Undergraduate Research Assistant
Job Title: Undergraduate Research Assistant in Coyote Neuroendocrinology & Behavior
Job Description: The Freeman Lab in the Department of Biology is seeking to hire a part-time, undergraduate research intern for summer 2026 through the Gateway to Research Internship program, which prioritizes students with little to no previous research experience. The intern will be expected to work around 12-14 hours a week for 10 weeks, starting June 1st (excluding state and federal holidays). The number of hours a day will vary based on the research activities that are planned from week to week and may range from 0 to 8 hours/day, as needed, which will be communicated to the intern in advance. The intern will be expected to be responsible, punctual, communicative/responsive via email, phone, and text, and capable of working safely and independently in a laboratory environment with minimal supervision. It is also expected that the assistant takes direction well, maintains a high attention to detail, exhibits a positive attitude, and works well with others, as this position will require working in teams with current graduate students, collaborators, and other department members. The intern must complete Laboratory Safety Training through the Office of Environmental Safety. As this position will require handling of postmortem brain tissues, and the research assistant must be comfortable working with biohazardous material in the lab and committed to following all standard operating protocols in order to maintain the highest levels of safety during lab activities.
The research assistant will be expected to help with a variety of laboratory tasks throughout the summer. The most common task will include the preparation and sectioning of frozen brain tissue for histological analysis. This includes learning to work independently (and safely) on a cryostat, handling irreplaceable, unfixed, frozen tissue specimens, and preparing microscope slides with mounted tissue sections for long-term storage at -80C. Other tasks during the assistantship will include: behavioral coding of videos of coyote behavior and behavioral experiments involving adult coyotes at the USDA research facility in Millville. Working with coyote behavioral tests will include prepping supplies, checking cameras/batteries/memory cards, and helping facility staff with colony feeding and other husbandry related tasks, as needed. The intern will need to provide their own transportation to and from the facility in Millville and have a willingness to work in relatively close proximity to live carnivores in an outdoor setting for several hours at a time in Cache Valley summer temperatures and weather conditions. The intern will also be asked/expected to help with general laboratory housekeeping duties, such as freezer inventories, doing dishes, data organization, receiving packages, ordering supplies, or any other duties as directed by the supervisor or graduate students or postdocs in the lab.
Applicants should submit a 1-2 page resume or CV, a copy of your transcript (unofficial is fine), and a 1-page cover letter summarizing your relevant skills and experiences and how this job aligns with your educational goals.