charge.
Internship Location: 11251 B Ave., Auburn, CA 95603. Start/End Date: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and admitted based on preset orientation dates. However, the best time to intern with us is during our busy baby season. Anytime from March through October we received our largest amount of animal intakes. During these months interns get to see and work with the largest variety of species.
Orientations are typically held February, April, June, and August. Additional orientations are held as needed. Dates can be flexible depending on intern availability and seasonal needs.
If interested in a specific timeframe, please contact volunteers@goldcountrywildliferescue.org for additional information.
Minimum Age Requirement: 18+ years. Minimum Time Commitment: At least 16 hours per week, for a minimum total of 200+ hours over the course of the internship session. Housing/Transportation: No housing or transportation is provided to interns by GCWR. All housing and transportation arrangements are the responsibility of the intern. Salary: This an unpaid internship, but should you successfully land an internship with GCWR you become eligible to apply for a Lloyd W. Swift endowment as a WFCB major.
For more information and to apply visit: goldcountrywildliferescue.org/internships/