Smithsonian Institution, Prairie Dog & Black-Footed Ferrets Internship, Summer 2025

Every summer, The Bill Lane Center for the American West offers many opportunities for Stanford undergraduates (including graduating seniors and co-terms) to work with organizations throughout the West. Through these internships, students can explore careers in natural history, conservation, land use, museum curation, resource management, energy and more.

All internships are full-time for nine to ten weeks during the summer. They are fully funded by the Lane Center with stipends ranging from $7,500 to $10,000.

The Lane Center has placed hundreds of interns in positions across the West since 2005. It has developed strong relationships with host organizations and works hard to ensure interns have successful and enriching experiences.

For more information about the internship program, please visit the FAQs page, or email Education Manager Corinne Thomas.

Details about previous summer student interns and their placements can be found here.

Student reflections about the internship experience can be found by visiting the Out West student blog and the Lane Center Instagram channel.

Stipend Information:

The Bill Lane Center will provide a base stipend of $7,500 with additional funding for student financial aid and location, if applicable, up to $10,000. The stipend is provided to cover living expenses and, if applicable, part of the summer earnings expectation of the Office of Financial Aid.

The stipend is not intended to be, and is not, a paid, hourly wage. An internship is an educational and experiential learning opportunity intended for the student to apply their academics and gain real-world experience.

PLEASE NOTE: A background check may be run for full Smithsonian internship status. International students are eligible and welcome. The selected individual will be required to undergo a recruitment process with the Smithsonian Institution to allow them field vehicle privileges and sponsored travel (additional travel within the bounds of the internship).  

Description of the Agency and the Internship: 

The Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, encompasses 21 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park, and nine research centers. The Smithsonian is a national and world treasure and is dedicated to its founding mission, “the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”

The Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) plays a leading role in the Smithsonian’s global efforts to save wildlife species from extinction and train future generations of conservationists. NZCBI spearheads research programs at its 3,200-acre headquarters in Front Royal, Virginia, and satellite locations in Washington, D.C., field offices in Hawaii, Montana, Gabon, Kenya, and Peru, and at field research training sites worldwide. NZCBI explores solutions to issues such as reproduction in captivity, conservation ecology, and biodiversity through scientific research and through collaborative arrangements with other conservation organizations, zoos, and governmental entities nationally and abroad.

This internship will be part of the Great Plains Science Program at NZBCI whose mission is to safeguard and enhance the world's diverse grassland ecosystems through innovative research, conservation initiatives, and collaborations. The position will work with the team on its efforts to enhance the conservation and management of black-tailed prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets.

The black-tailed prairie dog is a keystone species that plays a critical role in promoting the health and biodiversity of grassland ecosystems. Unfortunately, black-tailed prairie dogs have been eliminated through most of their range, and today exist across 2% of their historic range despite their crucial role in grassland systems. They are highly susceptible to Sylvatic plague (Yersinia pestis), an invasive disease introduced to North America. Today, plague is considered the number one threat to prairie dogs.

The interns will assist with an ongoing PhD project designed to understand the impacts of plague mitigation on black-tailed prairie dogs and their habitat. Results from this study will inform plague mitigation strategies aimed at conserving populations of prairie dogs. This is a collaborative effort with contributions from several partner organizations and agencies.

Most of the work would occur at the American Prairie and Fort Belknap field sites in northeastern Montana. The day-to-day work of the position is very versatile, offering exposure to different research methodologies and ecological studies. The intern will engage in diverse sampling techniques, providing hands-on experience with different methods of data collection and field research.  The primary responsibilities of the intern will be assisting with research tasks, including assisting with efforts to live-trap prairie dogs, sampling insects, conducting vegetation surveys, assisting with basic data entry and organization tasks and helping with the maintenance of survey equipment. The intern will work closely with a team of research ecologists, a Ph.D. student, and contractors.

The intern will be based at a remote field station set in the beautiful prairie habitat surrounded by abundant wildlife, including a prairie dog town right outside the station. This position offers the chance to interact with leading researchers from diverse fields, as well as other interns and technicians involved in various projects who will be visiting the field station. This unique opportunity not only offers hands-on experience in fieldwork but also fosters a collaborative environment.

Internship Work Environment:

This is an in-person internship; 80% outdoor/field work to 20% indoor/office work per week.

This intern will be working as part of a team consisting of other interns, Ph.D. students, and research ecologists. The intern will work with the team on a daily basis to complete a variety of field tasks and survey methods. The team includes other college-age students and interns on a daily basis. Our team size varies but we expect that 2-4 other interns will be present.

Day-to-day work generally consists of starting around 7am (or earlier depending on weather) and heading outdoors into the field. Interns will be assigned a field-related task for the day to complete and generally spent most of the day outdoors. Some time will be spent driving between survey sites. Duration of day-to-day work will vary widely, some days the fieldwork may be completed before noon, some days the intern may work until 6-7pm. Evening work may also be required to avoid working during the hottest times of the day.

This will include a combination of outdoor and indoor work. Outdoor conditions will expose candidates to various challenges associated with working in a prairie ecosystem including biting-insects (lots of them), rattlesnakes, extreme heat, sun-exposure, and primitive road conditions. All candidates must be prepared to handle these challenges and maintain a positive attitude throughout the duration of the internship.

Housing: 

Intern housing is provided at American Prairie, Philips County, Montana, forty miles south of Malta, Montana.

No family housing is available for this internship. Housing is in a shared setting with common living room, kitchen, and bathroom facilities in a furnished house or small dormitory-style building. Interns may be expected to share a bedroom with one other person. Each person is responsible for cleaning their own space and common areas, as well as removal of all trash and recycling. There are laundry facilities onsite. Pets are not allowed in shared housing.

This is a REMOTE location, so candidates should be prepared to live and work closely will a small group in an isolated setting, including other interns who may be working on different projects. Trips to town (Malta, Montana) will be limited. Cell phone and internet service will be available.

Transportation:

A personal vehicle is not required. We will provide a work truck and transportation to/from the airport. Interns may chose to bring a personal vehicle to enable more travel flexibility during off days.

For those who wish to bring a personal vehicle, please note that roads to the field location are primitive and an AWD or 4WD vehicle is recommended.

Malta, Montana is the nearest town. Malta has most of the major amenities of a small town including, gas stations, grocery store, drug store, bank, restaurants, bars, churches, library, hotels, and post office.

Location: American Prairie, Montana (forty miles south of Malta, Montana).