Utah Department of Natural Resources – Rare Insect Program Intern (1 Position) 

Utah Department of Natural Resources 

Description

The goal of the internship program is to give undergraduate students a broad exposure to the Utah Rare Insect Program and its partnership with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. The goal is to gain understanding of native pollinator conservation goals, insect monitoring methods, rare insect and plant community record keeping (database skills), as well as gain exposure to many of the natural resource efforts in which the State of Utah is involved. The Utah Rare Insect Program will provide a variety of field and office experiences working with rare insects including surveys, monitoring and reproductive biology, pollination ecology, and database management, as well as networking opportunities with professionals. There is one internship under the supervision of the Rare Insect Conservation Coordinator, based out of Salt Lake City. 

Duties

Conduct field and office work in rare insects, and plant-pollinator ecology. Specific duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Assisting with field data collection on rare and common insect pollinators.
• Assisting Rare Insect Conservation Coordinator with preparing and presenting public information events and activities.
• Assisting with data compilation, data entry and quality assurance, distribution mapping, and other office related tasks.

Work with the Rare Insect Conservation Coordinator and partners to gain a broad understanding of the Rare Insect Program and the state agency as a whole. This may include:

• Reviewing conservation rankings, management strategies and priority actions for at-risk species.
• Coordinating with GIS specialists to incorporate insect occurrence data into existing databases.
• Attending a regional Monarch Conservation Team meeting.
• Assisting with training of field biologists in bumble bee survey methods.
• Networking with agency employees and local conservation organizations.

Provide an internship project report highlighting your experiences and suggesting ways to improve the internship program.

Qualifications

Applicants must be current undergraduate students in a degree program in the Quinney College of Natural Resources. Applicants must have a general knowledge of entomology, and ideally also botany of Utah, and be comfortable with conservation outreach. Must be self-driven, and have the ability to learn new skills rapidly and effectively, as well as take instruction and conduct field or office work as directed. Experience with Excel and ArcGIS is particularly helpful, as well as effective search engine skills. A valid driver's license is required. Successful applicants will be expected to work under difficult field conditions for extended periods of time.

Salary: $12.50 

Location: Base of operations in Salt Lake City; fieldwork will occur statewide.

Number of Openings: 1

Closing Date: April 15

Employment Dates: Flexible; not to exceed 12 weeks between early May and the end of August

How to Apply: Please complete the 2-step application process. 
1. Apply to the QCNR summer internship program HERE. 
2. Please send a resume and cover letter to Amanda Barth at abarth@utah.gov (subject line: QCNR summer employment)

For more information, contact:

Amanda Barth

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Habitat Section

abarth@utah.gov (subject line “USU-DWR Summer Application)