College Internship in Suburban Ecology

College Internship in Suburban Ecology at the Mianus River Gorge

Program Description: Mianus River Gorge, a conservation organization and 970-acre nature preserve in southern New York, offers summer internships for college students interested in the conservation of natural areas in urbanizing landscapes.

We work with our interns to provide a learning experience that fits their interests and long-term educational goals. Typically our interns major in biology, ecology, or environmental sciences, etc. but this internship is open to anyone interested in conservation, natural resource management, ecological research, and field biology. The main qualities we are looking for are a passion for the natural world plus a strong work ethic.

• Internships last for a period of 10 weeks. Internships typically run from early June to early August, but some flexibility is available on start or end dates. We prefer no mid-term gaps however.
• Each intern will work alongside Gorge staff and graduate students on a variety of projects including wildlife monitoring, non-native species management, and GIS applications.
• Given the ongoing and evolving COVID-19 situation, we may have to restrict the number of people in our office and focus primarily on outside work, depending on circumstances and guidelines at the time. We require our interns and staff to be fully vaccinated.
• Stipend: $25/day or combination of school credit and stipend (depending on university requirements).

Projects for 2024 include:

-- Monitoring coyotes, black bears, deer, and other wildlife in Westchester, NYC, and Fairfield using camera traps and other non-invasive methods.

-- Vegetation sampling, monitoring, and restoration.

-- Invasive species control, deer exclosure construction, and other land management work.

-- Data entry/management, GIS work, and analysis on several long-term projects.

Applicant Eligibility

-- All undergraduate students are eligible to apply. We do not require applicants to major in a particular discipline; however, exposure to or interest in the fields of ecology, environmental science, or geography is encouraged. We do accept interns that have graduated the academic year just prior to the internship (“rising seniors”).

-- Interns must be self-motivated and work well in group settings.

-- Applicants should be prepared for strenuous work outdoors in the summer (e.g., field research and land management projects) as well as perform indoor work when necessary (e.g., data entry and GIS projects).

This year the internship will run from June 3 to Aug 9 -- applicants should be available during this period.

Applicants should be able to commute daily to Bedford, NY, as summer housing is not available.