Host: UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station

Start Date: June 1

Supervisor: Dr. Charlie Martin

Responsibilities: We seek an intern(s) to work in the Estuarine Ecology Lab at the Nature Coast Biological Station on a wide variety of projects related to coastal ecology in the nearshore environments of the Gulf of Mexico, particularly in the Nature Coast region. Projects and responsibilities will vary but include field sampling of fishes and invertebrates; quantitative assessments of environmental parameters and habitats such as seagrass, oyster, and mangroves; laboratory experiments on nekton ecology and behavior; and other day-to-day tasks including sample identification, sample processing, data entry, and assisting other staff as needed.

Qualifications: The applicant must have reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license as well as an interest in marine community ecology and the ability to work both collaboratively and independently. Job responsibilities will include possible night and weekend work and some moderate-heavily lifting. Basic computer skills and the ability to work full time with long field days are required. Good written and oral communication skills and the ability to work within a team are necessary.

Other Information: Preferred applicants will have some experience with the identification of invertebrates and fishes of Florida’s Big Bend or previous experience using dichotomous keys. Relevant coursework in ecology/marine biology and previous experience with small watercraft is preferred, but not required. This position is based at the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station in Cedar Key, FL.

Host: Suwanee River Water Management District

Start Date: May 6

Supervisor: Alexandria Blankenship

Responsibilities:This is a scientific research internship involving the collection and review of water quality and quantity data and assistance with water resources projects. The selected candidate will work alongside District staff and receive hands-on experience calibrating and maintaining water quality equipment, collecting water quality and flow measurements, post-processing data, reviewing and quality control of data, and using ArcGIS to inventory physical features and visually display data in a meaningful way. Work entails using flow meters and water quality sondes to assess the flow and water quality of springs within the District boundaries as part of a larger monitoring network.

Qualifications: Candidates must have a strong interest in environmental science. Basic computer skills are required. Knowledge of GIS and analytical and statistical methods are preferred. Good written and oral communication skills and the ability to work within a team are necessary.

Other Information: This position is located in Live Oak, Florida. Maximum work hours are 20 hours per week. A district commuter van between Gainesville and Live Oak may be available at a low cost. No specific equipment is needed.

Host: UF/Soil Water Sciences

Start Date: May 6

Supervisor: Alexander J. “AJ” Reisinger/Audrey Goeckner

Responsibilities: We seek an intern to work in the Urban Ecosystem Ecology Lab to work on a project focused on improving our understanding of how stormwater ponds in urban areas protect and/or improve the water quality of downstream aquatic ecosystems, with a particular focus on reducing nutrient export to sensitive downstream water bodies. The intern will work directly with Audrey Goeckner, a PhD student in the Soil and Water Sciences Department, to perform physical, chemical, and biological assessments of stormwater ponds. We will also be working in natural ponds and wetlands in the same region to compare urban ecosystems to natural reference ecosystems. The intern will be expected to help with sample and data collection in the field and sample processing and analysis in the laboratory. Specific responsibilities may include: collecting and filtering water samples for nutrient analysis; preparing sampling equipment and calibrating instruments; piloting a small two-person boat and/or canoe while the Ph.D. student takes measurements; recording data; analyzing samples for nutrients, organic matter concentration, and phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll-a) in the lab. Other tasks may include general laboratory tasks (e.g., cleaning glassware), data entry, and assisting other members of the lab as needed. The intern will be trained in all protocols and all proper field and lab safety equipment will be provided.

Qualifications: The applicant must have reliable transportation to/from the main UF campus and a valid driver’s license as well as interest in freshwater ecology and water quality. Must be able to work long days in the summer heat of Florida (field days often are >12 hours, including 6 hours of driving (compensation time off when not required in the field will be available). Due to the distance between the laboratory (Gainesville) and field sites (Manatee County), overnight trips may be required (housing accommodations will be provided for overnight trips). Must be comfortable working in/on the water as fieldwork will occur within stormwater ponds. Basic computer skills (Microsoft Office suite) are expected and experience with the R statistical software program is a plus. Good written and oral communication skills and the ability to work within a team are also necessary.

Other Information: This position will be based in the Urban Ecosystem Ecology Laboratory located on the main UF campus in Gainesville, FL. Although the intern will primarily work with the Ph.D. student on their dissertation research, there will be opportunities to develop independent research questions associated with the Ph.D. research.

