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
Nathan Beerkens
Nathan commenced a 3 month internship at Arid Recovery in February 2017, which extended for another 2 months. He had previously completed a Bachelor of Science (Zoology and Conservation Biology) at the University of Western Australia and a BSc (Hons) at Murdoch University, where he studied the ecology and physiology of estuarine fish. During his internship, Nathan studied the suitability of the Reserve for kowaris, and created a translocation proposal for the species. Nathan remained at Arid Recovery in the role of Field Ecologist and Community Coordinator before going to Western Australia where he is the Senior Zoologist at Biota Environmental.
Emily Gregg
Emily commenced a 3 month internship at Arid Recovery in February 2017. She had previously completed a Bachelor of Science (Zoology) and Master of Science (Zoology) at the University of Melbourne, where she investigated the feasibility of using a waterless barrier to halt cane toad spread in Western Australia. During her internship, Emily researched the effectiveness of using one-way gates as a bettong management tool, and also analysed our social media impact. Emily is now undertaking a PhD with the Interdisciplinary Conservation (ICON) Science Group at RMIT. Her project aims to improve communications for threatened species conservation, with a focus on effectively engaging the public and decision-makers with so-called “non-charismatic” species (e.g. reptiles, rodents, insects and plants).
Rachel Loneragan
Rachel commenced a 3 month internship at Arid Recovery in October 2016. She had previously completed a Bachelor of Biodiversity and Conservation at Macquarie University and a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) at the University of Technology, Sydney, where she investigated the spatial population regulation of ground-dwelling mammals in urban areas. During her internship, Rachel designed and performed the first trials of using one-way gates as a bettong management tool.