Student Opportunities

Volunteer Opportunities with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office in Flagstaff, AZ (posted 2/11/2026 MPLW)

Volunteer Opportunities – 2026 Field Season

Greetings! As we approach the 2026 field season, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office in Flagstaff, AZ is seeking volunteers to assist with spring and fall sampling trips to monitor native fish populations in Grand Canyon and the Little Colorado River (LCR) canyon.

Volunteers have been essential to the success and safety of our work since the project began, and we look forward to continuing these valuable partnerships.

Overview of Trips

Little Colorado River Monitoring

• Location: Canyon-bound tributary of the Colorado River on the Navajo Nation near Grand Canyon National Park, Northern Arizona
• Purpose: Monitor the federally protected Humpback Chub (Gila cypha) population and other native fish species
• Duration: Approximately 10 days
• Activities:
  • Deploy hoop nets to capture and collect data on local fish populations
  • Operate from remote, fixed field camps along the river
• Conditions:
  • Access via helicopter
  • Food and water provided while in the field
  • Primitive camping; adverse weather possible
  • Typically hiking up to 6 but occasionally exceeding 10 miles in a day over rough and muddy terrain
  • Work requires walking in and around flowing water
  • Limited outside communication

Mainstem Colorado River Monitoring

• Location: Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park
• Purpose: Monitor the federally protected Humpback Chub population and other native fish species and gather data on non-native fish presence
• Duration: Up to 20 continuous days, covering 280 miles from Lee’s Ferry to Pearce Ferry, AZ
• Activities:
  • Hoop net sampling from boats
  • Backwater seine net sampling
  • Travel by motorized rafts and 16-ft aluminum boats
• Conditions:
  • Primitive camping; adverse weather possible
  • Daily camp relocation
  • Food and water provided while in the field
  • Limited outside communication
  • Motion sickness possible during boat-based work and data entry for some individuals
• Crew Exchanges:
  • Limited exchange opportunities at Phantom Ranch or Diamond Creek
  • Phantom Ranch exchange requires hiking Bright Angel Trail—be prepared for strenuous conditions

Volunteer Requirements

• Volunteers are responsible for covering travel to Flagstaff
  • Lodging and per diem in Flagstaff will be reimbursed at the federal rate
• Comfortable with primitive camping and remote conditions
• Ability to work in adverse weather and hike long distances
• Ability to work in teams with individuals from diverse backgrounds and personalities
• Confident swimmer
• Background in biology or fisheries preferred but not required

Trip Dates – 2026

Little Colorado River

April 14–24
May 12–22
Sept 15–25
Oct 20–30

Mainstem Colorado River

Aug 26–Sept 14

How to Apply

Please submit the following:

• Completed volunteer application (see PDF below): 

  Document

  LCR-Volunteer-Application-2026.pdf
• Current resume

Send documents via email to:

• Mike Pillow – Michael_Pillow@fws.gov
• Pilar Rinker – Pilar_Rinker@fws.gov

Once positions are filled and standby lists established, you will receive an email notification. If you wish to join a standby list, please indicate this in your application.

Additional Information

• Crew lists fill quickly; some trips are near capacity
• Standby lists help us fill last-minute cancellations
• To unsubscribe from this mailing list, email Michael_Pillow@fws.gov

Contacts

• Mike Pillow – (928) 556-2107
• Pilar Rinker – (928) 556-2104

North American Weather Modification Council Scholarship (posted 2/11/2026 LD)

The North American Weather Modification Council Scholarship Committee will once again be offering up to two $2000 scholarships to any students that is enrolled in a science or engineering discipline that relates to weather modification.  Please pass the attached email or flyer on to anyone interested.  The final date for receipt of applications is March 13.  For more information about the scholarship, please reach out to Derek Blestrud at dblestrud@idahopower.com.

For more information about the NAWMC, please visit NAWMC (Link).

UCAR’s Next Generation Graduate Fellowship is now accepting applications for the 2026 cohort (posted 2/6/2026 BC)

UCAR's Next Generation Fellowship is designed to provide targeted financial and community support for graduate students in Earth System Sciences who are currently enrolled at North American universities (United States, Canada, and Mexico).  Three Fellows are selected each year, one in each of three tracks: Earth System Science Research; Applied Science Research (new for 2026); or Science Policy. During their two year fellowship, Fellows collaborate with UCAR experts, including those from NSF NCAR and UCAR Community Programs, while participating in dedicated professional development and leadership training opportunities.

Each Fellow receives a $40,000 fellowship over two years ($10,000 disbursed twice per year); funding for up to 20 weeks of research visits to a relevant UCAR site; funding to attend conferences; curated professional development programming; professional coaching; and the support of a like-minded cohort.

