Internship in bat ecology and field monitoring

Institute for Alpine Environment

Eurac Research is a private, multidisciplinary research centre based in Bolzano/Bozen, Italy, in the heart of the Italian Alps. Founded in 1992, it addresses major societal challenges through research on human health, environmental integrity, sustainable energy, and effective political and social systems. The centre employs more than 650 people and comprises 11 Institutes and 7 Centres.

The Institute for Alpine Environment is seeking an ambitious and motivated intern to support field-based research in chiropteran ecology within the Species Monitoring project, which surveys and monitors protected and endangered mammal species in South Tyrol.

The Institute conducts problem-oriented research on mountain environments, with expertise in landscape ecology, global change, biodiversity, ecosystem services and sustainable development.

The internship will focus on the field monitoring of forest-dwelling bat species, with particular emphasis on VHF radio-telemetry. The successful candidate will contribute to radio-tracking, bat capture sessions, roost monitoring and colony counts, including roost emergence surveys. Fieldwork will regularly take place at dusk and during the night.

Applicants should have practical experience with telemetry, ideally VHF radio-telemetry. Experience with bat capture techniques, such as mist-netting, and with colony or emergence counts would be an advantage. Candidates should be comfortable working in remote field locations and available for evening and night work, including surveys beginning at sunset.

The internship will be based at Eurac Research headquarters in Bolzano/Bozen, starting in May 2027 and lasting for at least five months. The exact starting date is flexible.

Tasks:

• Conduct field-based monitoring of forest-dwelling bat species, with a particular focus on VHF radio-telemetry.
• Use VHF telemetry to locate radio-tagged bats and document their roost use.
• Assist with bat capture sessions, including mist-netting, and record relevant field data.
• Conduct roost counts and emergence counts to monitor bat colonies.
• Support bat species identification, data management and the preparation of field datasheets.
• Participate in evening and night-time surveys, including fieldwork starting at dusk.
• Contribute to acoustic monitoring by deploying bat detectors and assisting with the processing and identification of echolocation calls.
• Assist with citizen science activities related to bat monitoring.
• Support dormouse monitoring as part of the broader mammal monitoring programme.

Requirements:

• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Biology, Environmental Sciences or a related discipline. Applicants must be current students or have obtained their degree no more than 12 months before the internship start date.
• Practical experience with VHF telemetry or radio-tracking. Knowledge of European mammal fauna and bat species is expected.
• Willingness and availability to work in alpine environments and undertake fieldwork on steep or remote terrain, including occasional evening and night surveys.
• Familiarity with bat bioacoustics and other bat survey methods is an advantage.
• Knowledge of GIS software (e.g. QGIS, ArcGIS)
• Good interpersonal and collaborative skills, including the ability to work within a research team and communicate with researchers from partner institutions and relevant stakeholders.
• Good English skills. Knowledge of Italian or German is an advantage.
• Strong organisational skills and a careful approach to field data collection.

We offer:

• An internship contract lasting approximately five to six months, starting in May 2027. The exact start date is flexible.
• The opportunity to develop a Master’s dissertation using project data.
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities, including software, hardware and communication tools.
• The opportunity to work as part of a young, international and interdisciplinary team.
• Meal vouchers.
• Attractive working conditions at a Great Place to Work®-certified organisation.
• Family-friendly arrangements and flexible working hours.