Summer Herpetological Internship Opportunity


Location: Southcentral and Southeastern Michigan
Start Date: late March 2008 (flexible)
End Date: September 2008 (flexible)
Salary: unpaid internship and housing not provided; mileage reimbursement and field
equipment use available

Herpetological Resource and Management, LLC seeks one to two enthusiastic
undergraduate/graduate student(s) to help carry out seasonal field work conducting
Amphibian, Turtle, and Reptile Inventorying, Monitoring, and Translocation in southern
Michigan. The applicant(s) is expected to perform or assist with the following activities:
field surveys using a variety of techniques to inventory and conduct research on
amphibians, turtles, and reptiles on public lands; collection of environmental data at study
sites; GIS/GPS habitat and species mapping; data entry into established databases;
maintenance of field equipment; data compilation and creation of tables and figures for
reports and publications.

The applicant must have at least 1 year of academic experience leading to a degree in
biology, zoology, wildlife ecology, natural resource conservation, or a related field, or have
graduated with such a degree. Some experience conducting field work on midwest
herpetofauna is desirable, but not required. The applicant must have an ability and
willingness to learn to identify many amphibians, turtles, and reptiles on sight or with the
aid of field guides (such as the Peterson Field Guide by Conant and Collins); an ability and
willingness to learn how to identify frogs from their calls; the ability to accurately record
detailed data in the field; and knowledge of computer operation and familiarity with basic
Microsoft word processing and data manipulation programs. Experience with GPS and
especially GIS desired. Database and Website management a plus. The applicant must be a
licensed driver and have a reliable means of transportation to and from the office location.
Most of the work is outdoors, sometimes under harsh or hot conditions or in rain. The
position requires good physical condition, as the job on occasion requires long hours in
the field (including some night-time surveys). The most important qualification for this
position is a good sense of humor, solid work ethic, and a passion for learning. All
fieldwork will be conducted as part of teams of 2-3 people, so a demonstrated ability and
desire to work effectively with a group is imperative.

These positions come with an amazing wealth of educational opportunities and on-the-
ground field experience. The successful applicants will have the rare opportunity to work
with Threatened, Endangered, and imperiled species in a variety of habitats. They will also
learn important techniques including elastomer tagging, GIS/GPS technology, mark-
recapture, and methods of population inventory and analysis. Most importantly, the intern
(s) will have the opportunity to build a network of federal, state, and local government
officials and private sector consultants.

To Apply: Send a completed resume via email (including 3 references) to:

David A. Mifsud, M.Sc., PWS
Herpetologist/Ecosystems Specialist
Herpetological Resource and Management, LLC
DMifsud@HerpRMan.com
(313) 268-6189
http://www.HerpRMan.com

Application Deadline: 20 March 2008