Host: Department of Environmental Protection, Big Bend Aquatic Seagrass Preserve

Start Date: May 15

Supervisor: Timothy Jones, Jamie Hammond, Trisha Green

Responsibilities: Assist DEP staff with fieldwork including but not limited to monthly water quality monitoring and annual seagrass monitoring.

Qualifications:1) Ability to swim (snorkel) comfortably in water up to 10 feet deep sometimes with limited visibility (snorkel gear NOT provided)
2) Ability to work long hours in extreme weather conditions (heat, rain, etc)
3) Ability to work independently as well as part of a team

Other Information: The position is based in Crystal River, Florida with work range from Keaton Beach south to Homosassa, Florida.

Required equipment: mask, fins and snorkel

Host: FWC Fisheries Independent Monitoring

Start Date: May 6

Supervisor: Caleb Purtlebaugh – Research Administrator/Stephanie Winn – Intern Coordinator

Responsibilities: The researcher will assist in all aspects of the FIM program with an emphasis on conducting statistically valid research experiments and surveys in estuarine habitats to evaluate relative fish stock abundance, age composition, movement, growth, and condition of fish populations. This will include primarily fieldwork deploying and retrieving gear, fish species identification, and data collection. The FIM program uses a multi-gear approach to collect data on various life-history stages of fishes and selected invertebrates. Gears used to collect estuarine fishes include 21.3-m center bag seine; 6.1-m otter trawl; and a 183-m haul seine.

Qualifications: Data collection may require long field days and strenuous physical activities. Fieldwork may be done under arduous conditions (e.g. inclement weather, rough seas, and shoreline wading). This position will require that large fish and stingrays be safely handled.

Other Information: This research position is located at FWC’s Senator George Kirkpatrick Marine Lab in Cedar Key, FL. Personal transportation to the Senator George Kirkpatrick Marine Lab will be required, but not for travel related to fieldwork. Housing is not provided.

Host:  USGS

Start Date: May 6

Supervisor: Dr. Margaret Lamont

Responsibilities: Assist USGS biologists with sturgeon captures and tagging, and maintenance of an acoustic array in and around the Suwannee River. Also, assist with surveys for diamondback terrapins in Lower Suwannee NWR

Qualifications: Comfortable on small boats, handling large nets, and working in hot and buggy conditions. In addition, the ability to walk long distances in muddy, salt marsh habitat is necessary.

Other Information: The position is based in Cedar Key or Gainesville. Previous boating experience would be preferred.

Host: Fish & Wildlife Service, Lower Suwanee National Wildlife Refuge

Start Date: May 6

Supervisor: Daniel L. Barrand

Responsibilities: Forestry and biological work within a Gulf Coast forest ecosystem on the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge. This forestry position will be mostly fieldwork within the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge. Duties include timber evaluation and marking, boundary surveying, and data recording. Secondary duties may include biological surveys to determine population occurrence of key wildlife species. Occasional facilities maintenance may also be assigned. You should be ready for rigorous work in all weather and insect conditions.

Qualifications: Applicants should have some previous coursework or experience in A) Forestry, B) data entry, C) GPS utilization D) plant and tree ID, and E) basic biology. Desire and ability to work outside in hot, bug-ridden, and humid conditions and yet maintain a positive attitude and an outstanding sense of humor. Summer Forestry Assistant will be self-motivated, willing to assist with other projects, organized, independent, detail-oriented, and fun to hang out with. Refuge housing can be provided. Work is often performed alone. A valid driver’s license is required.

Other Information: Position is at the Lower Suwannee NWR, 16450 NW 31st Place, Chiefland, Florida 32626; a very rural location with wonderful dark skies, sequestered deep in the woods. Refuge bunk housing can be provided. Travel support is provided as there may be times when the position works at St. Marks NWR. Travel will be in government vehicles. The refuge manager promises an inshore fishing trip.

Host: Fish & Wildlife Service, Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge

Start Date: May 6

Supervisor: Monica Scroggin / Joyce Kleen

Responsibilities: This internship will assist staff with monitoring visitation data for Three Sisters Springs by water (i.g., kayak, paddleboard, and swimming). Also, the intern will assist with community outreach via Facebook and other outlets.

Qualifications: Interns should be able to interact with and educate visitors. Must be able to work in inclement weather including heat. Must be comfortable in and around water, able to kayak, and stand for long periods.

