Undergraduate Research Assistant - GRAMA Project

University of Texas at Austin•Austin, TX

22h•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Texas at Austin Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to inspiring the conservation of native plants through its garden, education, research and outreach programs. Founded by Lady Bird Johnson and Helen Hayes in 1982, the Wildflower Center is the state botanic garden of Texas, a treasured Austin gem, and a national leader in the field of native plant education, sustainable landscapes, land restoration and research. It is home to the largest living collection of Texas native plants in the state, welcomes over 276,000 visitors annually, has over 17,000 members and reaches more than 2 million people per year through its website and plant database. The Center is focused on improving landscapes, promoting biodiversity, and connecting people with our environment. Wildflower Center staff get free parking and annual membership, discounts on Center classes, access to Wildflower Center featured events, and discounts at the Gift Store. An inspiring and beautiful work environment with outstanding coworkers awaits you. UT Austin undergraduate students will have the opportunity to join the Wildflower Center’s conservation team and support both our Grassland Recovery after Multiple Alterations (GRAMA) DRAGNet and DroughtNet project, as well as our Texas Plant Conservation Alliance (TXPCA) ecological professionals network.

Requirements

Current enrollment at UT Austin as an undergraduate.
Must either be enrolled in 3 credit hours during the Summer of 2026, or must have completed at least 12 credit hours during the Spring 2026 semester (an exception might be granted for a senior that graduated in May 2026).
Demonstrated interest in ecology, botany, environmental science, sustainability, or related field.
Willingness to work individually and as part of a team.
Willingness to work outside in a variety of weather conditions, including extreme heat and humidity.
Current Texas class C driver’s license.
Resume/CV
3 work references with their contact information, should include phone number and email address; at least one reference should be from a supervisor.
Letter of interest/Cover Letter

Nice To Haves

Research experience (field or lab).

Responsibilities

Vegetation surveys, data collection, soil moisture sampling, data entry, nutrient addition, and drought structure repairs for the GRAMA project.
Network meeting attendance, social media posts, data set management, informative material creation (flyers, brochures, etc.), and taking meeting notes for the TXPCA project.
Conducting fieldwork, data collection, plant identification, data organization, outreach, and supporting other conservation projects as needed.
Research activities (field-based data collection, lab work, data entry etc.) related to grassland recovery and supporting conservation partnerships.
Assist with research activities outside core focus area.
Assist graduate students or other researchers from the University of Texas in the field or lab as needed.
Regular meetings with Wildflower Center research mentors.
Occasional participation in outreach or community engagement events.
Assist with tours, lessons, or educational tabling as needed.
Presentation of ongoing or completed projects during lab meeting and/or Science Symposium at end of the semester.
Other duties as assigned.