Cascadia Research Collective in Olympia, Washington is looking for interns for fall 2016 and winter, spring and summer 2017 

Cascadia Research Collective 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. For more information about Cascadia and our research please visit www.cascadiaresearch.org

We are seeking interns to help with our U.S. west coast and Hawaiʻi research projects. Both internships are office-based positions in Olympia, Washington.

We are currently filling positions for:

Fall 2016 (September-December)

Winter 2017 (January-March)

Spring 2017 (April-June)

Summer 2017 (July-September)

International applicants will also be considered, but it is the responsibility of the applicant to acquire necessary visas and documentation.

Internship Details:

Cascadia gives priority to those seeking internships for college/university credit as well as to those who can commit full time (40 hours a week). We prefer upper-level undergraduate students with some science background or those seeking to go to or who are already in graduate school in a marine science field. These positions are unpaid and at this time we are not able to provide housing. The internships are generally three months in length, although exceptions can be made depending on the academic calendar of the college or university and the schedule of the applicant.

Project Descriptions:

Interns with Cascadia primarily assist with photo-identification catalogs. In this capacity, interns will be expected to spend a large portion of their time comparing photographs to our existing catalogs, and may additionally be involved in digital image processing, data entry, and tasks related to historical catalog maintenance.  However, depending upon the season there may also be some opportunities to assist staff in field data collection along the west coast and in addition, interns will assist staff in stranding response in Washington state. This includes participation in beach surveys, data and specimen collection, data entry, and assisting in necropsies of both pinnipeds and cetaceans. Responses may involve hiking into remote areas and carrying heavy loads, and participants should be comfortable with the sight of blood, and strong, unpleasant odors. US west coast photo-ID studies focus on baleen whales, including humpback, blue, and gray whales off the US West Coast and the inside waters of Washington state. Hawaiʻi photo-ID studies focus on a variety of species of odontocetes, including rough-toothed dolphins, false killer whales, beaked whales and bottlenose dolphins. For more information on the Hawaiʻi projects please visit  www.cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii.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 (including references and their contact information), two letters of recommendation, 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 a Hawaiʻi project internship please send the information to:

Sabre Mahaffy: mahaffys@cascadiaresearch.org