The Next Generation Fellowship is a collaboration between a graduate student (the Fellow) and their track mentors (experts from UCAR, NSF NCAR, and UCAR Community Programs). Fellows are responsible for leading the work pursued during their fellowship, integrating it into their ongoing research, building connections between their track mentors and their graduate advisors with considerable freedom to develop interdisciplinary knowledge and collaborations.

For more information about the program, we recommend attending one of the information sessions below, or emailing nextgenfellows@ucar.edu

Register for Info Sessions
The Next Gen coordinator will host three information sessions during the application period. These sessions will go over the structure of the program, tips on how to prepare your application and find a mentor, and give you the chance to chat with current Fellows and/or potential track mentors. Click the links below to register for one or more sessions.  
Thursday March 19th, 2026 at 11am PT/12pm MT/2pm ET
Monday April 27th, 2026 at 2pm PT/3pm MT/5pm ET
Friday May 15th, 2026 at 12pm PT/1pm MT/3pm ET
 

Research Associate – Hydrologic Streamflow Modeling (posted 2/4/2026 LR)

Position Description

Discover your potential as a career-track, Master’s-level, Research Associate with The University of Oklahoma’s Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations (CIWRO). This role presents an exciting opportunity to support research in flash flooding, aviation weather, and winter storms. The primary emphasis for this position will be on hydrologic streamflow modeling and will be conducted in collaboration with NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL).

Overview

This position’s main goal is to integrate NSSL’s flash flood routing model (FLASH) into the Warn-on-Forecast System (WoFS). This involves:
• Developing the necessary coding infrastructure to link the two systems.
• Evaluating the resulting forecast output against gauge observations and local storm reports.
• Creating decision-support tools that stakeholders can use to analyze the forecasts.

Additional work may include advancing hydrological modeling within the Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor (MRMS) system, assisting with aviation research to support the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and supporting winter-weather research in partnership with the National Weather Service (NWS).

Key Responsibilities

Specific tasks include:
• Supporting the transition and evaluation of a flash-flood hydrologic model into the WoFS codeset
• Assist with the development of decision-support tools for interrogating probabilistic forecasts of flash flooding
• Presenting research at conferences and for stakeholder meetings
• Assisting with preparation of grant proposals, publications, and reports

Qualifications

We are looking for candidates who possess:
• A Master’s degree in Meteorology, Hydrology, or Civil Engineering
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work and communicate effectively in a highly collaborative team setting

Desired skills:
• At least 5 years of post-graduate research experience with an emphasis on hydrology and flash flooding
• Experience working with hydrologic streamflow models
• Strong computer programming experience and ability to code in Python and C++

Benefits and Work-Life Balance

Joining our team comes with numerous benefits, including:
• Competitive salary based on experience and comprehensive university benefits (http://hr.ou.edu/).
• Generous paid leave, encompassing 15 paid holidays and 22 hours of paid time off per month.
• Reduced membership at The University of Oklahoma’s state-of-the-art fitness and aquatic center (https://www.ou.edu/far).

We are dedicated to promoting a healthy work-life balance by championing a flexible work culture, offering adaptable work hours and a hybrid work arrangement. This framework enables team members to navigate personal commitments while effectively contributing to their professional responsibilities. More details about working at the University of Oklahoma, benefits packages, as well as living in Norman Oklahoma are provided on our website: https://jobs.ou.edu/Discover-OU.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit:
• A cover letter highlighting your interest in the position and describing how you meet the position qualifications,
• Your up-to-date resume/CV, and
• A list of three professional references.

Send your application materials to: ciwro-careers@ou.edu. Please use the subject line: "ATTN: Hydro. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The starting date is negotiable.

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity/Affirmative Action employer

Carson Scholars Program (posted 2/3/2026 MPLW)

Students who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply:

• Current UA Graduate Student in a Ph.D, JD, or other Terminal Master’s Creative or Professional Program
• Will be actively enrolled at UA Main Campus for the 2026-2027 Academic Year
• Involved in research related to the environment and/or its intersection with social justice
• Committed to actively participating in all aspects of the Carson Scholars Program

To learn more about the program and to apply, please visit https://www.carson.arizona.edu/apply.

Applications are open now through February 16^th, 2026. Questions can be directed to Maia Schneider at maiaschneider@arizona.edu.(cc'd) and contact info below:

Maia Schneider, MA
She/Her/Hers
Environmental Education Program Coordinator
maiaschneider@arizona.edu | 520-621-5606
Carson Scholars | Liverman Fellows | Arizona Institute for Resilience

Federal Resume Workshop (posted 2/3/2026 BC)

Presented by the School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences - RSVP Required for Zoom Link

Join Jodie Pitcock for an insightful session on building a strong federal resume and standing out for career opportunities within USDA. 

