Conservation Internship
Launch your ecological career with a hands-on Conservation Internship with Arid Recovery and the Australian Land Conservation Alliance
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. 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.
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Location: Olympic Dam, South Australia
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Dates: 9th Febuary - 8th May 2026
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Application close: 14th December 2025
Applications for the 2026 ALCA/Arid Recovery Conservation Internship are now open.
Apply here.
Please note that our Arid Recovery internships for May-July and Aug-Oct 2006 will be advertised in early 2026 on NRM.jobs and our Facebook page.
tasks may include:
Small vertebrate monitoring
Camera-trap and track-count surveys
Data mangement and reporting
Participation in land-management activities such as feral-animal control and reserve maintenance
Exposure to stakeholder and community engagement
Participation in research projects with Arid Recovery staff and collaborators
Science communication
Housekeeping tasks essential for running a small NGO
Selection criteria
A Bachelor degree in Science, Ecology Natural Resource Management, or Enivornmental Science 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 minimum supervision, and with a small team
Demonstrated flexibility and problem-solving skills, including the ability to adpat 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
Eligible for living and working in Australia for at least 4 months
Current driver's licence
Fluency in written and spoken English
Bringing your own car for travel to and from the office and, as well as for personal use during the internship, is highly recommended. Successful candidates must be willing to comply with government directives and internal workplace requirements for managing the impact of COVID-19.
How to apply
Apply via the ALCA Environmental Internships website
Please upload:
- A CV (maximum 3 pages), and.
- A cover letter (maximum 2 pages) addressing the selection criteria and application questions.
Past Interns
Ruby Adams
Ruby joined Arid Recovery from Wollongong, bringing a Bachelor of Science majoring in Geography from the University of Melbourne. She arrived with experience managing invasive plants in Kosciuszko National Park and an internship in Nepal. During her time with us, Ruby threw herself into all aspects of fieldwork; from bettong trapping, where she assisted in moving them between paddocks, kowari trapping, and camera monitoring. She also drew on her plant expertise to support five weeks of intensive vegetation surveys, and her plant identification skills quickly became invaluable to the team. Inspired by her time here, Ruby plans to begin Honours in 2026.
Nina Manning
Nina completed her Bachelor of Science at the Australian National University, and has worked with CSIRO on a biosecurity research project. Nina has gained extensive experience in mammal trapping and handling through our annual cage trapping and kowari surveys. She assisted with the relocation of burrowing bettongs and led the monitoring of their movements post-release. Nina also contributed to our track count monitoring program, quickly developing an eye for identifying animal tracks. In addition to fieldwork, she played a key role in delivering tours and engaging the public with our conservation work. The experience Nina gained has set her up well for her Honours research in 2026.
Charlotte Drake
Charlotte completed her Honours research on brush-tailed phascogales on Kangaroo Island and is about to begin her PhD on bandicoots in the same region. During her time at Arid Recovery, Charlotte gained valuable hands-on experience in mammal trapping, handling, and pitfall trapping, skills that will serve her well in her upcoming research. A standout moment for Charlotte was bilby netting and the unforgettable experience of seeing her first Shark Bay bandicoot in the wild. Charlotte also enthusiastically supported Arid Recovery’s outreach efforts, helping run activities at the Roxby Community Library and BHP’s Family Day, where she shared her passion for wildlife with families.
Rylie Pan
Rylie joined Arid Recovery after completing her Honours research on northern bettongs and one-way gates. Previously working at Hidden Vale Research Station in Queensland, she brought with her extensive expertise in wild animal husbandry and a passion for lizards and snakes. At Arid Recovery, Rylie contributed significantly to the annual vegetation survey and played a vital role in community events, including Open Day, Science Week, school camps, twilight dinners, and Family Day. She will joining Redleaf as a graduate environmental scientist.
Arvind Srinivasgowda
Arvind arrived in Australia from India in 2022 to pursue a Master’s degree at the University of Western Australia, focusing his research on traits in ornate dragons. He often amazed the team with stories from his work in India’s national parks, where he managed human-wildlife conflicts involving tigers, leopards, and elephants. During his time at Arid Recovery, Arvind helped develop and manage the Quoll-Spot ID project, which used remote cameras and AI to identify individual quolls, aiming to estimate their population size at the reserve.