Intern at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Center

An internship at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center offers students the opportunity to gain professional experience while working hands on with endangered and threatened sea turtles. We offer several types of intership programs:

Senior Internship Program for College Students
Junior Internship Program for High School Students

"I applied for the KBSTRRC to be a part of something bigger than myself. I wanted to be a part of a cooperative team that helps an endangered species. Since I also plan to go to veterinary school, everything that the KBSTRRC offers will help to prepare me for that." Jadah B, Fayetteville State U, Summer Intern 2021

• Sea Turtle Rehabilitation, Conservation, and Education Internship - Our signature Internship offers college students and recent graduates an in-depth, hands-on opportunity to learn about sea turtle husbandry and conservation. Additionally, interns practice science communication by delivering environmental education programs and public tours. Interns also learn about nonprofit organizations through an in-depth project involving education, marketing, communications, facilities, or another area of interest. Free, shared housing is provided. Other expenses are the responsibility of the intern. The summer internship is 11 weeks, 40-50 hours per week, with the opportunity to add 1-3 weeks at the end of the internship. The fall and spring semester internships are 11-18 weeks, 20-50 hours per week.
• *** NEW - Stipend Available! Full-time interns (40-50 hours per week, 11 week minimum) who meet all internship expectations, complete all internship responsibilities, and work the entire 11 weeks will receive a $1,100 stipend at the end of their internship to help defray the costs of participating. This stipend is in addition to free shared housing, valued at $400/month.
  Part-time interns (20-30 hours per week, 11 week minimum) who meet all internship expectations, complete all internship responsibilities, and work the entire 11 weeks will receive a $550 stipend at the end of their internship to help defray the costs of participating. This stipend is in addition to free shared housing, valued at $400/month.
  CLICK HERE TO APPLY for a SEA TURTLE REHABILITATION, CONSERVATION, AND EDUCATION INTERNSHIP!

 

• Junior Sea Turtle Internship - Our Junior Internship offers high school students who are at least 15 years of age an introductory, hands-on opportunity to learn about sea turtle husbandry and conservation. Junior interns also practice communication skills by giving public tours. This is an unpaid internship and housing is not provided. All expenses are the responsibility of the intern and their parents or guardians. The junior internship is two weeks, 35-40 hours/week.
  CLICK HERE TO APPLY for a JUNIOR SEA TURTLE INTERNSHIP!
  
  
• School Sea Turtle Internships - we have partnerships with certain local schools, including the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and the Cape Fear Community College, to offer part-time internships to their students during the regular school year. Check with your internship office if you are interested.

"I loved that I actively helped. It was very hands-on. You're not sitting in a classroom." Sammy H., UNC Wilmington, Fall 2021
"The internship is a hands-on experience that can't be beat by anything else." Amber C., UNC Wilmington, Fall 2021

Sea Turtle Rehabilitation, Conservation, and Education Intern Responsibilities:

• Cut and weigh food for turtles (i.e., fish, squid, other types of seafood, vegetables); Feed turtles
• Change tank water, scoop and clean tanks
• Hold and restrain turtles
• Weigh turtles
• Maintain the water and life support system
• Maintain accurate records (e.g., food chart, therapy pool, weekly weighing, admission of injured turtles)
• Wash and dry sea turtle dishes; Wash and fold sea turtle laundry
• Clean, disinfect, sweep, mop the facility including restrooms, hallways, the animal food prep kitchen, the break room, treatment areas, public spaces, etc.
• Answer the phone and take accurate messages
• Educate the public and lead visitor tours
• Supervise junior interns and students in summer sea turtle camp
• Assist with medical care as needed
• Survey an assigned beach segment at sunrise, one morning a week looking for sea turtle tracks; Assist with protecting any nests found
• Other duties as assigned

Intern Requirements:

• College undergraduate or recent graduate, minimum 18 years of age
• Major in environmental or biological sciences or similar
• Solid computer and data entry skills
• Excellent communication and organization skills
• Ability to understand and follow detailed instructions
• Self-motivated, with the ability to work independently or as part of a team
• Positive attitude with a desire to learn
• Flexible schedule
• Valid drivers' license preferred
• Personal laptop or tablet highly recommended
• The ability to get along well with others in a shared housing situation
• Minimum 11-14 week commitment, depending on semester of service
• Covid vaccination
• Ability to lift at least 50 pounds
• Ability to pass a background check

Upcoming 2023 Internship Dates:

• Summer: 5/21/23 - 8/5/23 - APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED
• Fall: 9/24/23 - 12/31/23 (flexible)

TO APPLY to be an INTERN:

• CLICK HERE to complete our Sea Turtle Rehabilitation, Conservation, and Education Internship Application (via Google Forms)
• Be sure to upload your COVER LETTER into the form
• Be sure to upload your RESUME into the form
• Be sure to upload THREE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION, including one from a professor, into the form. Alternatively, your references may e-mail a letter directly to internship@seaturtlehospital.org.
• The APPLICATION DEADLINE for FALL, 2023 is August 15, 2023. Decisions will be made by September 1, 2023. There are 4 positions available.

