Bumble Bee Conservationist - ONSITE - Minnesota-Wisconsin Ecological Field Services Office (Bloomington, MN)

Environment for the Americas•Bloomington, MN

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Environment for the Americas Internship Programs seek to engage young professionals from all backgrounds in natural resource and conservation careers. This position, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, offers a variety of field and office work to provide the intern with diverse experience applicable to future conservation and outreach roles. The intern will primarily focus on bumble bee conservation, including surveys and monitoring in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, conducting literature reviews on rare bumble bees, and developing outreach materials for bumble bee conservation projects. The role may also involve participation in bat monitoring, including at a significant little brown bat maternity colony.

Requirements

Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.
Be between the ages of 18-30 (35 if a veteran).
Be willing to undergo a background check.
Have a valid driver’s license.
Degree in Biology, Ecology, Zoology, Environmental Science, or other similar graduate school or undergraduate school majors.
Experience with collecting biological data in the field.
Experience with data analysis.
Familiarity with scientific literature review.
Ability to use word processing and spreadsheet software (i.e., Word, Excel).
Completion of 640 hours of work on an appropriate conservation project to be eligible for Public Land Corps Non-Competitive Hiring Authority.

Nice To Haves

Prefer graduate students or those with a completed undergraduate degree.
Current upperclassmen undergraduate students with relevant experience will also be considered.
Familiarity with Arc GIS.
A personal vehicle is optional for this position.

Responsibilities

Conduct at-risk bumble bee summertime field monitoring and compile data in a standardized format.
Participate in a Midwest bumble bee identification course.
Analyze the 2026 “Backyard Bumble Bee Count (BYBBC)” data.
Maintain the web interface for the BYBBC to encourage public participation.
Populate outreach newsletters with conservation success stories, particularly regarding rusty patched bumble bee (RPBB) recovery.
Communicate progress on science questions and highlight conservation and research needs.
Participate in the authorship of a scientific paper on a poorly understood life history aspect of the federally endangered RPBB.
Assist with an ongoing species status assessment of two other bumble bees under FWS review.
Prepare outreach newsletters for diverse audiences, coordinating with the national species recovery lead.
Develop a written report of Backyard Bumble Bee results, including data analysis for public participants.