Campus Internships
Alex Jones and Katie Monsen teaching Freshwater Ecology class in the forest. Does a classroom get any more beautiful?
Interactive Ecology
Listing also found in the Conservation tab.
Contact Person: Brett Hall brett@ucsc.edu (please put Interactive Ecology in the subject line), (831)212-4853
Interactive Ecology interns will work primarily within the California Native Plant Conservation Program in the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum. Physical activities will include building plant collections through seed germination, propagation, nursery work, planting, garden work and invasive weed control. We will take field trips to local wild areas to learn local plant communities and techniques involved in vegetation mapping, classification, habitat assessment and surveys. For more info, visit their website!
Various Internships
Contact: Alex Jones, asjones@ucsc.edu (831)459-4971
The UCSC Campus Natural Reserve provides numerous opportunities for internships and student projects involving plants, animals, forest ecology, restoration and stewardship. These offerrings include: FERP, Stewardship assistant, Phenology Litter Traps, Tomography, Herpatology, or even an opportunity to create your own internship.
Forest Ecology Research Plot (FERP) woody plant recensus--40 interns needed
Does the idea of spending six hours per week in the forest with new friends, feeling the winter sun filtering through the canopy, catching occasional rain drops, witnessing the first blooms and birdsong of the year, and collecting data for a globally-connected research project sound appealing? If so, we invite you to participate in research on the Forest Ecology Research Plot (FERP) as a field technician on our long-term woody plant census project. The FERP is part of the Smithsonian Institute's ForestGEO network: a global network of forest plots that are allowing us to track the dynamics of forest structure and composition around the world. You will work in a small crew of fellow students to find and measure tagged trees and tag and map new stems as we begin a recensus of the 16 hectare plot.The FERP is part of the UCSC Upper Campus and is about a 25 minute walk from Science Hill. As an intern you will earn 2 units of credit by enrolling in ENVS 184 via the ENVS Internship Office. You will complete 60 hours of project work: 9 of 10 field shifts during the Quarter (54 hours total) and a few simple FERP assignments (6 hours). Read more about the internship here.The internship is a convenient way to explore your interest in forest ecology while contributing to vital global research. We see something new every time and it's a great way to meet people with similar interests.Shift times: Our shifts run in a 6 hour block, once per week. You would work on one of the following shifts, sticking with the same shift each week.Mondays 10-4Wednesdays 11-5Thursdays 10-4 (tentative)Fridays 8-2Fridays 11-5Saturdays 9:30-3:30 (tentative)Special notes:- Make sure you're prepared with gear, etc.: We will provide you with tools, gloves, and other equipment needed for your specific project, but you'll be responsible for keeping yourselves comfortable and nourished. This means dressing in layers, having rain gear if it's going to rain, having sturdy shoes or rain boots if it will rain, a hat if it's sunny, etc. We have a few sets of rain gear, but not enough for everyone. You can get a cheap pair of rain pants and rain jacket online--doesn't have to be fancy, can be ~$20. Also make sure to bring enough water and food, including snacks and lunch if your shift straddles that time period. A good attitude, willingness to work hard and have fun, and lots of curiosity and enthusiasm are really helpful as well. If you have a beater pair of shoes or boots, best to wear those, as they will definitely be exposed to poison oak oils.
- If you know you are highly sensitive to poison-oak oils, the FERP is not for you ---we wear gloves and full-body coveralls, but your footwear, and your skin if you're not careful, will be exposed to poison-oak oils. It is a woody plant, so it's actually part of our study and we do actually measure it!
- We will be out in the woods for a full 6 hours! In addition to the above information about staying warm, fed and hydrated, you may want to bring other supplies to keep yourself comfortable out there. We have some extra toilet paper and sanitary products, but you should plan ahead and be prepared to spend 6 hours away from campus.
