Salary: $25.95 Hourly
Location : Cedar City, UT
Job Type: Hourly Non-Student
Job Number: 202400144
Division: Community Outreach & Engagement
Department: Outdoor Pathways
Opening Date: 06/11/2025
Closing Date: Continuous
FLSA: Non-Exempt

Position Summary

Work is conducted across, but not limited to OK, TX, AZ, NM.

Intern will use existing data/information to define the potential locations of oil and gas sites. Where existing information is insufficient, the Fellows may conduct original analyses, with assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), state agencies, and other subject matter experts. Supervisors will provide Fellows with guidance for testing the assessment process, identifying available data and selecting parameters for evaluating data.

Estimated Start Date: 07-01-2025.
Estimated End Date: 8-27-2025.
Essential Functions

• Develop visual and data-based gas and oil well identification methods using annotation tools in a geographic information system (GIS) for model training and testing.
• Identify potential unknown oil and gas site locations using existing machine learning code and remote sensing techniques for the assigned refuge or region.
• Conduct literature reviews to inform site specific analyses.
• Engage with other FWS programs and USGS for support, training, and identification of spatial datasets and tools.
• Conduct analyses using available tools to better understand oil and gas operations and ecological effects.
• Communicate outcomes, orally and in writing, to agency project leaders, other staff and external collaborators (e.g., BIA, BLM, USGS, USFS).

Education & Experience

• Recent college graduates with a bachelor's degree.
• Ability to communicate well verbally and in writing.
• Skill working collaboratively with colleagues and partners.
• Ability to work independently.
• Strong familiarity with landscape ecology, natural resource management and GIS (Geographic Information System) and remote sensing.
• Proficiency or knowledge of general machine learning modeling techniques/software, statistical programs (e.g., R, Python, etc.), and ArcGIS, QGIS, Metashape or other like software systems.
• Knowledge of or interest in one of the following broad topic areas: Spatial Ecology/GIS Specialist, Environmental/Civil/Structural engineering, Environmental Policy or Law, Planning/Environmental Justice/Public Lands Governance or Energy Development.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite.
• Enthusiasm for conservation, adaptable and willing to learn.

Supplemental Information

Hours: 40 hours per week.
Housing: No Housing Available, housing reimbursement available.

There are an estimated 450 orphan oil and gas wells (well without a solvent owner) on National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) nationwide. The true number of orphaned wells is likely far greater than estimated. More than 100 refuges may be affected with over half of orphan wells are found on five refuges: Upper Ouachita NWR, Tensas NWR, Delta NWR, and D'Arbonne NWR in Louisiana, and Deep Fork NWR in Oklahoma. In 2021, the NWRS piloted a study using high-resolution LiDAR data to create a 3D map of surface features on refuges, including potential well pads and reserve pits which are typically associated with oil and gas development. Field staff used maps created from these LiDAR data that indicated potential oil and gas well sites. When tested on Deep Fork NWR, the technique correctly predicted over 67% of sites with orphaned oil and gas wells that were not previously identified in training data used for the well detection machine learning model. The NWRS has expanded this work to all refuges and habitat types in the southwest to further validate and refine the analysis. Additional methods using historical aerial photographs, topographic maps and other data sources are currently adding new information about the specific location of abandoned wells, not captured by LIDAR. Recent work as begun to apply these methods on refuges within other regions.
Southern Utah University does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services. For more information or contact information, please visit

In accordance with Utah State Code 53A-3-410, appointment to this position is contingent upon the successful
passing of a background check.
This position is not eligible for benefits.