POSITION TITLE: bioacoustics internship

Hiring Organization/Employer: National Park Service 
Application Deadline:  6/14/2026
Education Required:  none
Location:  Ashland, WI
Website Link/URL:  Acoustic Assistant (52 Weeks) - AmeriCorps at Conservation Legacy

Description:  

 The Great Lakes Network (GLKN) is a subunit of the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program and is responsible for monitoring ecological ‘vital signs’ in nine National Parks located in Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Vital signs are environmental indicators that help us determine if the ecosystems within our National Parks are healthy. For more than a decade, GLKN has been monitoring landbirds as a vital sign using point count survey methods and bats and vocalizing amphibians as two additional vital signs using passive acoustic recording devices (i.e., bioacoustics methods). Recently, natural resource management staff at multiple Network parks have requested assistance with integrating these two monitoring modalities (manual surveys and autonomous recording) and in designing shorter-term projects targeted at assessing the impact of various restoration activities using bioacoustics methods. Our goal is to design a multi-purpose “management assessment protocol” (MAP) that can be rapidly deployed to parks upon request and adapted to meet specific needs (e.g., differing target taxa and habitat types, variable sampling design complexity, fluctuating management timelines). This will require that a SIP either (1) apply existing knowledge of bioacoustics methods or (2) learn about bioacoustics during their SIP term within the context of applying their existing knowledge of sample design and adaptive management. In other words, familiarity with bioacoustics is desired but not required for this project. Bioacoustics is a relatively young field, so this project will involve applying cutting edge methods in exciting and novel ways to address emerging management needs. Designing the MAP will entail pilot testing, troubleshooting of both field logistics and bioacoustics hardware, and creating user guides to assist park staff during both future deployment and post-processing analytical steps. By hiring a SIP, we hope to leverage the knowledge and skills of an ecologist, wildlife biologist, or sound engineer who is familiar with bioacoustics applications to aid in the development of a set of publishable standard operating procedures (see Deliverables and Position Products section) detailing a MAP and meeting an immediate and highly requested need of park units within the Great Lakes region. This experience will help the successful candidate further develop their research and project management skills, specifically as they relate to wildlife and natural resource management. The SIP will collaborate closely with GLKN scientists to accomplish these goals. Ultimately, this will serve as an opportunity to make a lasting and meaningful contribution to natural resource management in Great Lakes parks while also increasing attainability to data and creating a MAP of potential broader scientific interest.

 

 

Compensation & Benefits:  

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: $ 7,395.00 upon successful completion of position (pre-tax)
  • Weekly Living Allowance: $ 775.00 per week, fixed rate (pre-tax)
  • Relocation Allowance: $ 450.00 (distributed as a one-time lump sum with first paycheck) (pre-tax)
  • Student Loan Forbearance if applicable (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly)
  • Student Loan Interest Payments if applicable (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly)
  • For 52-week positions only:
    • Free Healthcare Coverage (opt in)
    • Childcare Coverage (opt in)

 

Responsibilities:  

 The SIP will be expected to collaborate with GLKN scientists to design and write a collection of documents that will describe a standardized, repeatable, and scalable method of using passive acoustic monitoring devices to assess variety and abundance of assemblages of vocalizing fauna using bioacoustics methods prior to and following habitat restoration activities at GLKN parks. The primary document will be a protocol narrative component, which will be supported by several separate standard operating procedure documents and brief how-to guides to be used in the field by park staff during deployment of acoustic devices. At the end of their term, the SIP will present their new protocol to park staff in a format of their choosing (e.g., short webinar presentation, brief newsletter). Opportunities for an ambitious SIP may include analyzing data collected during the pilot field season; developing custom scripts for processing, analyzing, and visualizing bioacoustics data; or collaborating with Network scientists to co-author a scientific publication using existing bioacoustics data.

 

 

Preferred Qualifications:  

 

  • United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien.
  • Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award.
  • Prior to starting the position, agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check for the employer of record, Conservation Legacy, and a separate government security background check for the host site.
  • The applicant must be available to participate for the entire 52 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.

 

 

 

How to Apply:  

 

Apply online, all Scientists in Parks positions are listed at: https://conservation-legacy.breezy.hr/. Complete the application for this position, highlighting why you are interested in the position and how your background and experience will help you succeed in this position. Be prepared to upload your resume and unofficial transcript as part of completing the application questionnaire.

Once you begin applying for a position, the application must be completed in one sitting. You cannot save and return later to complete it. Applicants can apply for up to five (5) Scientists in Parks positions per season. You need to complete a separate application for each position in order to be considered. You should receive a confirmation email after successfully submitting an application. Sometimes institutional email filters/settings can redirect, or block emails related to the application. We recommend watching spam, junk, and promotional email folders in case your service delivers messages there. Please visit How to Apply for additional resources and information about applying (i.e., learn what materials to have ready for applying, find a worksheet that previews application questions, etc.). Learn more about Scientists in Parks at: https://www.scientistsinparks.org/.