Other Information: The position is located in Crystal River, FL. Transportation and equipment are provided. Housing and work vehicles are provided. A background check may be required.

Host: UF IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station

Start Date: May 6

Supervisor: Drs. Charlie Martin/Mike Allen

Responsibilities: Common Snook is a tropical sportfish that has recently expanded into the Cedar Key area. We have previously posited that this expansion is climate-driven, with a lack of hard freezes over the past two decades that historically limited Snook distribution to the area farther south. We seek an intern to utilize diverse sources of information, including museum collections, library archives, resident interviews, and other documentation to build a record of Snook occurrence in the area prior to standardized fish monitoring which began in 1996. In addition, the intern will assist in developing an exhibit related to Snook expansion at the Nature Coast Biological Station’s Discovery Center in Cedar Key, FL.

Qualifications: The applicant must have reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license as well as an interest in history and ecology/fisheries and the ability to work both collaboratively and independently. Basic computer knowledge, the ability to work full time, good written and oral communication, and strong interpersonal skills are necessary. The intern will also have an opportunity to participate in occasional fieldwork.

Other Information: Preferred applicants will have interests in history, paleoecology, or related field coupled with strong interpersonal skills and some experience with marine and estuarine ecosystems. This position is based at the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station in Cedar Key, FL.

Host: UF IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station

Start Date: May 6

Supervisor: Dr. Travis Thomas

Responsibilities: Alligator Snapping Turtles are the largest freshwater turtles in the New World; however, they face many threats. We seek an intern to assist with population monitoring of turtles and to help assess threats associated with passive fishing techniques in the Suwannee River. Responsibilities will vary but include field sampling of turtles, data entry, and assisting other staff as needed.

Qualifications: The applicant must have reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license. Sampling may consist of overnight camping and working in inclement weather conditions. Boating experience recommended but not required. The applicant must also be able to lift heavy objects as the target species are often >100lbs. Basic computer skills are required. Basic knowledge of statistical programs (i.e., R) is preferred but not required.

Other Information: This position is based at the UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station in Cedar Key, FL; however, field work may be conducted along the Suwannee River.

Host: USGS

Start Date: May 10

Supervisor: Amanda W.J. Demopoulos / Jill R. Bourque

Responsibilities: Mangrove restoration has a strong potential to enhance the ecosystem services provided by coastal wetlands throughout the Southeast. Hydrological restoration of mangrove habitats has been ongoing at Fruit Farm Creek (FFC) within the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve on Marco Island, Florida. The Benthic Ecology Lab at the USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center is assessing the long-term ecological changes associated with restoration efforts using a functional equivalency approach. We are quantifying several metrics within 15 study plots to track restored mangrove function, including surface elevation change (via RSET), soil C and N stores, benthic community assemblages, and trophic interactions in dead, dying, control, and reference forests. The primary intern responsibilities will include processing, sorting, and identification of sediment infauna and processing mangrove flora and fauna for stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis. Training in laboratory techniques required will be provided. There is a potential for participation in fieldwork at FFC with travel support provided. The intern will analyze collected data and provide a written and oral summary of results. Overall results of this study will help inform future management plans for mangrove forests in the southeast.

Qualifications: Applicants should have an interest in marine community ecology, the ability to work both collaboratively and independently, and good written and oral communication skills, with relevant coursework in ecology/marine biology preferred. The applicant must have reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license. Experience using MS Office or similar products is required.

Other Information: This position will be based at the U.S. Geological Survey Wetland and Aquatic Research Center in Gainesville, FL with potential overnight travel to Marco Island, FL. Besides the research activities described above, the intern will have the opportunity to participate in other ongoing research in the laboratory and attend weekly laboratory meetings for project discussion.

Host: UF Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

Start Date: May 31

Supervisor: Dr. Marcus Lashley

Responsibilities: The intern will acquire skills in editing podcasts and videos and participate in developing media and content related to ongoing research in the UF DEER Lab. Primary responsibilities include collecting, entering, and analyzing research data. Developing outreach products for social media including recording and editing videos. Editing sound for podcasts episodes. Following trends and compiling metrics on performance on social media posts. Writing popular articles and extension documents to communicate ongoing research.

Qualifications: Pursuing a degree in wildlife conservation or a closely related discipline.

