2018 Virginia Aquarium Batten Fellowships & Internships

Fellowships for Undergraduate/Graduate Students Deadline 2018 positions – Jan 15, 2018

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center offers Fellowship opportunities stranding response and sea turtle research for college seniors and graduate students. These 480 or 960 hr Fellowships include a stipend to help offset personal and incidental expenses. Batten Fellowships fund students to complete work in the Aquarium’s Research & Conservation Division.

 

Unpaid Internships for Undergraduate and post graduate Students

Deadlines: spring semester-Dec 15^th  summer semester-Jan 30^th   fall semester – August 1st

The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center also offers internship opportunities in stranding response to college or post-graduate students.  Internships require a minimum of 250hrs over 10 weeks but can be longer, and one or more intern position is available spring, summer and fall semester.

 

How to apply:

Batten Fellow candidates are required to provide a cover letter indicating the specific Batten Fellowship opportunity, resume (including GPA, completed coursework and previous experience), expectations letter (what you expect to do and get from your experience), two reference letters (one must be from an advisor or professor that may speak on your academic background) and an interview.

 

Forward complete documentation to:         Volunteer Services Office

Re: Batten Fellowship or Internship

aquavols@virginiaaquarium.com                    Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Office:  (757) 385-0274                            717 General Booth Boulevard

 Fax:  (757) 437-6055                                     Virginia Beach, VA  23451

                       

AND email a second copy of your application and expectations letter to: vaqstranding@gmail.com with the subject line: Batten 2018 or Internship

 

Information on all current Batten Fellowship opportunities can also be viewed on-line at the Virginia Aquarium website:  www.virginiaaquarium.com/get-involved

Batten Fellowships for Sea Turtle and Marine Mammal Stranding Response and Research & Conservation (Stipend provided)

     The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center’s Research & Conservation Division is offering Fellowship positions with Research & Conservation and the Stranding Response Program (VAQS) during the busy summer/fall seasons (May – October). Qualified students and recent post-graduates can compete for one of two Batten Fellowship positions which include a stipend to help offset personal and incidental expenses.

     The position with the research team is approximately 12 weeks long (480 hours), and the stranding response position combined two fellowships into one 24-30 week program (960 hours).

     Batten Fellows are expected to bring a high level of dedication and scientific interest to the program and will be integrated more fully into staff activities compared to our unpaid internship positions. Successful candidates will be required to complete a final report on their fellowship work which will be submitted to the Aquarium’s Batten Fellowship Endowment Committee and a presentation to staff and volunteers. Those not accepted for a Batten Fellowship may also compete for a general internship (no stipend).

 

Requirements:

Applicants for Batten Fellowships with the Virginia Aquarium’s Research & Conservation Division must:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Be a rising senior, recent graduate or currently pursuing a post-graduate degree in a science-based (or veterinary) program
• Demonstrate interest in a career in marine or veterinary science
• Have some experience in stranding response, field research and/or wild/exotic animal care
• Have basic math and computer skills using MS spreadsheets, relational databases and data entry (advanced programs such as SQL, GIS, R, etc. preferred)
• Have a valid U.S. driver’s license and good driving record
• Be able to swim and be comfortable in and around open water and boats
• Be self-motivated and able to perform activities both as part of a team and independently
• Be able to lift and carry 25 pounds and assist with lifting and moving larger loads
• Be able to hike up to 5 miles on beaches carrying gear
• Be physically and mentally fit: you will be expected to handle field activities, extreme weather, constantly changing environmental conditions, extended periods of intense activities, dead and decomposing animals (both during response and necropsy), prolonged periods of travel, insects, sick and injured animals, euthanasia, etc.
• Be available to perform support activities (24-7) as needed during the period of appointment

 

Applicants applying for a Batten Fellowship position may also submit an application for a general internship (no stipend), if interested. Applicants also interested in the possibility of a general internship are encouraged to include the general intern application information with the Fellowship application and indicate their interest in both programs in the required letter of interest, OR complete a separate internship application that is available online at the Aquarium’s website, www.virginiaaquarium.com/get-involved.  

