Cascadia Research Collective in Olympia, Washington is now accepting interns for U.S. west coast and Hawaiʻi research for winter, spring and summer 2018!
We will be at the 22nd Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada next week and conducting interviews for winter, spring and summer 2018 internships. Anyone attending the conference who is interested in an internship with Cascadia should contact us by October 22nd to arrange an interview.
Cascadia Research Collective (CRC) is a 501(c)3 non-profit research and education organization founded in 1979. Most of our research is focused on whale and dolphin populations along the west coast of North America and in Hawaiʻi.
CRC is currently filling positions for:
Winter 2018 (January-March)
Spring 2018 (April-June)
Summer 2018 (July-September)
Internships are unpaid, office-based positions in Olympia, WA and housing is not provided.
International applicants will also be considered, but it is the responsibility of the applicant to acquire necessary visas and documentation.
Internship Details:
CRC gives priority to juniors or seniors with a science background who are seeking academic credit as well as those enrolled in (or planning to attend) graduate school in a marine science-related field. A full time commitment (40 hours per week) is preferred. Internships are generally three months in length, although exceptions can be made depending on the academic calendar of the college or university.
Much of CRC’s work involves photo identification, using natural markings unique to each individual to catalog and track individuals over time. This allows us to study association patterns and movements over extended periods of time, revealing information on population structure and social organization. Interns will spend a large portion of their time comparing new photographs to those in our existing catalogs, and may additionally be involved in digital image processing and data entry.
Additionally, interns may have opportunities to participate in Washington state stranding response, which may include beach surveys, data and specimen collection, data entry, and assisting in necropsies of pinnipeds & cetaceans.
US West Coast Research: Interns will assist staff on our long-term photo-ID studies of baleen whales, including humpback, blue, and gray whales off the US West Coast and the inside waters of Washington state. For more information see www.cascadiaresearch.org
Hawaiʻi Research: Interns will assist staff on our long-term photo-ID studies of a variety of species of odontocetes (e.g., rough-toothed dolphins, false killer whales, beaked whales) found in Hawaiian waters. For more information see www.cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii.htm
For a full description of the internships available, please visit: www.cascadiaresearch.org/interns.htm
Photo identification requires a high degree of focus and attention to detail, and interns can expect to spend the majority of their time comparing photographs.
Successful applicants should have the following skills:
– strong communication skills
– focus and attention to detail
– willingness to spend long hours in front of a computer
– ability to work independently
If you are interested in interning with Cascadia, please visit our website and send a CV and a letter of interest that describes why you are applying for the position and how the experience will help you be successful in meeting long-term goals.
For a US west coast project internship please send the information to:
Kiirsten Flynn: kflynn@cascadiaresearch.org
For Hawaiʻi project internship please send the information to:
Sabre Mahaffy: mahaffys@cascadiaresearch.org
If you would like to be considered for either, please indicate that in your letter and send to both.