Green Care Lab Undergraduate Opportunities
At the Green Care Lab, we are committed to providing comprehensive opportunities for trainees, particularly undergraduate students at UC Davis. Our aim is to offer hands-on, service-learning experiences that also support mental health. Our undergraduate research and education interns play a pivotal role in creating and supporting various aspects of our work. Currently, we are focused on establishing our Green Care Lab research hub, offering internships in four key areas:
Animal Wellness, Cognition, and Behavior Undergraduate Internship
(NPB 099/199 - 3 credits. Offered every quarter, including summer quarters)
We typically post specific internship openings on Handshake midway through each quarter. If you don’t see an advertisement, we encourage you to reach out to Dr. Rebecca Calisi-Rodríguez ([email protected]) and Green Care Lab Manager Claire Short ([email protected]) to express your interest. Be sure to include a brief introduction about yourself and attach your resume or CV—we’d love to hear from you!
Step out of the classroom and onto the ranch with this immersive internship course at the Green Care Lab, directed by Professor Rebecca Calisi-Rodríguez. Designed for students eager to gain real-world, hands-on experience, this course provides a rare opportunity to work directly with pigs, goats, horses, and donkeys in a supportive and engaging environment.
Through this internship, you will learn the ins and outs of animal care by doing. From maintaining safe and clean spaces for different species to understanding their specific nutritional needs, you’ll gain valuable skills in daily husbandry. You’ll also conduct health checks, learning how to identify signs of distress or adverse behaviors in animals. Additionally, you’ll develop the confidence to handle haltered horses and goats—a fundamental skill in working with these animals.
You’ll collaborate with a team of students using Slack, the Green Care Lab’s dedicated social networking and communication platform. Through this, you’ll gain hands-on experience with a professional-grade software widely used in workplaces, building a strong foundation in effective communication, organization, and teamwork—essential skills for any future career. Additionally, Slack will be used to share animal behavior and welfare literature, providing opportunities to deepen your knowledge and engage with cutting-edge research in the field.
At the culmination of your internship, you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on your experiences by writing a blog post for the Green Care Lab. This piece will receive personalized feedback, allowing you to refine your writing before it is published on the official Green Care Lab website—a chance to showcase your insights and accomplishments to a broader audience.
Whether you’re new to animal care or passionate about pursuing studies or careers in veterinary medicine, animal behavior, biology, or related fields, this course offers a comprehensive, hands-on foundation. By the end of the internship, you’ll feel confident and capable working with animals and understanding their care and welfare.
Course Location:
Pine Trails Ranch, 35270 Co Rd 31, Davis, CA.
Working Hours:
The ranch operates from 6 am to 9 pm, seven days a week. We will consider your preferred working schedule alongside the availability of your peers and the Green Care Lab's animal’s needs.
To ensure fair and consistent evaluation for a Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading system, here’s how your performance will be assessed:
Criteria for a Pass (P):
Criteria for a No Pass (NP):
(NPB 099/199 - 3 credits. Offered every quarter, including summer quarters)
We typically post specific internship openings on Handshake midway through each quarter. If you don’t see an advertisement, we encourage you to reach out to Dr. Rebecca Calisi-Rodríguez ([email protected]) and Green Care Lab Manager Claire Short ([email protected]) to express your interest. Be sure to include a brief introduction about yourself and attach your resume or CV—we’d love to hear from you!
Step out of the classroom and onto the ranch with this immersive internship course at the Green Care Lab, directed by Professor Rebecca Calisi-Rodríguez. Designed for students eager to gain real-world, hands-on experience, this course provides a rare opportunity to work directly with pigs, goats, horses, and donkeys in a supportive and engaging environment.
Through this internship, you will learn the ins and outs of animal care by doing. From maintaining safe and clean spaces for different species to understanding their specific nutritional needs, you’ll gain valuable skills in daily husbandry. You’ll also conduct health checks, learning how to identify signs of distress or adverse behaviors in animals. Additionally, you’ll develop the confidence to handle haltered horses and goats—a fundamental skill in working with these animals.
You’ll collaborate with a team of students using Slack, the Green Care Lab’s dedicated social networking and communication platform. Through this, you’ll gain hands-on experience with a professional-grade software widely used in workplaces, building a strong foundation in effective communication, organization, and teamwork—essential skills for any future career. Additionally, Slack will be used to share animal behavior and welfare literature, providing opportunities to deepen your knowledge and engage with cutting-edge research in the field.
At the culmination of your internship, you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on your experiences by writing a blog post for the Green Care Lab. This piece will receive personalized feedback, allowing you to refine your writing before it is published on the official Green Care Lab website—a chance to showcase your insights and accomplishments to a broader audience.
Whether you’re new to animal care or passionate about pursuing studies or careers in veterinary medicine, animal behavior, biology, or related fields, this course offers a comprehensive, hands-on foundation. By the end of the internship, you’ll feel confident and capable working with animals and understanding their care and welfare.
Course Location:
Pine Trails Ranch, 35270 Co Rd 31, Davis, CA.