Tuesday, February 17th from 12 pm to 1 pm via Zoom

Topics covered:

• Navigating USAjobs.gov
• Understanding vacancy announcements
• Tips for make your resume more competitive
• Key features to look for in job postings

RSVP Required for Zoom Link - A great workshop if you are interested in working for the government eventuall

WRRC Offering Two Student Summer Internships (posted 1/30/226 MPLW)

Point Source Lead Water Resources Professional New Mexico Environment Department (posted 1/30/2026 MPLW)

Note: We only have one job advertised (we just went through a rapid hire in October), but we will be creating 4 more positions in the coming months and hopefully will interview and hire in spring/summer. Here is the info for the advertised position on our State Jobs website:

Point Source Lead Water Resources Professional (NMED #10118395) Santa Fe, NM

DIRECTIONS:
1. Click the link below to access the Careers site and Job Posting.
https://careers.share.nm.gov/psp/hprdcg/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=1&JobOpeningId=160754&PostingSeq=1

2. Sign In to access your account - see menu bar on the right (3
vertical dots). If you do not have an account, select the menu bar and
click on New User to create an account.

3. Review the job description and click Apply for Job to begin your application.

Shelly Lemon
Bureau Chief - Surface Water Quality Bureau
New Mexico Environment Department
Cell: (505) 470-5018
Pronouns: she/her

shelly.lemon@env.nm.gov
https://www.env.nm.gov/surface-water-quality/

Dibble Engineering Intership (posted 1/30/2026 MPLW & KL)

Dibble Engineering is currently looking for a student to fill an internship position in our Tucson drainage group.  Dibble is a general civil engineering firm with offices in Denver, Phoenix and Tucson.  They’ve been already for quite a while and are well respected.  They’re located downtown by the YMCA/County office and not far from the streetcar route.

There is not an official link for an application so send resumes to Mike Briotta (mike.briotta@dibblecorp.com) and copy Marco Aldaz (marco.aldaz@dibblecorp.com).

RISE Internship (posted 1/22/2026 MSH)

National Weather Service Hiring Event @ American Meteorological Association Annual Meeting Jan 25-28 (posted 1/21/2026 MPLW)

For those attending AMS, there are 3 different sessions related to job opportunities coming up at this year's annual meeting.  Please distribute this to your students attending the meeting.  

Opportunity 1

Pre-registration is now available for the National Weather Service's hiring event at AMS! In conjunction with the American Meteorological Society’s annual meeting in Houston, the National Weather Service is hosting an in-person hiring event on Sunday, January 25.

Qualified candidates may be interviewed in person and may receive a Letter of Intent to Hire at the event.

Pre-register now: https://lnkd.in/eR-Y5biT

Date: Sunday, January 25, 2026
Time: 10:15 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. CT
Location: AMS Annual Meeting
Hilton Americas-Houston
1600 Lamar, Houston, TX 77010
Room: Lanier Grand Ballroom J-K

Requirements:

• You must be attending the AMS Annual Meeting
• Must pre-register for the hiring event online, or at the NWS table on Saturday, Jan 24th, or at the hiring event on Sunday, Jan 25th
• You must apply to the open Meteorologist, GS-1340-5/7/9, announcement on USAJobs and meet all qualifications to be considered

Opportunities 2 and 3

Calling All Students!

Attending AMS? Stop by NOAA Booth #103 in the exhibit hall for our NWS Hiring presentations:

• Tuesday, January 27 @ 10:00 a.m. (followed by a Connect & Collaborate event with NOAA employees until 11:00 a.m.)
  • Connect with familiar faces and mentors
  • Meet NOAA senior leadership in an approachable setting
  • Get to know staff from across NOAA’s diverse mission areas.
• Wednesday, January 28 @ 10:00 a.m. (NWS employees will be available until 11:00 a.m.)

We can't wait to see you!

Charlie Woodrum

Preparedness and Resilience Lead

NOAA's National Weather Service

Mobile: 304-282-5884

CIWRO Research Scientist/Associate - Hail Climatologist (posted 1/21/2026 LR)

Position Description

The Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations (CIWRO) at the University of Oklahoma currently is seeking a research scientist or research associate to construct a refined hail climatology for improving the understanding of hail occurrence to help support an Industry Proving Ground proposal. The researcher will develop an improved understanding of historical hail frequency and drivers of these events ranging from storm-scale to synoptic-scales. The primary tasks of this position are to construct a higher-resolution, multi-decadal hail climatology, help produce a polarimetric retrospective radar reanalysis, and investigate the storm and environmental characteristics associated with hail. This position will be located in Norman, Oklahoma at the National Weather Center on the campus of the University of Oklahoma.

