We invite applications for a part-time paid undergraduate or post-baccalaureate apprentice in the Department of Herpetology at the San Diego Natural History Museum. The incoming apprentice will gain immersive experience in amphibian and reptile biodiversity science focused on curating a rescued collection from Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, as well as revitalizing the Department of Herpetology’s preserved tissue collection. We offer extensive training and mentorship to prepare students for continued advancement in the biological sciences, and we especially encourage applicants who wish to pursue graduate school. Come join our vibrant team of nature afficionados!

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The core objective for the incoming Herpetology apprentice is to develop proficiency in organizing, tagging, and databasing both preserved whole-body specimens and genetic tissue samples. More broadly, these activities will hone the apprentice’s understanding of biodiversity collections and their associated data, and how those resources can be leveraged for research, conservation, and education.

To achieve these objectives, the student apprentice will be given guidance on collecting ethics and the purpose of collections, as well as general protocols for gathering, tracking, storing, and retrieving specimen-based data. The intern will gain skills in data management techniques using the software Specify, best-practice techniques for preserving specimens, and the identification of amphibian and reptile species in Southern California and the Baja California Peninsula.

The incoming apprentice may also be invited to participate in additional departmental activities. Such activities could include joining a ground-truthing trip to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, co-leading behind-the-scenes tours of the Herpetology collection, or co-authoring scientific publications or public outreach materials. We encourage the incoming apprentice to also develop an independent project that fulfils their personal interests and the institutional goals of the Department of Herpetology.

 ELIGIBILITY: 

• Applicants must be either (1) full-time students in the final two years of a life science undergraduate degree program (or equivalent), or (2) a post-baccalaureate less than 2 years post-graduation. 
• Applicants must also be eager to learn, highly organized and detail-oriented, and be comfortable working hands-on with preserved amphibian and reptile specimens (including snakes!). 
• Prior experience with herpetology or wildlife biology is a plus, but not required. 
• We place special emphasis on recruiting students who are members of groups currently underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers. 

HOURS: Up to 250 hours total. Desired commitment is 10 hours of work per week over a period of 6 months (25 weeks) from roughly July through December 2025. 

COMPENSATION: Paid, hourly, $20/hr. 

Employees enjoy free admission into all of Balboa Park’s museums as well as free admission to the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park.

LOCATION: On-site at the Museum, but schedule is flexible. Some remote fieldwork may be possible.