Internship Program

Host: Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Big Bend Aquatic Seagrass Preserve (BBSAP)

Start Date: May 15th

End Date: August 15th

Supervisors: Sandra Chupinsky (BBSAP Manager)

Responsibilities: We are seeking a motivated intern to join the Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve (BBSAP) Team this summer. This internship offers a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on experience in coastal monitoring within nearshore environments throughout the Gulf of Mexico, focusing on the Big Bend region. The intern’s main responsibilities will include participating in projects such as seagrass monitoring, continuous water quality assessments, and surface water nutrient monitoring, as well as assisting with the upkeep and maintenance of vehicles and vessels. There will likely be opportunities to assist visiting researchers with field projects and data collection. Fieldwork will involve the use of Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) vessels, including outboard boats and airboats, and may require extended days in challenging field conditions, such as high heat and humidity. Flexibility is essential, as work schedules will vary daily based on field conditions and project priorities, with a full-time commitment of 40 hours per week. While typical hours are from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, longer days may occasionally be required. This position is ideal for students in marine or environmental science who are eager to develop their field skills and contribute to meaningful conservation efforts.

Qualifications: The applicant must have reliable transportation and a strong interest in coastal monitoring with the capability to work both collaboratively and independently. Job responsibilities will include working on the water in extreme heat and sun exposure. The applicant must be comfortable swimming in the Gulf of Mexico; snorkeling experience is heavily preferred. Basic computer skills including proficiency with data entry software such as Microsoft Excel is preferred. Good written and oral communication skills and the ability to work within a team are necessary.

Other Information: Preferred applicants will have experience snorkeling and be comfortable spending long hours on boats and in cars with coworkers while traveling to field sites. Applicants should be prepared to work as part of a small, close-knit team and demonstrate strong interpersonal skills to maintain a positive team dynamic. While our office is located in Crystal River, our monitoring efforts span six counties from Citrus to Wakulla, requiring extensive travel, however overnight trips are not required. The intern will be expected to report daily to the Crystal River office. Safety training and guidance on field equipment, boats, and snorkeling procedures will be provided, but applicants should bring appropriate personal gear, such as snorkeling equipment, sun protection, and field-appropriate clothing.

Host: FWC Fisheries Independent Monitoring

Start Date: May 7th

End Date: August 15th

Supervisor: Caleb Purtlebaugh – Research Administrator, Alexis Stovall – Intern Coordinator

Responsibilities: Intern will work alongside FWC fisheries biologists, conducting Fisheries Independent Monitoring (FIM) surveys in estuarine and river habitats from Cedar Key to the Suwannee River, with additional seagrass sampling in the Steinhatchee and Econfina areas. Data will be collected to evaluate relative stock abundance and condition of fish populations. Field responsibilities include learning to; deploy and retrieve various sampling gear following strict protocols; fish identification; and work in wet conditions with 3 to 4 other scientific staff. Office responsibilities include; identifying fish using microscopes and dichotomous keys; specimen work-up (otoliths, mercury samples, and genetic samples); maintaining and repairing scientific equipment; and data processing. There is possibility of additional responsibilities such as assisting personnel with research being conducted. Field work may be long days working off small boats and frequently includes labor-intensive conditions.

Qualifications: Interest and/or pursued coursework in the field of marine biology, the ability to work in a team setting, and possess a valid driver’s license. Must be able to lift up to 50lbs and work under averse and strenuous conditions (i.e. wet conditions, inclement weather, mud, biting insects, and shoreline wading). This position will require the applicant to handle large fish and dangerous species (I.E., stingrays and sharks) in a safe manner. The ability to work full time with long field days.

Other Information: Position is located at the FWC field office in Cedar Key, opportunities for carpooling are limited. Applicant must have a reliable mode of transportation and willingness to work long days in various weather. Field and safety gear are provided by FWC. 

Host: Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) 

Start Date: May 9th

End Date: August 14th

Supervisors: Dr. Sean King – MFL Office Chief 

Responsibilities:

The Suwannee River Water Management District is seeking an intern to support the Minimum Flows and Levels (MFL) program. The intern will assist scientists in the development of relationships between hydrologic and environmental parameters to determine thresholds that prevent significant harm to priority water resources. Projects and responsibilities will vary but include analysis and compilation of hydrologic and environmental data, preparation of figures and technical reports, and assisting with collection of field data. The position will involve both office and field-based work. Fieldwork may require wading, working from small boats, and operating in hot, wet, or otherwise physically demanding conditions. The intern will work closely with MFL scientists, hydrologists, and ecological staff and will gain experience in applied water-resource management and springs science. 