Stewardship/Ohlone Tiger Beetle monitoring internship--2 interns needed
Shift times: Our shifts run in a 6 hour block, once per weekTuesdays 9:30 am-3:30 pmAssist with a wide variety of stewardship tasks on the Campus Natural Reserve and surrounding campus natural lands. Stewardship projects include the following: (1) woody plant removal from coastal prairie, (2) coastal prairie monitoring (3) management of invasive plant species, including surveillance, monitoring, identification, mapping, and removal, (4) trail maintenance and erosion control on reserve trails, (5) assisting with trail closures, (6) cleaning out abandoned camps and other forest and meadow trash piles, and (7) installing signs and fences. We will also begin monitoring federally endangered Ohlone tiger beetle adults in coastal prairie habitats beginning in late January. This work involves counting adult beetles along road and trail transects--not rocket science, but part of an important regional effort to conserve this endangered species. Throughout the course of the Quarter interns will visit diverse habitats in various portions of the Campus Natural Reserve, and will pick up some natural history of various plants and animals along the way. Internships require punctuality, a strong work ethic, and the ability to work outside in all weather conditions in rough, uneven terrain and in dense thickets. Interns will gain experience with a wide variety of skills needed to manage and maintain a natural reserve that receives significant human use. Training on the safe use of hand tools will be provided. Interns should wear closed-toed shoes, long pants, and should have a long-sleeved upper layer they can put on when we work in dense vegetation. Interns should also bring lunch and enough water for the day (1 to 2 liters). Alex Jones, UCSC Campus Natural Reserve Manager, will communicate each week's meeting location via email or text, so it is extremely important to be diligent with checking your UCSC email account and phone
Campus Natural Reserve rapid assessment--2-4 interns needed
Shift times: Following training you will be able to determine your own schedule in conjunction with other interns or IDEASS studentsWork with the Campus Natural Reserve manager and students from IDEASS to survey the newly expanded Campus Natural Reserve. The rapid assessment will include navigating on and off-trail and using a mobile data collection platform (you know, an offline app, not some kind of cool hovering and scooting platform that you'd sit on and cruise through the forest whilst collecting data) to record photographs, a variety of human impacts, rare species, invasive species, and more, within 50m2 grid cells across the reserve. Field work will be done in groups of two or more students. This will be an excellent way to get to know campus natural lands while contributing valuable information that will inform reserve management.
Farm Internship
Listing also found in Agroecology and Plants and Summer tabs.
Contact: Damian Parr, dmparr@ucsc.edu
CASFS is offering a lower division production internship focused on field-scale harvesting and orchard care, as well as general market garden-scale cover cropping, bed tillage, composting, and propagation. The internship will include a cohort of approximately 15 interns, working as a team. There is a possibility that interested students might be invited to continue interning in future quarters. We are most interested in students who can commit to two quarters of interning with us, during your time at UCSC, though the quarters interned do not need to be back-to-back. Each year, a number of paid student staff positions are available to graduates of our internship program.
For the Center for Agroecology Internship there is more of a description of our internship and a Sign-Up form found HERE.
Chadwick Garden Internship
Listing also found in the Agroecology and Plants tab.
Contact: Damian Parr, dmparr@ucsc.edu
The Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems is a research, education, and public service program at the University of California, Santa Cruz, dedicated to increasing ecological sustainability and social justice in the food and agriculture system. On the UCSC campus, the Center operates the 2-acre Alan Chadwick Garden and the 25-acre Farm. Both sites are managed using organic production methods and serve as research, teaching, and training facilities for students, staff, and faculty. The Farm-to-College project at UC Santa Cruz links the Center’s Farm on the UCSC campus with other local organic farms and with UCSC campus organizations to bring organic produce to the campus dining halls and restaurants, while bringing students to the Farm for sustainable food systems education.
The focus of this internship is learning ecological farming and gardening practices and principles. Participants work side by side with Center staff and apprentices in hands on activities, and engage with curriculum from the apprenticeship in ecological horticulture.
