Internships for the 2023 Sea Turtle Nesting Season

Scroll down to learn more about the internships we are offering for the 2023 nesting season!

Internship Overview
& How to Apply

About us: Sea Turtle Adventures is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to conserve local populations of sea turtles, educate the public about the marine environment, and provide nature-based programs and life skills training to adults with special needs. Our office is located at 2635 Old Okeechobee Rd., West Palm Beach, FL 33409, and our fieldwork is located near Boynton Beach. Our group monitors a three-mile section of beach in the town of Gulf Stream, Gulfstream Park, Briny Breezes, and the southern part of Ocean Ridge. Mostly made up of volunteers, many of our beach monitors have been with us monitoring for sea turtle nests for over 7 years!

Application Information: To apply to either internship, please send in a copy of your resume/ CV, cover letter, and availability to Lexie Peterson at lexie@seaturtleadventures.com .

*** For the Sea Turtle Biologist Internship: Please add “Sea Turtle Biologist Internship” in the subject line. Deadline to apply is December 31st 2022.

*** For the Outreach Internship: Please add “Outreach Internship” in the title line. This internship is available year-round, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

If you have any questions please contact

Lexie Peterson, Conservation Program Manager

lexie@seaturtleadventures.com

612-600-8548

Sea Turtle Biologist Internship

Summary: This internship is meant to be an introduction to sea turtle conservation. The selected intern will be required to attend Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) marine turtle trainings and pass a test before being added to the marine turtle permit. Both field work and office work will be required. Field work includes sea turtle nest excavations, data collection, assisting with nighttime sea turtle programs, and conducting educational programs such as ride-alongs with members of the public. Office work includes prepping supplies for our sea turtle monitors (including painting stakes, restocking ATV kits, etc.) This internship will require about 20 hours per week. Start and end dates are flexible (sea turtle nesting season is from March 1st – October 31st), but we are looking for a minimum time commitment for peak season months (June-August). The sea turtle biologist intern will also be responsible for completing a project with a focus on sea turtle conservation efforts or sea turtle research. All interns will report to the conservation program manager.

Other Details:

This internship is open to students (undergraduates or recent graduates), young professionals, or those looking to switch careers into a marine conservation field. All ages and abilities are welcome to apply.
This is a volunteer/ unpaid internship
Working with wildlife requires a schedule that can be flexible
Location: Boynton Beach, Florida (beach work)/ West Palm Beach, Florida (office location)

Qualifications/ Skills:

Must be 18 years or older
Must possess a valid driver’s license
Desire to pursue a career in a related field (marine biology, environmental science, conservation, etc.)
Can work independently and as part of a team
Willing to work outdoors in all South Florida weather conditions and be on the beach for 2-3hrs during the peak of summer
Confident in public speaking skills and communicating with a wide variety of people
Able to abide by strict FWC guidelines and regulations
Maintain a respectful and positive attitude when representing Sea Turtle Adventures
Willing to help in a variety of projects to support this nonprofit

Job Responsibilities: This list is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all tasks or responsibilities involved with this position.

Conducting sea turtle nest excavations
Assisting with nighttime sea turtle programs such as turtle walks, hatchling releases, and lighting surveys
ATV maintenance
Conducting and assisting with public education and conservation programs such as beach clean ups and ride-alongs
Collecting and recording data
Preparing and maintaining supplies during sea turtle nesting season
Complete other sea turtle conservation program tasks as needed
Develop (with assistance from conservation program manager) and complete internship project

Outreach Internship

Summary: This internship is meant to be an introduction to outreach, education, and communications field within marine/ coastal conservation. Interns will learn a variety of educational techniques and programs that are used to help connect to and educate the local community about sea turtle conservation efforts. The outreach intern will focus on presenting educational programs, assisting with outreach efforts, and create educational content for social media. With the help of the conservation program manager, the outreach intern will be required to develop either a social media marketing campaign or outreach program that focuses on sea turtle or marine conservation. The project developed will then be implemented so it can continue to connect to the local community. This internship requires a commitment of a minimum of 10-20 hours a week for at least 3 months (flexible). All interns will report to the conservation program manager.