Job Responsibilities

• Develop a high-resolution hail climatology to better constrain historical hail frequency
• Construct a polarimetric radar retrospective for use in building the hail climatology
• Attend meetings and professional conferences to present research results and interact with collaborators
• Provide support for regular summaries of work accomplished through reports and/or peer-reviewed publications as needed
• (Research Scientist only) Lead research leveraging the hail climatology to identify storm characteristics, near-storm environments, and synoptic-scale conditions that lead to hail
• (Research Scientist only) Build an independent hail and severe storms research portfolio through lead-author publications and proposals.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. (Research Scientist) or M.S. (Research Associate) in Meteorology, Atmospheric Science, or a related area
• Preferred expertise in one of the following areas: Interpretation and analysis of radar signatures and near-storm environments associated with hail, manipulation and generation of large datasets especially radar and meteorological data, and/or machine learning
• Experience with scientific programming on Linux systems using a high-level language (e.g., C++, Python, Java)
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• This position requires physical presence in Norman but may permit a hybrid work schedule.

Benefits and Work-Life Balance

Joining our team comes with numerous benefits, including:

• Competitive salary based on experience and comprehensive university benefits (http://hr.ou.edu/).
• Generous paid leave, encompassing 15 paid holidays and 22 hours of paid time off per month.
• Reduced membership at The University of Oklahoma’s state-of-the-art fitness and aquatic center (https://www.ou.edu/far).
• More details about working at the University of Oklahoma, benefits packages, as well as living in Norman, Oklahoma are provided on our website: https://jobs.ou.edu/Discover-OU.

We are dedicated to promoting a healthy work-life balance by championing a flexible work culture, offering adaptable work hours and a hybrid work arrangement. This empowering framework enables team members to navigate personal commitments while effectively contributing to their professional responsibilities.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit:

• A cover letter highlighting your interest in the position and describing how you meet the position qualifications,
• Your up-to-date resume/CV, and
• A list of three professional references.

Send your application materials to: ciwro-careers@ou.edu. Please use the subject line: "ATTN: Hail Climatologist." Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The starting date is negotiable. 

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

The HULT Prize is Coming to Campus this Spring! (posted 1/20/2026 BC)

What is the Hult Prize? 

The Hult Prize is an international competition for students to create startups addressing real-world issues. 

• Each startup idea must align with at least one of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Here are some examples of past winners.

• Students must work in teams of 2 - 4 to develop and pitch their ideas. 

• Teams that do well in campus and national pitch competitions can go on to London to receive directed mentorship, and the winners of Hult receive a $1 million prize to start their business. 

The W.A. Franke Honors College is hosting a qualifying competition here at U of A on February 18th. Our best teams will go to the national competition and get one step closer to the grand prize! 

If interested in joining the Hult Prize competition, there are a few things you’ll need to do - 

NEXT STEPS FOR HULT:

1. Check out the Hult Prize website to learn more about the competition.

2. Register your team to pitch in campus qualifiers by February 15th here: https://www.hultprize.org/register

3. Compete in campus qualifiers on February 18th, 2026. 

   1. The competition is scheduled to take place from 5 to 8pm that day. Participants should hold that time. 

   2. Please remember you must register at the link in step 2 to participate in qualifiers. 

Contacts:

If you have any questions, please reach out to us, the folks organizing Hult at U of A – Gabe Karcheski at gkarches@arizona.edu and Scott Hessell at shessell@arizona.edu. We’re happy to assist how we can and meet with students to clarify any details or to help hone their ideas. You can also join our interest list here.

Arizona Department of Water Resources Statewide Planning Division (posted 1/14/2026 MPLW)

We have a job position available on our team in the Statewide Planning Division. This position is a great mix of working with stakeholders in Arizona, data management and compliance. Feel free to forward it to anyone you think would be a good fit. Also if anyone has questions about my experience thus far working at ADWR, they are more than welcome to reach out!

The following job opportunity has been posted to the State Employment website:

Team: Statewide Planning Division/Water System (CWS) Program

Title: Water Resources Specialist 3 (Community Water System)

Job #: 538142

Link: WRS 3 (Community Water System)

(HAS Alum) Dr. D Tadych

Demand Management Coordinator

Statewide Planning Section

Arizona Department of Water Resources

(602) 771-8773