About the role
Posting Information
Requisition
202600327ST
Title
Student Worker- College of Science and Engineering Technology- Advanced Herpetology Assistant
Employee Class
Student Worker
College Work Study Position
No
Department
College of Science and Engineering Technology
Division
Division of Academic Affairs
Hours per week
10-15 hours per week
Hiring Rate
$14.00 per hour
Preferred Student Classification
Nature & Purpose of Position
The Sam Houston State Natural History Collections is seeking an advanced, highly motivated working student to take on a leadership role in our Herpetology division. This position goes beyond basic specimen maintenance. You will serve as a key driver in modernizing our physical archive and scaling our digital biodiversity infrastructure. This is an exceptional opportunity for a student aiming for a career in museum curation, data science, or organismal biology to gain high-level, hands-on institutional experience.
Primary Responsibilities
- Taxonomic Identification: Independently verify and identify amphibian, reptile, and fish specimens utilizing advanced taxonomic keys, regional literature, and comparative collection techniques.
- Database Architecture: Spearhead the design, optimization, and migration of the collection database, ensuring seamless data structure and integrity.
- Biodiversity Informatics: Map, clean, and standardize legacy collection data into global Darwin Core (DwC) terms to prepare the dataset for international aggregation (e.g., GBIF, iDigBio).
- Curation & Preservation: Oversee the physical processing, fluid preservation, labeling, and organization of incoming and existing specimens.
Other Requirements for the Position
Required Qualifications
- Enrolled student at Sam Houston State University with a strong academic background in Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, Data Science, or a related field.
- Demonstrated proficiency in herpetological identification.
- Familiarity with biodiversity informatics standards, specifically Darwin Core schema and metadata structures.
- Exceptional attention to detail and ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior experience working in a natural history museum or herpetology collection.
Open Date
09/01/2026
Position Number
Contact Information
Contact Name & Title
Jennifer Skains
Contact Phone
936-294-1969
Contact Email
jns001@shsu.edu
Contact Building & Room #
Contact Fax
Contact Instructions Summary
email please at jns001@shsu.edu
EEO Statement
EEO Statement
Sam Houston State University is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and Smoke/Drug-Free Workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, ancestry, marital status, citizenship, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or protected veteran status. The University takes seriously the initiative to ensure equal opportunity in the workforce and to comply with Title VII as interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court. Sam Houston State University is an “at will” employer. Employees with a contract will have additional terms and conditions. Security-sensitive positions at SHSU require background checks in accordance with Education Code §51.215.
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