Other Information: The position is based in Gainesville, FL. Any travel to field sites will be covered and related field equipment will be supplied.

Host: UF Soil and Water Sciences

Start Date: May 31

Supervisor: Dr. Julie Meyer

Responsibilities: Our lab has been investigating the roles of potentially beneficial bacteria associated with seagrass roots and lucinid clams. The intern will assist with DNA extractions and PCR amplification to characterize seagrass root microbial communities, as well as assist with sulfide starvation of lucinid clams under laboratory conditions to remove bacterial symbionts. The intern will also have the opportunity to develop microscopy protocols to visualize bacterial symbionts in seagrass roots and clams.

Qualifications: Completion of an introductory microbiology course and knowledge of sterile techniques. Preferred skills include experience with DNA extraction and PCR.

Other Information: This position will be based in Gainesville, FL. Occasional travel to Cedar Key to collect seagrass is optional, with transportation provided.

Host: UF Soil and Water Sciences

Start Date: May 17

Supervisor: Dr. Mark Clark

Responsibilities: This project will quantify the impact of a new artificial substrate material (JR-CSA) on oyster recruitment and investigate this material's ability to improve water quality by increasing water column filtration capacity. On a weekly basis, the intern will monitor JR-CSA substrate panels for oyster spat recruitment. Once oysters settling occurs, JR-CSA panels will be evaluated for water column filtration capacity by placing panels in a closed circulation tank and measuring the change in turbidity over time, and collecting water column samples for later laboratory analysis. The intern will also be responsible for data entry and analysis in collaboration with the host.

Qualifications: Drivers license, lab experience desired, but not necessary. Creative thinking, good work ethic, positive attitude.

Other Information: Monitoring and analysis will be conducted at the Nature Coast Biological Station in Cedar Key. Transport to the station from Gainesville may at times be facilitated, but the intern must be able to travel independently to Cedar Key on a weekly basis. All necessary equipment will be provided.

Host:  UF Soil and Water Science

Start Date: May 10

Supervisor: Dr. Laura Reynolds

Responsibilities: The intern will be aiding a Ph.D. student with field experiments aimed at understanding the role of species diversity in seagrass response to stress. The intern will also help with a variety of projects focused on seagrass ecology, including both fieldwork and lab work. Fieldwork will include sampling Gulf of Mexico seagrass and invertebrate communities. Lab work will include processing samples, data entry, seagrass genetic analyses, and other activities. There will be opportunities to conduct small independent research projects.

Qualifications: The applicant should have a valid driver’s license, an interest in coastal ecology, an ability to swim/snorkel, and the ability to work long hours in extreme conditions (e.g. heat).

Other Information: Boating experience is preferred, but not required. This position is based out of Gainesville, FL, with fieldwork out of Cedar Key, FL. When traveling to Cedar Key, FL, carpools or transportation support may be available.

Host:  UF Environmental Horticulture

Start Date: May 6

Supervisor: Dr. Carrie Reinhardt Adams

Responsibilities: General duties and Responsibilities for the Intern: We are seeking an intern to help with a project to better understand coastal forest die-off along the west coast of Florida, which has been linked to increasing salinity and mortality and loss of cabbage palms. The internship will focus on observing cabbage palm regeneration responses to salinity gradients in the field. The intern responsibilities include 1. Data collection in both unimpacted sites and sites that appear stressed, including herbaceous vegetation cover, cabbage palm tree status, and presence of cabbage palm seedlings 2. Measurement of environmental characteristics including elevation, soil salinity, and tidal flooding 3. Interpretation and analysis of the correlations between vegetation and environmental characteristics (with guidance from supervisors) 4. Assistance with related field and greenhouse experiments, and potentially further experiments related to the individual project designed by the intern 5. Preparation and presentation of research results

Qualifications: Proficiency in MS Excel, attention to detail, ability to work independently and in groups, and willingness to ask questions. Preferred skills include basic statistics.

Other Information: The position is based in Gainesville, and transportation will be provided for travel from Gainesville when needed. Hours range from 20-40 hours/week. Working in uncomfortable (hot, humid, muddy) conditions, as well as long days (leaving Gainesville at 7 am, returning at 5 pm) is required. Physically strenuous work (long walks, lifting heavy pots) will occasionally be needed. Access to field sites will involve boating. Infrequently, night/weekend work may be required. For more information, please contact Carrie Adams at rein0050@ufl.edu.