Campus Pre-Professional Experiences
If you are unable to find a paid internship, research experience, or part-time natural resources job right away, don’t give up. You can get additional experience on campus. Get to know faculty, graduate students, and staff. Go to office hours. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to be interested and enthusiastic. If you’re intimidated by face-to-face contact with a total stranger, give them a call or send them an email first. Scan through faculty websites and talk to teaching assistants and advisors to find out who is doing the kind of work that interests you. Then talk to those professors or graduate students to find out if they could use a volunteer on their research project. Again, it gets your foot in the door and is valuable experience.
If you wish to earn academic credit for this experience, independent study (RNR 299, 399 and 499) or directed research (RNR 292, 392, or 492) units are for students working directly with university faculty either on or off campus. To enroll, fill out the independent study/directed research proposal form with your project advisor. Once the paperwork is completed and signed, send it to your academic advisor and they will add you to the course.
Online Resources to Find Internships & Jobs
Undergraduate Biology Research Program: This program provides paid opportunities for students to participate in self-directed biological related research in a lab with a faculty mentor. Student projects involve inquiry, design, investigation, research, scholarship, discovery, and the presentation of experimental results. Program benefits include research training and acquiring the tools needed to be successful in post-graduate studies in biology through:
- A full-time summer research apprenticeship, with the option to continue in the project part-time during the academic year
- Weekly professional development sessions
- Presentation of experimental results at the annual research program conference
- Optional field trips, community service opportunities, and social events
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium: The Graduate College sponsors a consortium of eight summer undergraduate research opportunities that are collectively known as Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium (UROC). The application for UROC can be accessed here and the deadline is Feb. 1. The website offers brief descriptions of each program and eligibility criteria vary, so please read carefully. Program benefits include excellent research training and graduate school preparation through:
- An intensive 10-week research experience under the guidance of a faculty mentor
- Professional development and graduate admission workshops
- A free professional GRE workshop and encouragement to take the GRE during UROC
- Social opportunities and a support network of like-minded peers
- Poster session, oral presentation, and abstract writing.
- Financial support includes 6 units of research credit for summer research and a $4000 stipend.
Cover letter, resume, and interview skills help
Both the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Student Engagement and Career Development (SECD) Offices have cover letter and resume help. CALES Career Center- make an appointment in CatCloud with a student services specialist to go over your resume and cover letter-- and practice your interview skills! SECD-- they have a drop box so that you can upload your docs, they review and provide feedback. Click here to go to their site. For interview practice, see this page. For additional support, LifeLab can help you get started.
Links to Internship & Jobs Listings
Climate Change
- American Geophysical Union
- NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Ecophys jobs (Physiological Ecology)
- The National Wildlife Federation
- NOAA Sea Grant
Consulting Firms
General Natural Resources Jobs and Internships
- Conservation Careers Jobs
- Conservation Careers Internships, Volunteer, and Travel
- Conservation Job Board
- Ecophys jobs (Physiological Ecology)
- GoGovernment Career Guides
- Handshake
- NEON (The National Ecological Observatory Network)
- Follow Conservation Jobs on Twitter
- Natural Resources Job Board
- Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science
- SCA (Student Conservation Association)
- The Society for Conservation Biology--SCB Job Database
Government Agencies
- ADEQ – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality
- AmeriCorps listings
- Arizona Department of Transportation
- AZ Game and Fish Internship Program
- AZ Game and Fish Employment
- GoGovernment Career Guides
- Internships in the federal government-- https://intern.usajobs.gov/
- Pathways Project-Federal Jobs for students and recent graduates
- Pima County Job Opportunities to see current job openings with Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation
- Sabino Canyon -Coronado National Forest (docent)
- Saguaro National Park Volunteer in Park program
- USAJOBS All federal agencies post positions at the USAjobs site.
- Jump to Federal job series and requirements
- Direct Hire Opportunities-- most deadlines are mid January
- USDA-- Department of Agriculture
- US Department of Commerce
- NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- US Department of the Interior
Marine or Freshwater focus
- American Geophysical Union
- Marine Conservation Institute
- NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- NOAA Sea Grant
- SEVENSEAS Media
- Water Jobs
- WhaleFISH Marine Conservation
Non-Profits and Non-Governmental Organizations
- Arizona Conservation Corps
- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (volunteer)
- Association of Zoos and Aquariums
- Association of Minority Zoo and Aquarium Professionals
- Center for Biological Diversity
- Conservation and Land Management Internship Program
- Master Naturalist Program
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Native Seeds-SEARCH
- Ornithological Jobs mix of agency and NGO internships and Graduate opportunities
- Point Blue Conservation Science
- Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science
- SCA (Student Conservation Association) mix of agency and NGO internships
- Sky Island Alliance
- The Institute for Bird Populations
- The National Wildlife Federation
- The Nature Conservancy of Arizona
- The Tucson Audubon Society
- Watershed Management Group
- WaterWRLD internship program
Paid Graduate School Opportunities
- Ecophys Jobs
- Natural Resources Job Board
- Ornithological Jobs
- Ecological Society of America You must sign up for the listserv to receive the job and graduate assistantship listings.
Professional Societies
- American Fisheries Society
- American Geophysical Union
- Association of Zoos and Aquariums
- Association of Minority Zoo and Aquarium Professionals
- Ecological Society of America You must sign up for the listserv to receive the job and graduate assistantship listings.
- The Society for Conservation Biology--SCB Job Database
- Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science
- Society for Ecological Restoration
- Society for Range Management
- The Wildlife Society Job board
Relevant Federal Job Series and their requirements
** Entry level with a federal agency for applicants with a BS degree is generally at the GS 5 level, but education and experience can be combined to elevate your qualifications. Some agencies such as APHIS will hire applicants with a BS degree at the GS 7 level.
- 0401 - General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences
- 0404 - Biological Science Technician (Plants, Wildlife, others)
- 0408 - Ecology
- 0414 - Entomology
- 0430 - Botany
- 0454 - Rangeland Management Specialist
- 0455 - Range Technician
- 0460 - Forestry
- 0486 – Wildlife Biology
- 0485 – Wildlife Refuge Management Series
- 0482 - Fish Biologist
- 0457 - Soil Conservation
- 0470 - Soil Science
- 1311 – Physical Science
- 1315 – Hydrology
- 1316 – Hydrologic Technician
Research Experience
UA Undergraduate Research & Inquiry Collaborative and specifically Undergraduate Research Programs for UA Students and External Opportunities.
Ask our faculty! You can view their research interests here.
Zoos and Aquariums
- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (volunteer)
- Association of Zoos and Aquariums
- Association of Minority Zoo and Aquarium Professionals
- Reid Park Zoo Internships and Jobs
- The Society for Conservation Biology--SCB Job Database