Academic Year
Job postings for the 2025-2026 academic year will be posted in August 2025!
Student Jobs
Research Assistant Program (3 positions)
Our research assistant program matches students with western leaders in need of conservation assistance in order to develop practical solutions. Students work solo or in pairs to tackle interdisciplinary projects that span and intersect biophysical, social, economic, cultural, and policy topics. Students typically work 5-10 hours/week and are paid ($17.50/hour) while completing projects during September-May from New Haven. Students meet regularly with UHPSI staff and remotely with western partners.
Please see the list of projects below to see if you might like to apply to a research assistant with us! Applications are accepted through the central Yale Student Employment website.
– Learn about past research projects
– Visit our student FAQ about Research Assistants Positions
HIRING STUDENT- Research Assistant
Western partner: The Blackfoot Challenge
Details coming in August!
HIRING STUDENT- Research Assistant
Western partner: The Xerces Society
Details coming in August!
HIRING TWO STUDENTS- Western Connections and Community Coordinator
Ucross High Plains Stewardship Initiative has an event series called Western Connections and Community which offers 1-2 events per semester during September-May. Events organized in the past include breakfasts, education seminars, trivia, happy hour, career chats, etc.
We are seeking a student to collaborate with Michelle Downey (director of UHPSI) and other student coordinators to organize and execute these events to build connections and community among students, staff, and faculty at Yale that are interested in the western United States. These events are open to all student levels and disciplines. By bringing people together that are interested in West we can create community to foster interdisciplinary research, collaboration, and well-being.
Summer
Western Resources Fellowship
Applications due March 2026
A student-driven query involving research, an internship, or management project during the summer.
Ucross High Plains Stewardship Initiative at YSE provides fellows with a financial award, logistical assistance, and mentorship to aid with a summer experience that will have a high impact on conservation, stewardship, or management of natural resources in the Rocky Mountain or High Plains regions. This program supports Yale graduate and undergraduate students completing a summer work that will provide them with practical experience, leadership skills, and/or research experience that will prepare fellows for their future careers. A financial award of up to $9,000 will be granted to each fellow. Fellows will actively participate in peer mentoring with other fellows and will receive guidance from UHPSI staff during the summer.
Read more about past fellows work: Past fellowships.
How to Apply
Please apply using the Yale Student Grant Database (search ‘Ucross’) by 11:59 pm on March 16, 2025.More information about applications materials can be found in the PDF below, along with general fellowship expectations.
View 10-minute presentations by past Western Resources Fellows by clicking here.
Land Stewardship and Management Immersion Field Trip
Trip is offered ad hoc.
UHPSI at Yale School of the Environment partners with Noble Research Institute in Ardmore, Oklahoma to offer Yale students participation in a 4- day field-based, land management trip. Noble’s Land Stewardship team is skilled in regenerative ranching, prescribed burn implementation, landowner engagement, range and wildlife management.
Activities:
– Ranch Tours
– Prescribed burns
– Plan and implement grazing strategies and assess impact
– Learn about ranch ecosystem processes and soil health indicators
See photos below
Land Management Field Practicum
Trip is offered ad hoc.
A 2-week field practicum during early June designed to engage Yale students with students from 3 other universities (University of Wyoming, Sheridan College, and Texas A&M University- Kingsville) in a collaborative, decision-making process to address a western, natural-resource issue. Practicum involves lectures, field data collection, and communication with diverse stakeholders to produce a conservation deliverable. This experiential, service-learning practicum engages students in applied problem solving with people of different backgrounds, skillsets, and perspectives. Each year the team addresses a issue that a group of western organizations are seeking more information on. Student then spend the fall summarizing data and authoring a report to guide land management decisions.