Additional Notes: Onsite housing is provided, which will be co-ed, and which may require sharing a room with another intern of the same gender. No pets are allowed. Interns should expect an irregular work schedule consisting of days, weekends, and holidays. Some workdays will exceed eight hours. The work is physically demanding. Additionally, because of the nature of working with sick and injured turtles, the work may at times be emotionally challenging.
If you have questions, please email Lindsey, our Internship Coordinator, at internship@seaturtlehospital.org.

The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center offers internship opportunities without discriminating on the basis of race, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability, age, economic status, or veteran status.


"I have had a passion for marine life from a very young age. After being a junior intern at Karen Beasley, I fell in love with sea turtles and wanted to gain more experience with them. It is my hope to work with marine rehabilitation as a career in some capacity." Brittney C., UNC Wilmington, Summer 2021 Intern, Summer 2020 Junior Intern

Junior Sea Turtle Intern Responsibilities:

• Weigh food for turtles (i.e., fish, squid, other types of seafood, vegetables); Feed turtles
• Scoop and clean tanks
• Maintain accurate records (e.g., food chart, therapy pool, weekly weighing, admission of injured turtles)
• Wash and dry sea turtle dishes; Wash and fold sea turtle laundry
• Clean, disinfect, sweep, mop the facility including restrooms, hallways, the animal food prep kitchen, the break room, treatment areas, public spaces, etc.
• Answer the phone and take accurate messages
• Educate the public and lead visitor tours
• Other duties as assigned

Junior Intern Requirements:

• High school student, minimum 15 years of age
• Interest in science
• Excellent communication and organization skills
• Ability to understand and follow detailed instructions
• Self-motivated, with the ability to work independently or as part of a team
• Positive attitude with a desire to learn
• Two week commitment
• Ability to lift at least 20 pounds

Summer, 2023 Junior Internship Dates: (must work all days of your assigned two-week session)

• 5/29/23 - 6/9/23
• 6/12/23 - 6/23/23
• 6/26/23 - 7/7/23
• 7/10/23 - 7/21/23
• 7/24/23 - 8/4/23
• 8/7/23 - 8/18/23
• 8/21/23 - 9/1/23

TO APPLY to be a JUNIOR INTERN:

• CLICK HERE to complete our Junior Sea Turtle Internship Application (via Google Forms)
• Be sure to upload your COVER LETTER into the form
• Be sure to upload your RESUME into the form
• Be sure to upload TWO LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION, including one from a teacher or guidance counselor, into the form. Alternatively, your references may e-mail a letter directly to jrinternship@seaturtlehospital.org.
• UPDATE: The APPLICATION DEADLINE for Summer, 2023 has closed. Decisions have been made and we have notified all candidates. If you did not hear from us, please e-mail jrinternship@seaturtlehospital.org.

Additional Notes: Junior interns should expect an irregular work schedule consisting of weekdays and holidays. Weekends optional and may offer additional learning opportunities. Some workdays may exceed eight hours. The work is physically demanding. Additionally, because of the nature of working with sick and injured turtles, the work may at times be emotionally challenging.
If you have questions, please email our Junior Internship Coordinator, at jrinternship@seaturtlehospital.org.

The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center offers internship opportunities without discriminating on the basis of race, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability, age, economic status, or veteran status.

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Life as an Intern at KBSTRRC

Interns handle all aspects of the daily care and husbandry of sea turtles in rehabilitation. The daily schedule includes morning food and vitamin preparation, then feeding the sea turtles. Feeding is followed by cleaning the tanks and providing care to individual sea turtles as needed. This might involve assisting with medical and/or special feeding procedures and administering medication. Throughout most of the year, KBSTRRC is open to visitors. During this time interns have the opportunity to introduce visitors to the sea turtles in rehabilitation; explain their injuries, ailments, and prognosis; and share our organization's history and operations. For summer interns, mentoring junior interns and summer sea turtle camp participants is an important aspect of the internship. Some days also include beach survey work early in the morning, locating and identifying sea turtle tracks and relocating nests when necessary. Some nights include searching for nesting females, nest sitting in anticipation of a nest emergence, and post hatch nest data collection. Interns also have the opportunity to dive more deeply into running a nonprofit organization by completing a project involving education, marketing, social media, communications, facilities, fundraising, or another area of interest.

Junior Interns support the work of the Senior Interns, especially cleaning tanks, feeding turtles, cleaning the hospital, and offering tours to the public.  This is an opportunity to learn and experience working with sea turtles and sharing information about conservation.​