Qualifications: Coursework in environmental science, ecology, hydrology, engineering, geology or a closely related field. Experience managing and analyzing data in Excel or other statistical software. Experience with programming languages (R, python) and GIS software is preferred but not required.  

Other Information: This position is based at our office in Live Oak, FL and interns must be present at the office 3 days a week. There are carpooling opportunities available from Gainesville. The applicant must have reliable transportation and valid driver’s license. 

Host: Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

Start Date: May 6th

End Date: August 17th

Supervisors: Trisha Green – Aquatic Preserve Manager

Responsibilities: We seek an intern to work side-by-side with DEP staff to monitor water quality, vegetation, and invasive species on the Rainbow and Silver rivers. The selected intern will learn critical field skills, plant and fish identification, and water quality monitoring equipment. This will be a primarily field-based position working on a small motorboat and swimming in the water.

Qualifications: Relevant coursework in biology or environmental science. Applicants must be a strong swimmer, have their own mask, snorkel, and fins, be comfortable working in the water with alligators, snakes, and biting insects, and be comfortable with strong fish odors and excrement.

Other Information: This position is located out of Marion County. The aquatic preserve office is within Rainbow Springs State Park, but flexibility exists to have the selected intern meet at boat ramps to reduce travel time. The applicant must have reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license. The work schedule will be Monday – Thursday.

Host: UF/IFAS NCBS

Start Date: May 15th

End Date: August 15th

Supervisor: Dr. Marc Hensel, Assistant Professor (UF/IFAS NCBS)

Responsibilities: We seek an intern to work on a wide variety of projects related to coastal ecology in the nearshore environments of the Gulf of Mexico, including the Suwannee River. Projects and responsibilities will vary but include field sampling of fishes and invertebrates; quantitative assessments of environmental parameters and habitats such as seagrass, oyster reefs, marshes, and mangroves; laboratory experiments; and other day-to-day tasks including sample identification, sample processing, data entry, and assisting other staff as needed. The selected intern will work with a variety of lab personnel including the technicians and graduate students. Field work will be performed on small boats and interns will be required to participate heavily in field-based activities in potentially arduous conditions.

Qualifications: Relevant coursework in ecology/marine biology and previous experience with small watercraft is preferred, but not required.

Other Information: The position is located at the Nature Coast Biological Station and carpooling opportunities may be available. The applicant must have reliable transportation and valid driver’s license as well as an interest in community ecology and the ability to work both collaboratively and independently.

Host: UF/IFAS NCBS & SWES

Start Date: May 11th

End Date: August 14th

Supervisor: Dr. Carrie Adams – Associate Professor / Restoration and Plant Ecology

Responsibilities:

Qualifications: Relevant coursework in ecology/marine biology and previous experience with coastal field work is preferred, but not required.

Other Information: The position is located on UF’s Campus and at the Nature Coast Biological Station. Carpooling opportunities may be available. The applicant must have reliable transportation and valid driver’s license as well as an interest in community ecology and the ability to work both collaboratively and independently.

Host: UF/IFAS NCBS & SWES

Start Date: May 15th

End Date: August 15th

Supervisor: Dr. Mark Clark – Associate Professor UF/SWES

Responsibilities:

Qualifications: Relevant coursework in coastal ecosystems/ecology. Passion for fieldwork and tolerance of summer field conditions in Florida.

Other Information: The internship will be located on main campus in Gainesville with frequent trips to Cedar Key. The applicant must have a valid driver’s license and preferably a private means of transportation although most trips will be facilitated by state vehicle. Applicant must be willing to conduct field work outside normal work hours and potentially on weekends.

Host: UF/IFAS NCBS

Start Date: May 11th

End Date: August 14th

Supervisor: Dr. Robert Lamb – UF/IFAS NCBS

Responsibilities: Modern environmental change is everywhere, particularly warmer ocean temperatures. This project aims to study the effects of environmental change, particularly water temperature, on the distributions and population sizes of marine fishes, with a focus on those important for wild-caught fisheries. Students will examine variation in fish and invertebrate community structure across a north-south gradient along Florida’s gulf coast. The intern will be part of a dive team that will quantify how marine communities vary in correlation with environmental variables such as temperature and salinity. We will census fish communities along band transects, identifying and visually estimating the abundance and sizes of each species. Invertebrates will be censused for percent cover of sessile organisms and abundance for mobile species. Environmental variables such as salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen will be measured through in-situ deployments of a CTD and installation of data loggers. Fish behavior in the absence of divers will be assessed with remote video. This research contributes to a comprehensive understanding of how environmental change is affecting marine ecosystems off Florida’s gulf coast and the fisheries they sustain.

