The Whale Museum's Soundwatch Boater Education Program:
2024 Summer Internship Openings
The Soundwatch Boater Education Program is seeking interns for the 2024 summer field season. Soundwatch is a research, education and monitoring program operated by The Whale Museum (TWM), a not-for-profit organization located in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island in Washington State. The Soundwatch program mission is to reduce vessel disturbance to marine wildlife, particularly the endangered Southern Resident killer whales, in the Salish Sea region of Washington State (USA) and British Columbia (Canada). Soundwatch is looking for three interns to help conduct vessel patrols, educate boaters on regional/federal Be Whale Wise guidelines and regulations, and collect data while monitoring vessel activity around whales. Data from this critical program characterizes vessel activity trends around endangered killer whales and other marine wildlife. The data is used to promote better boater compliance and to inform marine mammal management strategies such as state and federal vessel laws and guidelines. To learn more, please visit our website and read Soundwatch’s most recent Contract Report and publications.
INTERN RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Perform a variety of tasks including data recording and photography in the field aboard small research vessels and in a research office setting.
- Produce high quality research efforts and exhibit strong interpersonal skills.
- Interact with the public during education and outreach events.
- Be able to spend long hours on the water aboard a small vessel, sometimes in adverse seasonal conditions. Field days occur four to five times a week and may exceed eight hours per day.
Internship is located in Friday Harbor, Washington. Interns are responsible for their own housing and having a mode of transportation. This position provides a stipend to offset housing costs. Once accepted, TWM staff will be able to assist interns in locating suitable housing options.
APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS:
- Commit to at least 12 weeks between May and September.
- Be able to work approximately 35-40 hours per week, Mon-Sun.
- At least 18 years of age, physically fit (able to lift 40 lbs.), able to swim, and not easily susceptible to seasickness. This position requires extensive boating aboard small vessels and is not suitable for those prone to seasickness.
- Familiar with Microsoft Office Suite (particularly Excel) and Google Workspace.
- Valid US passport or an enhanced driver's license (for the entirety of their position) and CPR/First Aid certification. A state boater license or equivalent safe boating card is encouraged but not required.
- Preference will be given to undergraduates or recent graduates in the marine or wildlife sciences.
- Knowledge of the area and Southern Resident killer whales is preferred but not required.
- Wildlife photography experience is a plus but not required.
HOW TO APPLY FOR INTERNSHIP POSITION:
Please send a letter of interest, a resume, and contact information for three references. Be sure to include what dates you can start/end.
Submit application materials via email as one PDF if possible.
Please include in your subject line: Soundwatch Internship Application (Last Name).
Active review of applications will begin immediately and continue until 01 Dec 2023 or until positions are filled, with final selections made before 01 Feb 2024.
PLEASE SEND APPLICATION MATERIALS TO:
Alanna Frayne
Soundwatch Boater Education Program Coordinator
alanna@whalemuseum.org
Feel free to contact with any questions.
