Internships

Internships

Each university quarter, UCSC undergraduates from a variety of majors intern with UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserve staff.

The UCSC Environmental Studies Internship Office and additional agencies across campus facilitate the ability for students to earn credit for taking part in our offerings. Students range from first-quarter freshman to graduating seniors and each spends between 6 and 15 hours a week working on a variety of projects on the reserve.

Reserve staff and paid student crew leaders lead interns in a wide variety of field-based research and hands-on-learning experiences in and around our 409-acre Reserve; a unique living laboratory and outdoor classroom.

UCSC Campus Natural Reserve Continuous Forest Inventory (CFI Fall 2015) interns measure tree growth rates.

UCSC Campus Natural Reserve Internships – Winter 2026

An average of 6 hours per week of internship work will earn you 2-credits through the ENVS Internship Office (see their website for other internship requirements beyond the 6-hour requirement). Our internships require a sense of adventure and willingness and ability to work off-trail in sometimes challenging terrain. Poison oak is abundant, and though we provide coverall suits, gloves, and Technu, participation isn’t recommended if you know you are highly sensitive to poison oak.

Our general expectations for interns are as follows:

• Use this experience as an opportunity to practice your professionalism: be punctual, communicate clearly/often/in advance about absences, show up prepared with food, water, and appropriate field gear (winter may be wet).
• Work hard—be helpful, look for the next task, be attentive to work flow.
• Be safe—learn the hazards of your tasks and be attentive to your own and your crew member’s safety while performing your duties.
• Cooperate and work as a team—communicate your needs, be inclusive of others’ needs and talents, have fun with each other and get to know each other as you work efficiently on your tasks.
• Be proactive—if you fall behind on hours check in with me to come up with a plan to make them up.
• Be curious and have fun—there are so many amazing things to discover out there!

Please wait to apply to internships until you have signed up for your winter classes.

The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities.

All undergraduate UCSC students, regardless of major, are welcome to apply. If your personal mobility limits your ability to participate in field projects, we can help design a project that aligns with your needs. Please contact us with your questions! 

INTERNSHIPS FOR ACADEMIC CREDIT

UCSC Forest Ecology Research Plot (FERP) woody plant recensus–24 interns needed

Shift times:  Our shifts run in a 6 hour block, once per week. You would work on one shift consistently, sticking with the same shift each week unless you needed to make up hours by joining another shift.

• Shift times:
  • To be determined

Apply here:  https://forms.gle/S68ptL4Y9bQNCQ7V8

Make sure you thoroughly read the internship description and webpage here so you know what you’re signing up for.

Description: Does the idea of spending six hours per week in the forest with new friends, feeling the soft winter sun filtering through the canopy, catching the winter rain drops and dodging newts on the path, watching winter blossom into spring, 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 78 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 continue 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 84 via the ENVS Internship Office. You will complete at least 54 hours of project work: 9 of 10 field shifts during the Quarter (54 hours total) and a few simple FERP assignments if needed (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.

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. That said, we have a few sets of rain gear and several pairs of rain boots to lend out. If you want to get your own 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.

CNR Stewardship–2 interns needed

Shift times: To be determined
Apply here: https://forms.gle/S68ptL4Y9bQNCQ7V8

Assist 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.

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.

Wildfire Vegetation Management Plan pre-treatment plant and animal surveys–2-4 interns needed

• Shift times:
  • To be determined

Apply here: https://forms.gle/S68ptL4Y9bQNCQ7V8

General project background:
UC Santa Cruz is currently finalizing a comprehensive Wildfire Vegetation Management Plan (WVMP) which will result in significant fuel reduction and forest health projects to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and increase forest resiliency. CNR interns worked in 2015-2017 to inventory a series of 16-m radius circular Continuous Forest Inventory (CFI) plots in Upper Campus, collecting a wide variety of vegetation and fuels data that will serve as baseline data in areas that will undergo WVMP projects. Beginning in winter 2024, we began adding some wildlife survey protocols to these plots, allowing us to track the impacts of fuel reduction and forest health projects on small mammal, bird, and amphibian communities.

