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 may participate in projects involving bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles, and diamondback terrapins. As an intern, you will be trained in all aspects of dolphin photo-ID research as well as any 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 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 a 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, 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 include: assisting 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 by suggesting suitable housing options and locations. The deadline to apply for the fall session (Aug 6-Oct 26, 2018 or Sept 24-Dec 4, 2018) is June 1, 2018. For application and full details on how to apply please visit our website at https://www.imms.org/internship.php Jessica Post Research Assistant Research Intern Coordinator The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies 10801 Dolphin Lane Gulfport, MS 39503
