Volunteer
College Internships
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
Internship Positions
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.
Sales and Promotions
Commitment: 2-3 Months
Sales interns will assist with group sales in various functions including mailings, data entry, filing, sales and promotions. Applicants should have basic computer knowledge and familiarity with Microsoft Office.
Public Relations
Commitment: Minimum of 3 months
This internship is geared towards students majoring in Public Relations or Communications. They will assist with expanding the Aquarium’s media database list, media pitching, coordinating/implementing bi-monthly mailings, and staffing promoted events. Skills include good writing and proof-reading abilities for press releases, media alerts and fact sheets. A knowledge of Microsoft Office and fluent in Spanish is a plus.
Human Resources
Commitment: 3 months, 10 to 20 hours/week
This is an exciting internship in our Human Resources Department working in Benefits Administration. This is for applicants interested in hands on work in benefits administration and various HR compliance issues. Additional opportunities in Volunteer Services are also available working with Aquarium Volunteer program administration. Knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel 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
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)
Spring term:
Application Deadline: November 30
Intern period: January-April
Summer term:
Application Deadline: March 31
Intern period: May-August
Fall term:
Application Deadline: July 31
Intern period: September-December
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, summer only
Interns will work closely with our professionals to learn to recognize particular behaviors, assist with care of breeding pairs and their young, and other tasks. Work will focus on Lorikeets but may also include some activities with our northern diving birds. Must be comfortable spending long hours in an aviary with +100 birds.
Program Animals**
Commitment: 15 weeks-16hours/week, summer only
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 be certified rescue diver, must submit to a diving physical exam, and must have at least 50 logged open ocean dives.
Veterinary Support**
Commitment: 4 week minimum and 8 week maximum duration
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.
**Husbandry positions may require special skills and experience
Veterinary Externship/Preceptorship Program
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.
Veterinary Externship/Preceptorship Application
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