Winter Quarter 2025 foci:
In Winter 2025, interns will assist in pre-treatment baseline field surveys for amphibian, mammals and vegetation throughout UCSC’s Upper Campus, learning field survey skills, identification, and data management. Interns will help set and process camera traps, conduct salamander surveys, and conduct vegetation monitoring on a series of circular plots throughout the UCSC Upper Campus as baseline data before future forest vegetation treatments occur. Interns will learn how to use camera traps and software designed to analyze camera trap photos, amphibian identification and survey techniques, as well as standard forestry/forest ecology tools used to measure a variety of forest vegetation and landscape attributes. Work will be outdoors in a variety of terrains and weather conditions. Work will take place on and off trail in dense vegetation, with exposure to poison oak and ticks (coveralls, gloves, and Technu provided).

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 and several pairs of rain boots. If you want to get your own 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, this project 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’s everywhere out there.

We will be out in the woods for a full 4 to 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.

PAID POSITIONS

Campus Natural Reserve Biological Field Technician–1-2 positions available

Position not yet posted on Handshake; check back for updates

____________________________________________________________________________________

This position is available for all work-study and non-work-study students

Job description

Join the UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserve (CNR) team! At the reserve, we engage in stewardship of rare habitat, assist with field research activities, and focus on bringing experiential learning activities to students. The UCSC CNR is a 789 acre outdoor classroom and living laboratory that is an official land-use designation established as part of the 2021-2040 UCSC Long Range Development Plan. We are looking for a flexible candidate with a natural science background who can work independently in the field, and also has great teamwork skills. The role will require working in a rugged outdoor environment with variable terrain in a variety of weather conditions on the residential UCSC campus. 

The CNR Biological Field Technician will assist Campus Natural Reserve staff with monitoring, research, and management of the federally threatened California red-legged frog (CRLF) and federally endangered Ohlone tiger beetle (OTB). These efforts are in association with the obligations set forth in the Ranch View Terrace Habitat Conservation Plan. Results of research will inform management for these threatened/endangered species, both on the UCSC campus and elsewhere within its native range.

Schedule and conditions

Work will be done with CNR staff and occasionally independently. Schedule will be determined by Natural Reserves staff and the student hire(s). Some independent field work may be required. Work will occur in dense vegetation and within a pond (chest waders supplied) and other rugged outdoor environments with variable terrain in a variety of weather conditions on the residential UCSC campus. This job will run through Spring Quarter 2026 up to approximately 2-8 hours per week but may be more intermittent depending on weather and scheduling issues.

Pay: $17.00/hr

Duties

90% Field Work

-Participate in research and long term monitoring of Ohlone tiger beetle (visual surveys for adult and larval stages) 

-Participate in research and long term monitoring of California red-legged frog (visual surveys; requires wading in a pond with chest waders (provided))

-Participate in vegetation surveys associated with Ohlone tiger beetle monitoring

10% Data Collection and Entry 

-Enter field data in Google Sheets, Field Maps, ArcGIS Survey123, or other agreed upon software platforms.

-Keep accurate field notes of field survey activities

-Compile survey records into simple, descriptive reports if needed

Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

-Comfortable working in a rugged and wild environment, off-trail, in dense vegetation with the potential for contact with ticks, insects, and poison oak in all weather conditions (coveralls, rain boots, hard hat, waders, and gloves provided) 

-A self-starter who is proactive and can work independently or with a partner as needed 

-Ability to be aware in an outdoor environment where risks are present, to keep self and team members safe

-Organized and able to self-manage time and prioritize

-Ability to work well in small groups 

-Great communication skills, with the ability to respond to email or phone communication in a timely manner

-Familiarity and effective use of Google suite (Docs, Sheets, Forms, Gmail) 

-Ability to lift 25-40 pounds. Ability to hike and stand for long periods outdoors. 

-Interest and ability to safely learn the skills necessary to conduct plant and animal surveys. 

Preferred Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

-Interested in and/or currently studying in related fields

-Experience with field research, including plant and animal data collection

-Experience working outdoors in off-trail conditions 

-Experience with field data collection apps

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer. 

1. “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
   • UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
   • UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
   • Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Additional Opportunities
In addition to our official offerings each quarter, we help students to design their own projects on the UCSC Campus Natural Reserve. Prospective applicants can contact our office with experiment, project, and thesis ideas. These opportunities are generally set up one or more quarters in advance, so that reserve staff can set aside appropriate time and resources. Select major programs allow for this work to apply toward degree credit. Contact our office for more details.