Working Hours:
The ranch operates from 6 am to 9 pm, seven days a week. We will consider your preferred working schedule alongside the availability of your peers and the Green Care Lab's animal’s needs.
To ensure fair and consistent evaluation for a Pass/No Pass (P/NP) grading system, here’s how your performance will be assessed:
Criteria for a Pass (P):
- Attendance and Participation
- Regular attendance at all scheduled internship sessions (e.g., minimum of 90% attendance).
- Active and respectful participation in hands-on activities, group discussions, and team collaborations.
- Completion of Assigned Tasks
- Properly completing all assigned duties, including animal husbandry, enrichment design, and species-specific care.
- Demonstrating a willingness to learn and adapt to new tasks or feedback.
- Teamwork and Communication
- Working effectively as part of a team, showing respect and professionalism toward peers, animals, and supervisors.
- Proactively communicating any issues, challenges, or questions.
- Skill Development and Application
- Demonstrating a clear improvement in confidence and ability to handle and care for pigs, goats, horses, and donkeys by the end of the course.
- Applying knowledge of species-specific welfare needs in daily activities.
- Completion of Reflective or Summary Project
- Submitting a brief reflective piece, logbook, or project summarizing your experiences, what you learned, and how it applies to their future goals.
- You will receive feedback on your writing, have the opportunity to revise it, and, upon approval, your final piece will be published as part of the Green Care Lab Blog Posts.
Criteria for a No Pass (NP):
- Excessive Absences
- Missing more than 10% of scheduled sessions without valid reasons or prior communication.
- Failure to Engage
- Lack of participation in activities or refusal to complete assigned tasks.
- Consistently poor attitude, such as dismissiveness, unwillingness to learn, or unprofessional behavior.
- Inadequate Care
- Failing to follow safety or welfare protocols, risking harm to animals or peers.
- Neglecting responsibilities, such as leaving tasks incomplete or poorly done.
- Disruptive or Disrespectful Behavior
- Poor teamwork, such as not collaborating, disrespecting peers or supervisors, or creating a hostile environment.
- No Demonstrated Growth
- Showing little to no improvement in handling or caring for animals, even with feedback and guidance.
- Failure to meet the minimum requirements for any reflective or summary project, if applicable.
We also offer internship opportunities in the following subjects below. Please contact Dr. Calisi-Rodriguez ([email protected]) and Green Care Lab Manager Claire Short ([email protected]) to express your interest and learn more. Within these roles, we work with each student to tailor their experience to their specific field(s) of interest, including but not limited to animal science, veterinary medicine, psychology, neurobiology, botany, agriculture, geography, ecology, sustainable landscape design, and science communication. We also prioritize interaction with the general public, whether for experimental purposes or knowledge exchange, and we value building relationships with various local communities.
Teaching and Curriculum Design/Development Undergraduate Internship
(NPB 099/199 - 3 credits)
In this role, students gain unique experience in shaping educational materials. They collaborate on developing clear objectives for courses, identifying high-quality resources, crafting meaningful content, designing assessments, exploring effective learning strategies, and proposing innovative teaching techniques.
Agricultural and Wellness Garden Maintenance Undergraduate Internship
(NPB 099/199 - 3 credits)
Here, students participate in the maintenance and development of gardens designed to benefit human health. Duties encompass assessing garden needs, managing weed growth, procuring materials, growing seedlings, maintaining irrigation systems, and contributing to other Green Care Lab initiatives.
Social Media and Outreach Undergraduate Internship
(NPB 099/199 - 3 credits)
This role focuses on our digital presence. Interns assist in developing a comprehensive social media strategy, creating and distributing content, crafting engaging graphics, editing short-form videos, and managing various online platforms. They also engage with our online community, track performance metrics, and identify opportunities for enhanced social engagement.
(NPB 099/199 - 3 credits)
In this role, students gain unique experience in shaping educational materials. They collaborate on developing clear objectives for courses, identifying high-quality resources, crafting meaningful content, designing assessments, exploring effective learning strategies, and proposing innovative teaching techniques.
Agricultural and Wellness Garden Maintenance Undergraduate Internship
(NPB 099/199 - 3 credits)
Here, students participate in the maintenance and development of gardens designed to benefit human health. Duties encompass assessing garden needs, managing weed growth, procuring materials, growing seedlings, maintaining irrigation systems, and contributing to other Green Care Lab initiatives.
Social Media and Outreach Undergraduate Internship
(NPB 099/199 - 3 credits)
This role focuses on our digital presence. Interns assist in developing a comprehensive social media strategy, creating and distributing content, crafting engaging graphics, editing short-form videos, and managing various online platforms. They also engage with our online community, track performance metrics, and identify opportunities for enhanced social engagement.
At the Green Care Lab, we believe in nurturing personal growth and development, valuing individuals over publications. Our hope is that each student leaves not only better equipped for their future careers but also as improved versions of themselves. Join us in shaping a holistic approach to research and well-being.