Demeter Seed Library
Contact:Francis Ge, fmge@ucsc.edu or (831) 247-0695 or demeterseedlibrary@gmail.com
The Demeter Seed Library is a student-led organization under CASFS that is dedicated to preserving and breeding locally adapted cultivars and open pollinated seed varieties in California’s Central Coast. We aim to demonstrate a society that is not reliant on large seed companies and multinational corporations that control the global food system. Through seed saving and seedswapping we hope to contribute towards a more sustainable food system. Interns will help with organizing inventory, conducting germination tests, tabling at events, and distributing seeds to the community.
Education for Sustainable Living Program
Listing also found in the Environmental Education tab.Contact: Kali Lucas & the ESLP Team, eslp@ucsc.eduThe Education for Sustainable Living Program (ESLP) is a student-led organization committed to empowering students to take action in the climate crisis. Our program creates collaborative learning environments through UCSC-accredited courses for students of all backgrounds to learn the skills needed to transition toward a society that prioritizes the planet and its people. ESLP works to foster co-intentional learning between students, while creating a culture where students can take action. We are seeking organizers to join us in creating environmental education opportunities for fellow students on campus.As an organizer with ESLP, you will contribute to the development of the two ESLP student-led courses in the winter and spring. You will have the opportunity to plan and design these courses as part of the ESLP team, and gain important skills and knowledge of facilitation, communication, coordination with guest speakers from around the globe, designing a curriculum, collaborating with other organizations, and more.Interning with ESLP is a yearlong commitment, as the work completed during each quarter actively contributes to the end result of ESLP’s environmental education courses. Please check out eslp-enviroslug.org for more information, and reach out to eslp@ucsc.edu with any questions or to meet with a current organizer.
Forest Restoration Research Intern
Listing also found in the Research tab.
Contact: Christina Blebea, cblebea@ucsc.edu
Do you want entomological lab work experience? Sign up to assist Graduate Student Christina Blebea with research on ant communities in tropical forest restoration! We’re discovering how ant assemblages change during restoration. Students will get hands-on experience with insects in the lab, learning how to prepare specimens and collect morphometric data. No experience is required.
Also Under Conservation
Contact: Sylvie Childress sylviechildress@ucsc.edu
The UCSC Greenhouses grow plants for research, course instruction, and ecological restoration and
conservation. This internship focuses on ex-situ rare plant conservation. The work will mostly take place in the UCSC Greenhouses, with at least one off-site field work day. Students participating in this internship are eligible for a stipend.
Interns will assist with:
- Growing plants for seed increase of local CRPR (California Rare Plant Ranked) species, with end
goal of producing seeds for long term storage in a seed bank
- Create mounted herbarium specimens
- Growing and outplanting individuals of the rare Santa Cruz Tarplant (Holocarpha macradenia)
- Recording information related to plant growth
- Gathering and analyzing data from seed germination experiments
- Drafting Propagation Protocol documents to contribute to a national database of plant propagation
methods
Learning objectives include:
- Learn about the conservation challenges facing local rare plants
- Understanding the seed ecology of plants in a variety of habitats
- Gain familiarity with standard and creative methods of breaking seed dormancy in California native
plants
- Acquire horticultural skills in cultivating plants from seed to seed-setStrong interest in plant conservation is the only requirement! Some background in plant biology and statistics
is strongly preferred (not required). If interested, please email Sylvie Childress (sylviechildress@ucsc.edu)
and describe any relevant coursework, personal experience, and interest in these areas.
Ecological Aquaculture Research Internship
Contact: Anne Kapuscinski akapusci@ucsc.edu, Devin Fitzgerald dfitzge1@ucsc.edu
Interns will assist the team to set-up and carry out experiments to assess suitability of novel feed ingredients for potential inclusion into diets (nutritionally complete pellets) for farmed fish. We are also interested to use water from our recirculating aquaculture systems to provide nutrient-beneficial water for crop irrigation on the CASFS farm.
