Arid Recovery has partnered with the Australian Land Conservation Alliance (ALCA) to pilot a new Conservation Internship in 2026. We are seeking an early-career ecologist (Honours or equivalent experience) for a three-month, full-time paid internship based at our 123-km² arid-zone reserve near Roxby Downs. Working alongside an experienced multidisciplinary team, the intern will contribute to the delivery of ecological research, field surveys and data analysis supporting threatened-species recovery and arid land conservation.

Core tasks may include:

• Small vertebrate monitoring
• Camera-trap and track-count surveys
• Data management and reporting
• Participation in land-management activities such as feral-animal control and reserve maintenance.

The role also offers exposure to stakeholder and community engagement and science communication within a small, innovative conservation NGO, as part of ALCA’s broader conservation internship initiative.

Internship outcomes

On completion, interns will have sharpened their field skills in animal handling and survey techniques, deepened their understanding of arid-zone conservation, and built experience working on real threatened-species and land-management programs. They will contribute to at least one tangible output (e.g., monitoring report, data summary or communication piece) that can be cited in future job or study applications. The intern will leave with stronger technical skills, new professional contacts and a clearer sense of their next steps in conservation science.

Selection Criteria

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in Science, Ecology, Environmental Science or Natural Resource Management with Honours (or equivalent experience).
• Demonstrated fieldwork experience in ecology and/or land management.
• Experience with data entry, management, and basic analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to work self-directed, e.g., planning tasks, managing time, and following through with minimal supervision, and with a small team.
• Demonstrated flexibility and problem-solving skills, including the ability to adapt when field conditions, logistics or priorities change.
• Physical fitness to undertake manual work outdoors in arid conditions.
• Willingness to live in a small, remote community for the duration of the placement.
• Current driver’s licence.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Eligible to live and work in Australia for at least 4 months.

Desirable

• Experience with remote or arid-zone fieldwork.
• 4WD driving experience.
• Senior First Aid.
• Experience with community engagement, and science communication.

Additional details

Bringing your own car for travel to and from the office, as well as for personal use during the internship, is highly recommended.