NOAA’s Cooperative Center for Marine Animal Health (CCMAH) is recruiting to fill two dolphin photo-identification internship positions for the fall of 2011.
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 September 12, 2011 to December 16, 2011. 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 first week of June, 2011.