NOAA Hollings Marine Laboratory's Marine Animal Health Program is recruiting to fill two dolphin photo-identification internship positions for the winter/spring of 2012. The positions are at the NOAA National Ocean Service Laboratory in Charleston, South Carolina and will involve a commitment of 20 hours per week extending over a 15 week period from January 17, 2012 to April 27, 2012. There is some flexibility in these start and end dates.
 
The CCMAH will be conducting boat-based photo-identification (id) and remote biopsy surveys of Western North Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in estuaries and near-shore waters of South Carolina to investigate relationships between stress/reproductive hormones and environmental factors.  Interns will assist with laboratory activities such as data entry and photo-analysis and will participate in boat-based fieldwork. The internship offers an excellent opportunity for qualified and motivated individuals to obtain field and laboratory training in photo-id methodology and analysis under the mentorship of experienced dolphin researchers.
 
There is no compensation for this position, and interns will be responsible for their own living expenses and transportation to and from the laboratory. There may be travel involved for some components of the fieldwork, which will be paid for by the laboratory.
 
Ideal applicants will be advanced undergraduates or recent graduates of a scientifically-oriented university program in marine science, biology or a related field.  Preference will be given to applicants with well-developed computer skills and boat-based field experience. The internship application consists of a letter of interest, transcripts of university coursework and two letters of recommendation from professors or research supervisors who are familiar with applicant’s scholarship, research skills and work habits.
Interested applicants should first correspond with Todd Speakman by
email (Todd.Speakman@noaa.gov) before preparing and submitting application materials. We anticipate filling this internship position by the middle of December, 2011.