The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center’s Research & Conservation Division is offering Fellowship positions during the winter/spring (February – May) and busy spring/summer seasons (May – September). Qualified students can compete for one of three Batten Fellowship positions which include a stipend to help offset personal and incidental expenses (one spring and two summer fellowships). Successful candidates will be self-motivated, detail-oriented individuals who will assist with several aspects of on-going Virginia Aquarium Foundation programs including marine mammal and sea turtle research and stranding response. These positions are approximately three months long. Batten Fellows are expected to bring a higher level of dedication and scientific interest to the program and will be integrated more fully into staff activities. They will be required to complete a final project on their Fellowship work which will be submitted to the Aquarium’s Batten Fellowship Endowment Committee. Responsibilities, duties and projects will vary with each individual fellowship. Please see the attached document for fellowship requirements and descriptions. Those not accepted for a Batten Fellowship will have the opportunity to 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 pursuing a post-graduate degree in a science-based program
• Demonstrate interest in a career in marine or veterinary science
• Have basic math and computer skills using MS spreadsheets, databases and data entry (advanced programs such as SQL, GIS, R, etc. preferred)
• Have a valid U.S. drivers 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 as well as 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, team activities, individual activities, sick and injured animals, etc.
• Be available to perform support activities (24-7) as needed during the period of appointment (e.g. May 15, 2015 through August 15, 2015)

Batten Fellow duties:

• Assist VAQS staff with Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Network data collection, processing, organization and entry into relational database
• 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
• Participate in postmortem data collection and necropsies (animal autopsies)
• Assist in care for animals during rehabilitation, including but not limited to: food prep, feeding, extensive cleaning (mopping floors, laundry, dishes, cleaning tanks), and other animal husbandry duties

Expectations:

Stranding Response Batten Fellows will be expected to study a topic selected through 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.

**Winter/Spring Batten Fellow application materials are due by 9 February 2015 and notification of acceptance will occur no later than 23 February 2015.

 

**Spring/Summer Batten Fellow application materials are due by 23 February 2015 and notification of acceptance will occur no later than 9 March 2015.

Application materials should be mailed to:

Volunteer Services Office – Batten Fellows

Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center

717 General Booth Boulevard

Virginia Beach, VA  23451

Telephone:  (757) 385-0274

Fax:  (757) 437-6055

E-mail: aquavols@virginiaaquarium.com

 

Questions about the Research & Conservation fellowship opportunities can be directed to:

Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Program

E-mail: vaqstranding@gmail.com

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