24185BR
KGS Geohydrology Summer Internship (3-5 positions)
Kansas Geological Survey
Position Overview
The Geohydrology Section of the Kansas Geological Survey (KGS) at the University of Kansas (KU) invites applications for multiple KGS Geohydrology Summer Research Assistantship positions for the summer of 2022. The positions are available for upper-level undergraduates, recent graduates, or graduate students with an interest in interdisciplinary water science, including biogeochemistry, ecohydrology, and hydrogeology. Established in 1997, positions in the KGS summer internship program have been held by students from diverse institutions across the US and abroad. Many past participants have co-authored articles or conference presentations based on the summer work, and students would be encouraged to continue work on projects as part of an undergraduate or graduate thesis following the conclusion of the internship if interested. More information on the internship program is available here: https://www.kgs.ku.edu/Hydro/gipIndex.html
Start Date: Start the week of May 29, 2023 (flexible based on student schedule)
Job Description
SALARY: Interns will be paid $15/hour with an anticipated 12-week, full-time work schedule. Expenses of travel to and from Lawrence are not provided. All work-related travel expenses will be provided by the Kansas Geological Survey.
DUTIES: This assistantship is a 12-week summer position during which interns will work with KGS, KU, and collaborators at other institutions by contributing to externally-funded research projects. Projects that may support interns in 2023 include: investigating water quantity and quality in intermittent streams; evaluating irrigation management strategies to promote groundwater sustainability; and characterizing the drivers of water availability and water quality in the Kansas River corridor.
In 2023, we anticipate hiring between 3-5 interns depending on funding. Interns can apply for one of two tracks:
- Biogeochemistry Track (supervised by Erin Seybold): These interns will conduct research focused on understanding the drivers of groundwater and surface water quality in undisturbed and anthropogenic landscapes. This may include collecting and analyzing water quality samples, working with high-frequency water quality sensor networks, and synthesizing and analyzing long-term water quality data. Projects on this track may include both field work and data science approaches.
- Ecohydrology Track (supervised by Sam Zipper): These interns will conduct research on the characterization and analysis of groundwater and surface water resources, and interactions between water resources, society, and ecosystems. Projects on this track typically include a substantial data science and modeling component as well as field research.
Interns will work closely with their supervisors to design suitable summer research projects that meet project needs and align with intern career goals. While the interns will specialize in one of these two tracks, they will have many opportunities to work together and with other students to gain interdisciplinary experience.
Intern duties may include:
- 20% – Collecting field measurements of hydrogeological and biogeochemical properties (infiltration capacity, soil cores, stream stage, water quality constituents, etc.).
- 20% – Synthesis and analysis of hydrological, meteorological, geophysical, and/or biogeochemical data.
- 20% – Developing and/or using hydrological, agronomic, and biogeochemical models.
- 20% – Laboratory analysis of water and sediment samples.
- 20% – Preparing results for publication or presentation.
Percentages for each duty will vary depending on the specific project the intern works on.
Position Requirements
RESTRICTIONS: Only candidates with the appropriate U.S. work authorization will be considered.
Required Qualifications
- Relevant coursework in hydrogeology, hydrology, and/or biogeochemistry.
- Interest in water science as evidenced by coursework and application materials.
- Data analysis and visualization experience, preferably using programmatic approaches (R, Python, MATLAB, etc.).
- Clear communication skills as evidenced by application materials.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with any of the duties described above.
- Experience with field-based data collection.
- Experience with GIS and/or remote sensing analysis.
- Ability and willingness to participate in outdoor physical activity in mid-summer temperatures in Kansas.
Contact Information to Applicants
For further technical information contact Erin Seybold at erinseybold@ku.edu and Sam Zipper at samzipper@ku.edu. For other HR information, contact Annette Delaney at adelaney@ku.edu.
Additional Candidate Instruction
A complete application will consist of the following;
1. Cover letter (max 2 pages) indicating the following:
a. which research track you are interested in, Ecohydrology or Biogeochemistry
b. how you meet the required and preferred qualifications
c. how the internship will help you reach your career goals
d. what strengths you feel you have professionally, academically, and/or technically
e. what areas you have room for improvement professionally, academically, or technically
f. anything else you want us to know about you or that you would like to share
2. Resume/CV
3. Contact information for 3 references (email address, phone number, and relation to reference)
4. Academic transcripts (unofficial copies acceptable).
Preference will be given to applicants whose application materials are received by February 17, 2023.
Advertised Salary Range: $15/hour
Application Review Begins: 17-Feb-2023
Anticipated Start Date: 29-May-2023
Primary Campus: University of Kansas Lawrence Campus
FTE: 1.0
Reg/Temp: Temporary
FLSA Status: Nonexempt
Employee Class: U-Unclassified Professional Staff
Work Schedule: 8-5, Monday through Friday. Fieldwork may have varied hours.
Conditions of Employment: Contingent on Funding
Work Location Assignment: On-Site
Disclaimer
The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university’s programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and are the Title IX coordinators for their respective campuses: Director of the Office of Civil Rights & Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY (for the Lawrence, Edwards, Parsons, Yoder, and Topeka campuses); Director, Equal Opportunity Office, Mail Stop 7004, 4330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Fairway, KS 66205, 913-588-8011, 711 TTY (for the Wichita, Salina, and Kansas City, Kansas medical center campuses).
