FB Pixel Skip to Main Content
A long exposure of Taylor Reservoir at sunset

Environmental Science

ESCI and Ecology Field Assistant/Field Researcher Opportunities

Scroll to bottom of section

Are you interested in paid environmental science field work in the Taylor Park/Continental Divide area in summer 2025?

Students look at remains of a forest after a wildfire with their professor.
Students shovel mud into a bucket while working on a wilderness service project.

If you are, consider applying for paid Field Assistant and Field Researcher positions through the undergraduate Environmental Science program at Western.

Apply Here

Applications due by Feb. 1st 2025

These undergraduate internships are funded by a Department of Energy grant and are mentored by WCU faculty and DOE researchers.

Field Assistants can be any class year at WCU and should be excited to help with field-based research projects related to Forest Ecology, Fire Ecology, Hydrology/Geochemistry, Geomorphology and Wildlife Ecology. Some introductory coursework in any of those general fields would be helpful, but isn’t required. These paid and mentored assistantships are a great way to gain valuable field and analytical science skills, as well as meet and work with a diverse group of professional environmental scientists and grad students.

Field Researchers should be juniors or seniors majoring in Environmental Science (ESCI) or associated disciplines of Biology, Chemistry or Geology. In addition to this application, potential Field Researchers should discuss their plans and potential projects with their advisors and applicable WCU faculty (Drs. Coop (forest & fire ecology), Ellwein (soils, geomorphology), Marchetti (geochem, geomorphology, hydrology), Russell (hydrology, management), or Van de Kerk (wildlife ecology).

Both internships pay $16 – $20 per hour based on experience. We expect internship participants to work 8 to10 weeks during the summer, however there is considerable flexibility in scheduling work.


Western Colorado University Department of Natural and Environmental Science logo
Berkeley Labs logo
United State Department of Energy logo

Contact: Dr. Dave Marchetti (dmarchetti@western.edu) or Dr. Jonathan Coop (jcoop@western.edu) with questions

Take the Next Step

Apply to
Western
Students pose for a photo on top of Mount Crested Butte in the summer

Apply to
Western

We understand that applying to a university can be daunting, which is why we make our admission process as simple and straightforward as possible. Learn more about applying to your program of choice at Western.

Visit
Western
Colorado Hall with the Palisades in the background on a bluebird day.

Visit
Western

The best way to find out what makes Western such a special place is to experience it for yourself. Our student-led tours give you an insider’s perspective on everything from academics to student life.

Alumni
Community
A group of four alumni look at a display of old photos on a table.

Alumni
Community

We keep the Mountaineer spirit going strong within our alumni community. Whether getting together with friends at an annual event, making a donation or mentoring a student, graduates continue to play an important role in the Western community.

Request
Information
A few students pose for a photo behind a table.

Request
Information

Want to discover more about Western? Request information today to get in touch with the admissions team.