Apply for your most rewarding internship.
Internships are a great way to apply knowledge from the classroom to real world experience. This experience will not only give you an edge over other candidates when applying for jobs, it will also prepare you for what to expect in your field, increase confidence in your work, and help build your professional network.
Wild Basin Creative Research Center internships are open to students from any high school, college or university who have a love for the natural world and an interest in conserving and protecting the environment.
Our current openings.
Student Internship Opportunities at Wild Basin: Fall 2022
* Most opportunities require a time commitment of ~10 hours/week
Research-Based Internship Opportunities
Project: Ecological Research Assistant: Soundscape of the Wild Basin
Start date: Fall 2022
Project Lead: Dr. Darren Proppe
Number of positions: 1-2 (paid or 2hr course credit or volunteer)
The Wild Basin Creative Research Center looking to build a soundscape model of a ‘typical fall/winter day’ at the Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve. To assist us, we are seeking an enthusiastic and responsible student with comfort being outdoors and hiking off trail to assist with acoustic field research at the Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve. Specifically, the research assistant will manage the placement and regular movement of six passive acoustic recorders on the Wild Basin property. The goal of this project is to collect 24 hours of rain-free acoustic data from 134 locations. To accomplish this goal, the applicant must have two, 3-hour blocks of time available weekly for work at the Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve. The weekly time commitment will vary and can be flexible across the semester depending on project needs, but 6-10 hours per week is generally expected. The research assistant must be able to work independently and be willing to operate in uneven terrain and variable weather conditions. Applicants must possess a vehicle or the ability to independently arrange transportation to and from the Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve. This research assistant will gain skills conducting ecological field research and a better understanding of acoustic ecology.
Project: Ecological Research Assistant: Noise Impacts on Songbirds at Wild Basin
Start date: Fall 2022
Project Lead: Dr. Darren Proppe
Number of positions: 1-2 (paid or 2hr course credit or volunteer)
The Wild Basin Creative Research Center is conducting a series of playback experiments to disentangle two potential mechanisms underlying the negative impact of human-produced noise on songbirds. Specifically, we aim to assess the role of masking and fear in altered behavioral responses of black-crested titmice. We are seeking an enthusiastic and responsible student who loves the outdoors to assist with playback studies. The research assistant will locate black-crested titmice in the field, run playback experiments, and document bird behavior in response to playback. Most work with be conducted at the Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve, but other Travis County preserve properties may be visited on occasion. Personal transportation, or the ability to independently arrange transportation, is required. The weekly time commitment will vary and can be flexible across the semester depending on project needs, but 6-10 hours per week is generally expected. The research assistant must be able to work independently and be willing to operate in uneven terrain and variable weather conditions. This research assistant will gain skills conducting ecological field research and a better understanding of avian behavior and acoustic ecology.
Ecological Research Assistant positions may be filled through any of the following avenues
- Paid through the Community Service Work Study program for eligible St. Edward’s University students.
- Paid through the Wild Basin CRC (One paid Ecological Research Assistant will be awarded; competitive).
- Enrollment in two credit course (SCIE 1299) for eligible St. Edward’s University students (unpaid).
- Volunteer agreement for qualified students or community members (unpaid).
Timeline: September 1, 2022 – December 9, 2022 (may differ for students enrolled in SCIE 1299)
To apply for Ecological Research Assistant positions
Please send a resume, cover letter, and contact information for two references to dproppe@stedwards.edu. Please include your major and GPA in your resume. In your cover letter, please address your relevant experience, career objectives, reasons for interest in the position, and indicate your availability during the week. Please also indicate your order of preference for engaging in this position (paid-community service work study, paid-Wild Basin CRC, course enrollment (SCIE 1299), or volunteer). Applications will be accepted and reviewed on an ongoing based as long as these positions remain posted, but applicant review will begin on August 15, 2022, and preference will be given to applications submitted by this date.
Administrative Internship Opportunities
Wild Basin Outreach and Public Relations Intern
Wild Basin is seeking students with excellent communication skills to assist with outreach to the campus community and general public. Duties include organizing outreach activities, such as tabling in Ragsdale Center and Stewardship Days at Wild Basin, as well as writing blog posts and creating social media posts that appeal to students and the Austin community. Internship could also include graphic design, video, photography, writing articles, or other components depending on the student’s interests and abilities. Hours are flexible and will require some time spent at Wild Basin and some time spent on campus. Reimbursement for ride share costs may be available on an individual basis for students without personal vehicles. 10 hours per week preferred. Preference given to upper class and graduate students. Apply through Handshake or send resume and short cover letter to wbasin@stedwards.edu. In your cover letter, please indicate availability during the week.
Volunteer at Wild Basin
At Wild Basin, we love our volunteers! Volunteers assist with land management, trail maintenance, school guided hikes and activities, citizen science and ecological monitoring, administrative tasks, and more. If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities, please email wbasin@stedwards.edu. Let us know about your interests, experience, and skills.
If you are a current volunteer or researcher, log your hours here. SUBMIT HOURS