Kresge Garden Internship
Also Under Agroecology & Plants
Contact: kresgegardeninternapp@gmail.
com and/or Alex Osleger aosleger@ucsc.edu Ever wondered why 100% sustainable food systems are well established and practiced by indigenous communities worldwide, taught in classes, and desired by the majority of people, yet they are hardly ever implemented at large scale in the U.S? Us too!The Kresge Garden co-op, a non-hierarchical organization run by queer student workers, is offering a 2-unit internship focused on how we can build sustainable food systems outside of the limitations of a capitalist market. We are the oldest student run garden on campus as well as the only campus garden that is run by a co-op. The 2-unit internship will cover topics such as sustainable gardening practices, consensus based community decision making, reciprocal relationships with land, herbalism, food justice, and history of labor organizing in our area.Interns are required to complete 60 hours of work over the quarter, which will mostly be in the garden but could also be in helping to manage the social media, reading, or discussing topics together, etc. This does not include journal writing, the final paper, attending meetings, or doing optional readings. There is a weekly journal entry (about 500 words) and a final paper (about 1500 words of reflection) regarding the internship. Fulfills PR-S General Education Requirement. Katie Monsen, kmonsen@ucsc.edu, is available as a faculty sponsor for this Internship in Winter 2022. Taking the internship for credit/grade is not required. To apply for the internship, e-mail kresgegardeninternapp@ gmail.com. Check out their website! 
KZSC Radio Internship
Contact: Richard Baldwin, advisor@kzsc.org
NOTE: this internship is available beginning in Winter 2023
We will train you in all aspects related to broadcast and online audio reporting on local environmental issues. We produce news and profiles of Monterey Bay environmentalists, scientists, natural wonders and natural hazards. We also produce audio nature walks! We cover scientific studies of our special natural surroundings, we also cover the food system and agriculture, local land use, and positive solutions to local environmental issues. Two-unit students work as Reporters, who produce several pieces for the program (at least one short piece and an interview or feature per week), five-unit interns gain experience as an Editor and Host, in addition to reporting for the program.
School Garden Internships
Listing also found in Environmental Education tab.
Contact: Cara-Alexandra Sundell, cara@lifelab.org
Come enjoy the Spring season in the garden and get school credit. Interns receive training in: Garden-based science education, working with children in an outdoor setting, organic gardening, garden development projects, environmental education, games, activities, and much more! Interns teach garden-based science to local 2nd grade school groups.
Norris Center Internships
Listing also found in Environmental Education tab.
The Norris Center welcomes students who are interested in natural history and want to get hands-on experience with a natural history collection in a meaningful way. 2-unit and 5-unit internships are available to students interested in creating their own projects or continuing long term projects. Past projects have included taxidermy, creation of exhibits, cataloging various collections, creating online natural history resources, teaching classes, leading hikes for campus groups, and writing natural history based books/curriculum. We have a diverse collection including an herbarium, and collections of birds, herps, fish, skulls, mammals, insects, etc. at your disposal to work with. Successful interns will have an interest in natural history and enthusiasm for learning.
Below is a list of the winter 2023 internships:- Herbarium Internship- learn about plants in the museum
- Taxidermy Internship- learn about how to prepare specimens for the museum
- Bird-window Collision Internship- conduct research to help decrease bird-window collisions
- Natural History Museum Management and Curation- learn the management and curation of the natural history museum
- Museum Education and Outreach- conduct outreach and museum education on campus and in the community
After taking a look at the internship page and if you identify an internship that you are interested in for the winter quarter- send an email to gimhurta@ucsc.edu (first) along with a screenshot of your weekly schedule.Norris Center Taxidermy Internship
Contact: Chris Lay, cml@ucsc.edu, (831) 459-4763
The taxidermy intern will be crucial in helping add to, and maintain, our current collections. The intern will be trained in how to skin, dry, document and properly preserve bird, and possibly mammal, specimens over the course of the quarter. According to a detailed protocol, the intern will work to create scientific specimens from previously collected animals to add to the museum’s collections.
Puma Project
RCC Garden Internship
Listing also found in the Agroecology and Plants tab.
Contact: c8garden@ucsc.edu
The Rachel Carson College Garden, a program within the Food Systems Working Group, provides 2 and 5 unit internship opportunities centered around basic garden care and stewardship--from seed to fruit. This internship will also focus on the intersections of society, green spaces and food justice through engaging with CRSN 90 and other hands on experience. Interested students will need to complete a casual interview before participating. Looking for students to intern for 2 quarters to develop experience with multiple seasons. Paid student staff positions will be available for students who previously committed to 2 quarters at the garden.
