Volunteer
College Internships
We are still accepting fall 2009 internship applications for non-husbandry positions.
Internships at the Aquarium of the Pacific are geared towards college students and recent graduates who are interested in playing a direct role in ensuring our oceans are vital and healthy for generations to come. Our internships are typically offered in the fall, spring and summer and we accept applications year round. All applicants should be organized, self motivated, and have excellent people skills. All internship positions are on a voluntary basis only. Housing and transportation is the responsibility of the candidate.
Once accepted, new interns participate in a one-day training, Aquarium 101, plus the additional departmental on-the-job training.
Applicants must:
- Be a college student or recent graduate, Husbandry applicants must be 18 and over
- Submit an internship application, resume, cover letter
- Interview with Aquarium Staff*
- Pass a background check
*Only applicants that are selected for an interview will be notified of their application status
Spring term:
Application Deadline: November 30
Proposed Intern period: January-April
Summer term:
Application Deadline: March 31
Proposed Intern period: May-August
Fall term:
Application Deadline: July 31
Proposed Intern period: September-December
Seafood for the Future (SFF)
Community Liaison Intern
Commitment: 15 week, 16 hours per week
This position will serve as the primary point of contact in order to recruit various community groups for partnerships with SFF. Partnerships are established for the purpose of effective cross-promotion of both partners.
The Community Liaison (CL) will reach out to community groups, especially those with an established membership. Means of outreach may include phone calls, emails, and face-to-face meetings. Because the SFF program has the ability to address issues of environmental stewardship, nutrition, healthy living, science and education, cuisine, agriculture, etc., we can find common ground with virtually any community group. The primary task of the CL is to contact potential community partners and establish the basis of a partnership. At the most basic level, this may be direct promotion of the SFF program to the partner’s membership, and reciprocal promotion of the partner’s program to the staff and members of Aquarium of the Pacific. Cross-promotion may also take place on each partner’s website and at appropriate events. Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills are required, as well as the ability to speak on behalf of the SFF program and work independently. Also required are a high degree of computer competency and modern social networking ability. Community Liaison reports directly to the SFF manager. Expect minimal supervision following the training period. Office space and computer access will be provided if necessary. The CL is expected to work independently to reach out to, educate, recruit, and maintain contact with all community groups. The CL should also be able to create or request promotional material as needed.
Science Intern
Commitment: 15 weeks, 16 hour per week
The SFF Science Intern will be responsible for retrieving primary sources on relevant topics, in the form of datasets, fisheries reports, and scientific papers.
- Access fisheries documents from the NMFS, regional fisheries offices, state regulatory agencies, and their foreign counterparts.
- Maintain a library of current documents and sources, along with citations
- Research the type of information available and the institution that provides it
- Compile and combine datasets for information mining
Familiarity with searching and retrieving journal articles is mandatory. Some experience with a citation database, such as Zotero, is required, as well as some experience with Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel. Some formal training in statistics is required. Coursework in marine biology or a related field will be helpful. Independent work is expected, and the Intern must make decisions regarding the quality of various resources. General goals must be met through self-organization and independent research.
Graphic Artist Intern
Commitment: 15 weeks, 16 hour per week
The Graphic Artist Intern will create print and web material for the SFF program.
Primary tasks will include the creation of signage for restaurant partners and for special events. Expect to work with established logos and some templates, and to create copy where necessary.
- Create custom signs for each partner restaurant and for events such as cooking classes
- Coordinate with the marketing department for approval of copy and image use
- Maintain library of images, templates, designs, and logos
- Gather and organize images from events and partner restaurants
- Coordinate with printer when outside printing is required
- Update web and print material as needed
Some familiarity with Macs and Adobe CS4 is required. Excellent organizational skills are required, as well as the ability to meet deadlines. Independent design decisions are expected within certain guidelines. The established look and brand identity of SFF will be maintained in all SFF promotional material. The creative input required for material will vary.
Internship Positions
Volunteer Services/ Teen programs Internship
Commitment: 3 months, 10 hours/ week. Spring and summer only.
Interns will gain experience in managing teen programs and volunteer programs in a non-profit organization such as the Aquarium of the Pacific. VolunTEENS is a program geared towards high school students ages 14-16 with an interest in marine biology. Students participate in an 80 hour volunteer program for 10 weeks in the Fall and Spring, during which they will learn about the many wonders of the Pacific Ocean and create extraordinary experiences for our guests. Marine Science Academy is a program in partnership with St. Anthony’s High School. Students practice the same skills as the VolunTEEN program Monday thru Thursday.
Marketing
Commitment: Minimum of 6 weeks.
Interns will focus on strategic consumer marketing working on print promotions, from media plan to redemption tracking. Other projects include ad copy, radio spots and budgeting. Communication and English Majors preferred.
Hispanic Market Public Relations
Commitment: Minimum of 3 months
This internship is geared towards students majoring in Marketing, Public Relations, Communications, or Spanish. They will assist with the Aquarium's Hispanic Service Excellence Team and Hispanic marketing and PR. Responsibilities may include writing for the Aquarium's Spanish website, working with Hispanic media (including in studio and onsite film shoots), delivering bilingual visitor surveys, compiling Hispanic research, and assisting with Hispanic event planning and marketing. Experience with general market PR in English is also available through this internship. Skills include good writing and proof-reading abilities in Spanish and English for press releases, media alerts, and fact sheets. Knowledge of PowerPoint is a plus.