Specific positions

 

Six-month Batten Fellowship for Sea Turtle and Marine Mammal Stranding Response:

 

We are looking for a self-motivated, detail-oriented individual to assist with all aspects of marine mammal and sea turtle stranding response in Virginia. Fellowship applicants will be assessed on their completed coursework, GPA, cover letter, resume, expectations letter, reference letters (one must be from an advisor or professor who can speak about your academic background), previous relevant experience and interview.

 

Stranding Response Batten Fellow duties:

• Assist VAQS volunteers and staff in field stranding response and/or recovery of dead (comprise ~90% of VA strandings) and live marine mammals and sea turtles. Activities may be conducted under adverse weather conditions
• Assist in the collection and submission of Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Network data
• Participate in postmortem data collection and necropsies (animal autopsies)
• Assist with the care of animals in rehabilitation, including but not limited to: food preparation, feeding, extensive cleaning (mopping floors, laundry, dishes, cleaning tanks), restraint during exams/procedures, and other animal husbandry duties
• Assist with research and field activities involving sea turtles and marine mammals

 

Our Expectations:

Stranding Response Batten Fellows will be treated as professionals and will be expected to work side by side with staff members, volunteers and interns on a daily basis. We expect stranding response fellows to treat this position as if it were a full-time position for the length of the fellowship. Each fellow will be expected to study a topic selected following discussion with a VAQS supervisor and complete a research paper for presentation at the end of the appointment period. Fellows will give an oral (MS PowerPoint) presentation summarizing their experience at the conclusion of the appointment and complete a survey/exit interview. It will be the responsibility of the Batten Fellow, not VAQS, to ensure that any requirements for academic credit at a home institution are fulfilled.

 

We hope that fellows can begin their work with us in spring (April or May) but lack of availability during that time does not disqualify applicants. This competitive position includes a stipend to help offset personal and incidental expenses over the course of the appointment period.

 

Spring/Summer Stranding Response Batten Fellow application materials are due by 15 Jan 2018 and notification of acceptance will occur no later than 20 Feb 2018.

 

 

3 month Summer Batten Fellowship for Sea Turtle Research:

 

We are looking for a self-motivated, detail-oriented individual to assist with several aspects of on-going sea turtle research and data collection. Applicants will be assessed on their completed coursework, GPA, cover letter, resume, expectations letter, references letters (one must be from an advisor or professor who can speak about your academic background), previous relevant experience, skills (such as GIS, statistics, programming) and an interview.

 

Research & Conservation Batten Fellow duties:

• Assist VAQS volunteers and staff with research projects including capture, tagging, sampling, sample management and field data collection for wild and incidentally captured sea turtles
• Assist with surveys of local recreational fishers under the Virginia Pier Partner Program
• Assist VAQS staff with data entry and processing
• Assist with sample inventory, preparation and dissemination
• Assist with stranding response, rehabilitation efforts, and field activities involving sea turtles and marine mammals

 

Expectations:

Research Program Batten Fellows will be treated as professionals and will be expected to work side by side with staff members, volunteers and interns on a daily basis. We expect research fellows to treat this position as if it were a full-time position for the length of the fellowship. Research Program Batten Fellows will be expected to study a topic selected following discussion with a VAQS supervisor and complete a research paper for presentation at the end of the appointment period. Fellows will give an oral (MS PowerPoint) presentation summarizing their experience at the conclusion of the appointment and complete a survey/exit interview. It will be the responsibility of the Batten Fellow, not VAQS, to ensure that any requirements for academic credit at a home institution are fulfilled.

 

This competitive position includes a stipend to help offset personal and incidental expenses over the course of the appointment period.

 

Summer Research Program Batten Fellow application materials are due by 15 Jan 2018 and notification of acceptance will occur no later than 20 Feb 2018.