Refract (Paid Internship)
Contact: refractjournal@ucsc.edu
Refract: An Open Access Visual Studies Journal seeks a motivated undergraduate student
interested in learning about the publishing process for a digital academic journal and in gaining
valuable experience working with the editorial team of UCSC graduate students. Refract is an
open access graduate student-run journal located in the History of Art & Visual Culture
department at UCSC. We publish a combination of academic and experimental writing as well
as visual and alternative media through a digital publishing platform. This internship will be an
opportunity to work closely with the editorial board and learn about the day-to-day operations of
publishing an academic journal, as well as gain skills in editing, research, writing, and working
with digital databases and open access publishing. It is also a chance to hone graphic design
and marketing skills.
An interest in open access and/or digital publishing, graphic design, writing, and/or editing in
addition to a background in art history, visual culture, film/new media, art practice, or art writing
is preferred, but not required. Training and oversight will be provided by Refract editorial board
members, and the internship can be tailored to suit the intern’s individual interests and career
goals. This is a paid, part-time position with a time commitment of 5 hours per week for the
2021-22 academic year. The intern will be paid $850 per quarter, for up to 4 quarters (including
summer 2022).Right Livelihood College
Contact: David Shaw, daveshaw@ucsc.edu
Listing also found on Environmental Justice tab.
This program links faculty & students with 'Alternative Noble Prize' winners for research and education about proven solutions to the world's most pressing global problems.
2- and 5- unit interns, and senior project interns, will work in a team to support events, research projects, and awareness raising campaigns.
For more information visit rightlivelihood.ucsc.edu and rightlivelihoodaward.org
Site Stewardship
Contact: Bill Reid, billreid@ucsc.edu, (831)459-4680
The Site Stewardship Program organizes a team of interns and volunteers to take on ecological restoration and guardianship for sensitive natural areas within the UCSC campus. The program seeks to alleviate the impact that university growth is having on the landscape of the campus. The result of past natural resource extraction and university build-out has caused habitat destruction, invasion of non-native species, and soil erosion. Please visit their website for more information!
Sprout Up Internship Opportunities
Contact: Kendall Post, kendall@sproutup.org
Listing also found on Environmental Education tab.
Sprout Up is a project of Environmental Volunteers founded in 2009 by undergraduates to instill a love for learning and an ethic of sustainability in our youth. Our environmental science & sustainability program links teams of college-student instructors with 1st and 2nd grade classrooms for weekly activities, experiments, and discussions that explore the relationship between humans and the natural world. We have also provided leadership development and training to over 3,500 college student volunteers.
Sprout Up is excited to partner with motivated college students with a passion for equity and environmental change to work on creating new Sprout Up chapters at their colleges and universities. Through your work with Sprout Up you'll develop critical leadership, education, and environmental skills, make a difference in your community, and empower the next generation of environmental stewards!
Stevenson Garden Internship
Listing also found in the Agroecology and Plants tab.
Contact: Anne Friewald, annefreiwald@ucsc.edu
The Stevenson Garden aims to create a safe space for all people to explore, grow, and learn as well as to educate our community about the role food systems play into sustainability, food justice, and nutrition.
The role of the intern will have two parts: 1. to assist the garden crew in general maintenance of the garden on a weekly basis: attend weekly workday hours, do independent garden shifts.
2. to independently facilitate a garden project that a) enhances the garden and
b) educates community members on social justice and sustainability concepts; e.g. plant a strawberry bed & do a workshop on environmental justice issues in the strawberry industry.
UCSC Storm Water Management Program
Contact: Storm Water Manager cleanwater@ucsc.edu; (831)459-4520
Any students interested in environmental issues and would like to get involved on campus are encouraged to apply! Help UCSC manage the quality of campus storm water! Looking for: Writers, artists, web gurus, marketing specialists, photographers, students interested in environmental issues, & people able to network easily to work on storm water issues to enhance the overall campus environment!