Qualifications: Relevant coursework in ecology/marine biology and familiarity with Florida gulf coast marine species is preferred but not required. Applicants must be AAUS, advanced, and rescue diver certified (or will be certified by PADI or similar by the start date), comfortable outdoors for extended periods and working in field-based conditions on small boats

Other Information: The position is based at the Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences building (Millhopper). Field work is primarily out of Cedar Key but will also involve multi-day trips to more distant sites. Carpooling is available from the Fisheries building. Applicants are preferred to have reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license. SCUBA gear is required for field work but can be borrowed if necessary.

Host: UF/IFAS NCBS

Start Date: May 11th

End Date: August 14th

Supervisor: Dr. Robert Lamb – UF/IFAS NCBS, Dr. Don Behringer

Responsibilities: This research investigates how environmental and biological factors drive resource allocation trade-offs between growth and chemical defense in Thalassia testudinum. Students will examine spatial variation in phosphorus levels across four Florida Gulf Coast sites and temporal variation through bi-monthly sampling, quantifying how these environmental gradients influence seagrass growth rates and secondary metabolite concentrations. Also, we will test whether T. testudinum can uptake externally supplied amino acids (phenylalanine and tyrosine) through roots, evaluating how amino acid supplementation, fertilizer, and control treatments affect growth and phenolic compound production in mesocosm and field conditions. Seagrasses will also be exposed to herbivore feeding trials to determine whether altered phenolic profiles influence consumption preferences. We will also study how different herbivores (parrotfish, sea turtles) and varying grazing intensities influence growth-defense trade-offs, identifying whether distinct herbivore pressures induce unique chemical signatures in T. testudinum. This research contributes to a comprehensive understanding of how top-down and bottom-up drivers shape seagrass resource allocation strategies.

Qualifications: Relevant coursework in ecology/marine biology is preferred but not required. Applicants must be comfortable snorkeling for extended periods and working in field-based conditions on small boats

Other Information: The position is based at the Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences building (Millhopper), with lab work conducted in the Aquatic Pathology Lab and Fifield Hall on main campus. The field sites are located in Crystal River and Cedar Key, with carpooling available from the Fisheries building. Applicants are preferred to have reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license. Snorkeling gear is required for field work but can be borrowed if necessary.

Host: USGS

Start Date: May 15th

End Date: August 15th

Supervisor: Dr. Margaret Lamont – USGS (mlamont.usgs.gov)

Responsibilities: We seek a qualified intern to assist USGS scientists with our Gulf sturgeon monitoring program. Our project consists of a multi-faceted conservation program aimed at better understanding aspects of this ESA listed species’ population biology and movements ecology. The selected intern will work hand and hand with USGS researchers to capture, measure, mark, and tag both adult and juvenile Gulf Sturgeon. In addition, the intern will assist and learn to equip sturgeon with ultrasonic / acoustic telemetry tags which allow scientists to track sturgeon during their seasonal migrations. Interns will also learn about fixed, underwater acoustic telemetry arrays in and around the Suwannee River and will have the opportunity to learn about their maintenance and functionality.

Qualifications: The intern should have a strong work ethic and should be enrolled in a degree program in the general field of ecology/biology. Any experience in/with/around water craft is preferred, but not required.

Other Information: The position is based in Gainesville with frequent trips from the USGS to the Suwannee River and Cedar Key area for fieldwork. Interns should expect to be in small boats, use large nets, and work in hot conditions. The majority of travel will be in USGS vehicles. 

Host: UF Urban and Regional Planning

Start Date: May 15th

End Date: August 15th

Supervisor: Dr. Kathryn Frank – Urban and Regional Planning

Responsibilities: This internship will help Levy County build GIS maps for emergency management, including a base map of roads, intersections, signage that will help the county with emergency response. This is a real-world problem that the intern can help this rural county solve, including a baseline mapping platform for use in other areas for the county.

Qualifications: Experience in GIS is essential.

Other Information: This position will include travel to Bronson, Florida, but will also allow students to do some of the work from their residence online.