Field Technician Internship – Moab/Indian Creek/Abajo Mtns, northeastern Utah, and northern Arizona (1-2 Position)
United States Geological Survey (USGS) and The Nature Conservancy
Description
The student will have the opportunity to work on rangeland assessment projects with US Geological Survey (USGS) scientists and staff and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) staff. This opportunity will expose the student to a variety of research approaches, methods, and types of investigations pursued by ecological and rangeland research scientists. Primarily, the interns will have an opportunity to work on rangeland monitoring associated with a desert grazing experiments using standard methods and participate in monitoring of experiments testing a variety of restoration techniques on reclaimed oil and gas pads and former mined lands.
Intern Tasks:
Field measurements of plant and soil cover, biological soil crust measurements, soil and plant sampling, and data entry.
Expected Outcomes:
Interns will work closely with scientists, graduate students, or skilled biological technicians in all aspects of their internship. We will provide an orientation session that includes background on the larger scientific questions being addressed by the research projects as well as opportunities to attend presentations given by visiting scientists and resource managers. Interns can expect to gain plant identification skills and significant experience with standard rangeland monitoring methods. We will also work closely with interns to assure they obtain desired work experience to the degree achievable within the confines of the research projects and their abilities.
Qualifications:
- Applicants must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at USU’s Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (QANR).
- Level of Physical Demand: The work requires physical exertion, often in hot weather, such as long periods of standing, walking over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities; or recurring lifting of moderately heavy items. The work may require specific, but common, physical characteristics and abilities such as above-average agility and dexterity. Work will frequently deviate from a regular work week schedule and often require working eight, 10-hour days in a row with six days off; many of the 8-day work weeks will require camping and enduring inclement weather.
Salary: $18 an hour, 40 hours a week for 8-10 week
Number of Openings: 1 to 2
Dates: Not to exceed 12 weeks between mid-May and the end of June / mid July, 2026.
Location: Moab, Utah with work based in Indian Creek, the Abajo Mountains, the Canyonlands Research Center (https://canyonlandsresearchcenter.org/), area surrounding Vernal, Utah, and a reclaimed site in northern Arizona
Credits/Honors: Successful applicants are required to enroll for 1 credit each in NR 4151 (in the Spring 2026 2nd 7-week session) and NR 4152 (in the Fall 1st 7-week session). Successful applicants may also enroll for up to 3 summer credit hours during the internship; Honors Program participants may enroll for points. Individuals would work with a USU advisor to develop and complete an academic assignment during the internship.
Housing: : Housing will be provided at the Canyonlands Research Center tent cabins.
Closing Date: March 2, 2026, open until all positions are filled.