Please visit their website for more information.
Fiscal Position
Contact:Liane Bauer, sec-group@ucsc.edu
The Student Environmental Center (SEC) is a student-run, student lead activist organization on campus dedicated to institutionalizing sustainability and environmental justice here at UCSC through projects and events that educate and empower students. Interning and working with the SEC is an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on skills like leadership, facilitation, project planning, critical thinking, etc., which employers will be looking for after graduation. Interns will also be able to create meaningful and lasting change on campus all while learning outside of the lecture hall and earning college credits! Expected duties for the fiscal interns include keeping track of all financial transactions, helping others navigate the fiscal suystem of UCSC, and ensuring funds are accessible for events.Blueprint Organizer
Contact: Liane Bauer, sec-group@ucsc.edu
Expected duties of the Blueprint Organizer include coordinating events and projects, tracking finances for the blueprint budget, and being an advocate for environmental justice.
Personnel Position
Contact: Liane Bauer, sec-group@ucsc.edu
Expected duties of the personnel intern include handling logistics such as collecting documentation of time sheets and goals from students, sheduling meetings for large group discussions, evaluating peers and keeping track of deadlines, sending out reminders of peers for documents, communication with sister orgs such as ESLP and CSC, and planning quarterly retreats.
Media and Outreach Intern
Contact: Liane Bauer, sec-group@ucsc.edu
Expected duties of the media and outreach intern include advertising events and projects, working with outisde organizations to build coalition, and educating and empowering students through social media.
Sustainability Internship
Contact: Derek Martin, deemarti@ucsc.edu
The Sustainability Office is often looking for talented individuals with a passion for people and the environment to join one of our teams: Green Office Certification Program, Green Labs Certification Program, Carbon Neutrality Fellows, Student Sustainability Advisors, Fair Trade, Carbon Fund, or the Sustainability and Environmental Justice Ambassadors (SEJA). If you are interested in gaining professional experience in a fun and rewarding environment, view our current job openings on our website!
Human-Wildlife Interactions in the Santa Cruz Mountain
Contact: Dr. Justin Suraci jsuraci@ucsc.edu
Listing also found in the Conservation tab.
Interns will assist with a large-scale field experiment examining the trade-offs
that local wildlife face between avoiding risk from humans and taking advantage of
anthropogenic resources. Work will include setting up and maintaining experimental sites
around the Santa Cruz MountainsThe World Cafe
Contact: David Shaw daveshaw@ucsc.edu
The World Cafe is an organization that hosts meaningful conversations on pressing topics such as environmental activism, social justice, and climate change. An intern with our organization will help host these events as well as aid in the expansion of our community.
Younger Lagoon Reserve Habitat Resoration Field Crew
This is located at the UCSC Coastal Campus
Listing also found in Conservation tab.
Contact: Eric Medina eimedina@ucsc.edu 707-237-1245 (cell)
The UCSC Natural Reserves Office manages five natural reserves that are set aside for teaching, research and public education. We sponsor interns every quarter, including summer, to work at Younger Lagoon Reserve on our Habitat Restoration Field Crew. Student interns work outside among herons, hawks, and coyotes and pull invasive weeds, collect native seeds, propagate and plant native seedlings, maintain existing restoration sites, cut back trails, and conduct ecological monitoring throughout the year.
Arboretum
Campus Natural Reserve
Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS)
Chadwick Garden
Demeter Seed Library
Education for Sustainable Living Program
Ants in Tropical Forest Restoration Research
Greenhouse (UCSC)
Kapucinski-Sarker Lab
Kresge Garden
KZSC Radio
Life Lab
Norris Center for Natural History
Puma Project
Rachel Carson College Garden
Refract
Right Livelihood College
Site Stewardship
Sprout Up
Stevenson Garden
Storm Water Management Program
Student Environmental Center
UCSC Sustainability Office Internship
Wilmers Lab
The World Cafe
Younger Lagoon Reserve Habitat Resoration Field Crew
