Job Summary

The 5th Annual Meredith Long Internship is a funded research opportunity for any undergraduate student currently attending a university in Texas. This internship is hosted by the Waterfowl and Wetlands Bird Research Program at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute of Texas A&M University-Kingsville. The intern will be integrated into an established research team studying colonial waterbirds along the Texas coast. The intern will contribute to multiple projects aimed at examining waterbird movements and reproduction. Duty stations will include various field locations along the Texas coast, from South Padre Island to Galveston, and an office location in Kingsville. The first 4 weeks of the internship will be remote and part-time consisting of trainings and field scouting beginning approximately mid-April, then move to full-time and based out of Kingsville approximately mid-May, with the internship ending approximately July 30, 2025. The intern will have opportunities to further their experience through assisting with data entry and management, statistical analyses, and writeups of project findings. There is also an opportunity for a small, independent research project given success with other duties.   

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

• Completes mandatory trainings including boater education course. 
• Assists with scouting of waterbird colonies and capture of Great Egrets (Ardea alba), Tricolored Herons (Egretta tricolor), and Reddish Egrets (Egretta rufescens). 
• Assists with banding, collection of morphological measurements, and deployment of research equipment on capture individuals and colony islands. 
• Compiles and enters data. Assembles and operates technical equipment. 
• Assists with writing and editing reports, articles, scientific posters, and oral presentations. 
• Performs other duties as assigned. 

The above represents the major duties, responsibilities, and authorities of this job, and is not intended to be a complete list of all tasks and functions. Other duties may be assigned. 

Minimum Requirements

Education- High school diploma or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience – Two years of related educational experience.  

Ability to – Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.  

Licensing / Professional Certification – None.  

Physical Requirements – Ability to lift moderately heavy objects. Ability to exert heavy force. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Supervision of Others This position generally does not supervise employees.  

Other Requirements 

• Must be a current undergraduate at a university in Texas studying wildlife ecology or related field. 
• Work beyond normal business hours and/or work on weekends not exceeding 40 hours/week. 
• Ability to maintain a strong and positive mental attitude during strenuous field activities. 
• Ability to hike and perform field activities in variable weather and terrain. 
• Ability to live in co-ed field housing situations. 
• Experience in animal handling or data collection in the field. 
• Possesses a current and active U.S. driver’s license.  

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.

For more information, contact Dr. Jordan Giese, jordan.giese@tamuk.edu