Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Employment Opportunities

By National Wildlife Health Center

Employment Opportunities

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center offers employment, externship, and volunteer opportunities in the field of wildlife health. 

Employment

Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/ to search open USGS positions.

Explore careers at the USGS, experience a day in the life of employees, navigate USAJobs, and see frequent questions on Federal hiring: https://geonarrative.usgs.gov/join-the-team-at-usgs/

 

Externships

Veterinary Student Externship in Wildlife Pathology 

The Wildlife Disease Diagnostic Laboratories Branch at the U.S. Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, invites applications from students who have completed their third year of veterinary school for a four to six-week non-paid externship in wildlife pathology.

Primary responsibilities include participation in diagnostic pathology service, including gross and histopathologic evaluation of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians from wildlife mortality events. Successful applicants may also have the opportunity to spend time in Center diagnostic laboratories or with wildlife epidemiologists as interest and availability allows. At the conclusion of the externship, the student will give a presentation to Center staff on a selected wildlife disease topic.

Successful applicants will be required to pass a federal background investigation, provide proof of rabies vaccination with protective titer, and provide a letter from their doctor stating they are approved to wear a respirator.

To assess the match between your expectations about experiences, knowledge and skills that you will obtain during an externship and the opportunities that the NWHC has to offer, please provide the following information:

Please e-mail Dr. Susan Knowles at sknowles@usgs.gov (with subject “Pathology Externship”):

  1. Curriculum vitae describing your education, training and experiences.
  2. Letter of intent describing your goals for the externship.  Please comment on specific topics on which you are seeking experience, describe your career goals, and explain briefly how your externship at the NWHC will contribute to those goals.
  3. What is expected or required of the organization that sponsors or hosts an extern from your program? For example, will we need to complete an evaluation or provide particular types of training?
  4. What is expected or required of the student? For example, do you need to conduct an independent project and write a report?
  5. The dates of the proposed externship.

Once this information is received, it will be circulated to Center pathologists and you will be notified by e-mail if selected by a mentor.  Typically we will have a response from the staff within 15 days of receipt of your materials.

Thank you for your interest in NWHC and we look forward to hearing from you.

USGS National Wildlife Health Center
6006 Schroeder Road
Madison, WI 53711

Tel. 608-270-2400

 

Volunteering

Volunteer Opportunities in Wildlife Research or Epidemiology for Advanced Undergraduates, Graduate Students, & Veterinary Students

The Applied Wildlife Health Research and Wildlife Epidemiology and Emerging Diseases Branches at the U.S. Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center, invites applications from students for a non-paid internship in wildlife research or epidemiology.

We do not treat sick or injured wildlife. The only live animals on site are experimental research animals and several small mammal breeding colonies. Occasionally field studies involve the capture, handling and examination of free-ranging wildlife. The NWHC would have suitable opportunities for individuals interested in research on wildlife health and disease issues, microbiology, veterinary care for research animals and small mammal breeding colonies, epidemiology of wildlife diseases, and in the capture and handling of free-ranging wildlife, but not for those interested in the treatment of sick or injured wild animals.

Successful applicants will be required to pass a federal background investigation, and may be required to provide proof of rabies vaccination with protective titer, and provide a letter from their doctor stating they are approved to wear a respirator. Preference is given to candidates that are available full-time or part-time for extended periods (> 6 months).

To assess the match between your expectations about experiences, knowledge and skills that you will obtain during a volunteer internship and the opportunities that the NWHC has to offer, please provide the following information:

Please e-mail Dr. Katie Richgels at krichgels@usgs.gov (with subject “Research/Epidemiology Externship”):

  1. Curriculum vitae describing your education, training and experiences.
  2. Letter of intent describing your goals for the internship.  Please comment on specific topics on which you are seeking experience, describe your career goals, and explain briefly how your internship at the NWHC will contribute to those goals.
  3. What is expected or required of the organization that sponsors or hosts an intern from your program? For example, will we need to complete an evaluation or provide particular types of training?
  4. What is expected or required of the student? For example, do you need to conduct an independent project and write a report?
  5. The dates of the proposed internship.

Once this information is received, it will be circulated to Center staff and you will be notified by e-mail if selected by a mentor.  Typically we will have a response from the staff within 15 days of receipt of your materials.

Thank you for your interest in NWHC and we look forward to hearing from you.

USGS National Wildlife Health Center
6006 Schroeder Road
Madison, WI 53711

Tel. 608-270-2400