Event Management
Commitment: Minimum of 96 hours
Learn how to plan and execute events-from hiring talent to creating and designing the program. Interns will learn print production schedules, contract administration, AV coordination, and how to work within the parameters of a unique venue. Experience with Microsoft Word is required, Quark and PhotoShop a plus.
Education
Commitment: a minimum of 9 weeks, 16- 40 hours/week. Spring and summer only.
Education department interns will assist with marine related programs and activities for school and public audiences. Interns will be required to complete Volunteer Training to obtain basic marine biology training, interpretation techniques and customer service skills. Interns will also work with an Education Specialist to complete a project that will both aid the Education Department and grow the intern’s skill set.
Audio Visual
Commitment: 3 months, 16 hours a week
The Audio Visual internship is designed to give students experience in audio visual techniques used in media arts. Under the direction of our AV department, interns will assist with a variety of audio visual requests that are needed in an atypical venue. This internship will also cover skills necessary for equipment set-up, assistance with original video productions, photography for in-house production and how to work within the parameters of a unique venue. Applicants must be pursuing or have completed a degree in: Film & Electronic Arts, Digital Media, and Cinematic Arts. Computer skills: Final Cut Studio applications & Mac
Husbandry Positions
(Applicants must meet the minimum age requirement of 18)
Aquarist**
Commitment: 15 weeks-16hours/week
Interns will gain a practical experience in the care and maintenance of marine organisms and their environments. Interns will learn the importance of proper husbandry techniques and the responsibilities associated with keeping organisms in captive environments. They will learn and utilize basic aquarium principles. Prior experience maintaining aquariums and SCUBA certification is preferred but not required.
Marine Mammalogy**
Commitment: 15 weeks-16hours/week
An internship in marine Mammalogy will give students practical experience in the care and maintenance of marine mammals and their environments. Mammalogy interns will learn the importance of proper husbandry techniques and the responsibilities associated with keeping marine mammals in captive environments. They will utilize basic aquarium principles. Prior experience with mammals is preferred but not required. Applicants must be able to lift and carry 50 lbs and have willingness for hard work and getting dirty. Completion of a project is required.
Aviculture**
Commitment: 15 weeks-16hours/week
Interns will gain experience in the daily husbandry of a flock of over 100 lorikeets while working closely with our professionals to learn to recognize different species, learn to distinguish between different behaviors, assisting with the care of breeding birds and chicks, and other tasks. The internship will focus on lorikeets, but will also include some work with our northern diving birds and shorebirds. Applicants must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds, and be willing to get wet and dirty.
Program Animals**
Commitment: 15 weeks-16hours/week
Interns will assist the program keeper with exhibit maintenance and care of the terrestrial mammals and birds along with interacting with guests. Some knowledge of birds and mammals and have the willingness to clean, scrub, lift, and should be expected to get wet and dirty. Interns will also have the opportunity to participate in daily enrichment for the animals.
Diving Safety**
Commitment: Minimum of 3 months, 4-10 hours/week
Interns will assist DSO with ongoing diving support for husbandry, education, and life support staff. They will also participate as an exhibit diver (feeding/cleaning/presenting to the public) and assist with ongoing dive locker/dive program projects. Pre-requisites: Must have a rescue diver certification from an Internationally Recognized Scuba Agency, must submit to a diving physical exam, and must have at least 50 logged open ocean dives.
**Husbandry positions may require special skills and experience
Apply Online
Veterinary Internships
Veterinary positions require a separate application. We do not accept on-line applications for veterinary internships, externships or preceptorships.
Veterinary Support Internship
Commitment: Any continuous 4-8 weeks from May 15 - July 31. Applications due by March 31. Summer Only.
Veterinary support interns provide assistance with maintaining the veterinary working facilities, record keeping, and procedure. The position includes filing and copying medical records, mailing blood or histopathology samples, maintaining the exam and necropsy labs in a state of readiness, and assisting with animal examinations, sample collection, and animal observations. Applicants must have a minimum of 2 years in college in biological sciences or 1 year in a RVT/CVT program, a Letter of Recommendation from a career advisor or professor, and a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Veterinary Externship/Preceptorship
The Aquarium of the Pacific is offering 4 externship/preceptorship programs in the veterinary services department for 3rd and 4th year veterinary students. Each position is a minimum of 3 weeks and a maximum of 6 weeks depending on the students’ availability. Accepted students will train under the supervision of the veterinary and husbandry staff during administration of the facilities preventative animal healthcare program and any current medical cases. Students will be expected to develop and present a case report or review of an applicable topic in aquatic medicine to the aquarium staff. No stipend is provided. Housing and transportation are not provided and are the responsibility of the student.
The Aquarium of the Pacific’s animal collection of approximately 12,500 animals consists of pinnipeds, sea otters, marine birds, psittacine birds, raptors, reptiles, amphibians, marine fish, and invertebrates. The majority of cases presented are fish and birds. The veterinary staff consists of one full time veterinarian and veterinary technician.
Positions are available January –February, March- April, August-September, November-December. Applicants must indicate which time period(s) they are available, highest ranked applicants for each time period will be selected.
The Application deadline is October 31 of the academic year prior to externship (Example October 31, 2009 is the deadline for positions May 2010 –April 2011). Applicants will be notified of acceptance by November 31.
Note: To review and/or print the downloadable items, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, you may click on the icon to obtain your FREE copy.
