• IMMS Research Internship
• IMMS Animal Care Internship

Program Description

The IMMS Research Internship Program is designed as a way for students interested in a career in marine science to gain valuable research experience in a real-world setting. Interns will participate with multiple projects involving bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles and diamondback terrapins. As an intern, you will be trained in all aspects of dolphin photo-id research, sea turtle satellite tracking, and other current research projects at IMMS. Interns will also participate in other operations at IMMS including stranding response, education, and animal care. Our goal is to give Interns a well-rounded experience in a variety of areas while providing expert training and experience in marine science research.

Principle Duties and Requirements

 Interns must:

• Commit to a minimum of at least 12 weeks. The internship can be extended depending on work performance.
• Be available to work Mon-Fri and must be available for all boat trips. Some field days may fall on the weekends.
• Have strong sense of responsibility, work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to admit mistakes.
• Produce high quality research efforts and exhibit strong interpersonal skills.


• Principle Duties include: data entry, searching and cataloging journal articles, learning all research protocols, cropping and sorting photo-id fin images, learning to use photo-id programs such as Darwin (fin matching software), and FinBase (Microsoft Access), boat based field research (21’ and 31’ boats), and learn how to use ArcGIS
• Secondary Duties involve: Assisting with animal care staff, attending marine mammal necropsies, responding to marine mammal and sea turtle strandings, and assisting with educational tours.
• Field days: Interns must be able to spend many hours on the water and on shore in sometimes extreme seasonal conditions. Seasonal temperatures range from over 100 °F in summer to 30 °F in winter. Field days typically exceed eight hours and occur at least two or three times a week.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be 18 or older and must have a genuine interest in marine research. Applicants should be actively pursuing a college degree or be a recent graduate in oceanography, marine science/biology, biology, or a related field. Previous research experience in any capacity is a plus. Applicants must be able and willing to fulfill all duties outlined for this Internship Program. This is an unpaid position and Interns are responsible for their own housing and transportation. Once accepted, IMMS staff will be able to assist Interns in suggesting suitable housing options and locations. Please check the FAQ, as it may answer other questions you may have.

To Apply
Please send the following documents to jamie@imms.org with "Research Internship" in the subject line:

• IMMS Research Internship Application
  (Save the application in pdf form to your computer FIRST then fill out the form. Otherwise, your information will not save to the form when emailed.)
• Full resume - include computer skills and proficiencies, volunteer experience, and/or other accomplishments.
• Two letters of recommendation – Provide at least one academic, and one work/volunteer- related reference if applicable. Letters may be emailed from the applicant or the person providing the recommendation letter.
• A one to two- page statement of interest – describe your background, pertinent experiences and interests, accomplishments, and how this internship will benefit you. If you believe you may have difficulty complying with one or more of the required duties or responsibilities due to a physical limitation or other reason, please address these concerns in the statement of interest, and include questions found on the application form.
• A copy of your current college transcript. Applicants may submit an unofficial copy.

Documents must be in one of the following formats - PDF, .doc, .docx, and must be submitted together with your first and last name and the date in the file name.
Ex)
2010Aug_Jane_Doe_Resume,
2010Aug_Jane_Doe_Statement,
2010Aug_Jane_Doe_Transcript

Click here to read previous intern experiences.

Program Description
The IMMS Animal Care Internship Program is designed as a way for students/individuals interested in a career in animal care and training to gain valuable experience in a real-world setting. Interns will primarily be trained in aspects of animal care, but will also participate in other activities at IMMS. Our goal is to give interns a well-rounded experience in a variety of areas while providing expert training and experience. This is an unpaid position and all interns are responsible for their own housing and transportation. Once accepted, IMMS staff will be able to assist interns in suggesting suitable housing and locations. Positions are limited. IMMS reserves the right to end an internship at any time.

Eligibility Requirements

Interns must be:
• 18 years or older.
• A recent graduate or actively pursuing a college degree in the sciences.
• Willing to accept the internship as an unpaid position.
• Able to commit to a minimum of at least 12 weeks, 40 hours a week.
• Available to work weekdays, weekends, and holidays.
• Able to lift 50 lbs, work long hours on your feet, and work outside in extreme conditions.
• Able to maintain a positive attitude, good work ethic, sense of responsibility, and a strong willingness to learn.
• Financially stable enough to obtain housing and transportation, though IMMS staff will do their best to assist you in making arrangements.
• Able to comply with IMMS rules and regulations.

Duties: The IMMS animal care staff is in charge of caring for Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles, parrots, and a small collection of reptiles and amphibians. Sea lions are expected soon. Interns will work directly with animal care staff and be exposed to all aspects of the daily routine. Heavy emphasis is placed on basic tasks such as food preparation, and daily cleaning and facility maintenance. Interns will learn how to train animals with operant conditioning through observation and may assist during sessions. Interns will also learn how to feed, care for, and interact with sea turtles and parrots. Enrichment is very important to the well-being of our animals and interns will be asked to design and implement an enrichment device for our dolphins and/or birds. Because we want interns to have a well rounded experience, they will also be asked to assist in other departments. Interns may participate as 1) environmental educators and assist in giving presentations to the public, 2) research assistants that help with our many wild dolphin based research studies, or 3) emergency responders as IMMS is part of the Southeast Regional Marine Mammal Stranding Network and responds to stranded marine mammals and sea turtles. At completion of the season, interns will be asked to complete an exit evaluation. Please check the FAQ link, as it may answer other questions you may have.

To Apply:
Please send the following documents to:
kelly@imms.org with “Animal Care Internship” in the subject line.

• IMMS Animal Care Internship Application
  (Save the application in pdf form to your computer FIRST then fill in the form. Otherwise, your information will not save to the form when emailed.)
• Full resume with cover letter.
• References – At least two letters of recommendation are required. Provide at least one academic, and one work/volunteer-related reference if possible. Include name, phone number, and email address.
• A copy of your current official college transcript.
  
• Full photograph
  

Documents must be in one of the following formats - PDF, .doc, .docx, and must be submitted together with your first and last name and the date in the file name. Ex) 2013Aug_Jane_Doe_Resume, 2013Aug_Jane_Doe_Application, 2013Aug_Jane_Doe_Transcript Please refer to the IMMS Animal Care Internship Application for submission deadlines.