INTERNSHIP INFORMATION AND POSITION DESCRIPTIONS.
ALL APPLICANTS MUST BE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD AND SPEAK FLUENT ENGLISH.

Dolphin Research center is a not-for-profit education and research facility that is home to a colony of bottlenose dolphins and sea lions. Located in the heart of the Florida Keys on Grassy Key, our animals live in a natural environment in the Florida Bay. Established in 1984, Dolphin Research Center is dedicated to teaching, learning, and caring for marine mammals and the environment we share. We accomplish this through a variety of public education programs and non-invasive research projects, and by active involvement with the marine mammal care community throughout the world.

Internships at DRC are an exciting way to develop career skills as well as an opportunity to get "behind the scenes" to see how a marine mammal facility operates. Dolphin Research Center internships involve concentration in specific departments and normally last 16 to 18 weeks. Interns work forty hours per week typically spending four days per week in their internship’s department and one day providing support in other areas of daily operations through the Volunteer Resources Pool.

It is necessary that you read, speak and understand English, are physically fit, able to lift 50 pounds and can work outside in the Florida Keys heat, sunshine and humidity. All interns are responsible for their own housing, food and local transportation. Bear in mind that this area is a tourist destination and the cost of accommodations varies depending on the season.

We currently offer internships in the following areas: Animal Care and Training, Special Needs, including the Dolphin Pathways Program, Education, Research, and Visual Communications. In addition to the day-to-day responsibilities in their departments, all interns are required to keep a daily journal of activities and to develop and attain specific learning objectives relative to their areas of interest or study focus. Your coach and the Volunteer Resources staff will work with you and your faculty advisor if you are pursuing credit for your work here or need to fulfill community service.

The Animal Care and Training Intern position provides support to the Animal Care and Training staff in all aspects of daily care. By assisting with basics such as diet and vitamin preparation and maintenance of the food preparation facility (fish house) you will begin to the build the foundation for a career in animal care. Although this position does not involve working hands-on with the dolphins, you will have an opportunity to shadow our trainers as they go about their daily duties and to observe both husbandry and training sessions. This position is offered for all three sessions. NOTE: performing daily animal training sessions is not a part of this position.

This support position to our animal care and training staff may involve:

• assisting the trainers during dolphin training sessions
• repairing and maintaining training equipment
• preparing food and vitamins for our animals
• stocking and inventorying food and husbandry supplies
• assisting with fish deliveries
• training and supervising other volunteers with fish house maintenance

In addition, all interns provide regular support to all areas of operations through crossover to other departments and by weekly participation in the Resource Pool.

Back to Top

This position is a support role to our Special Needs and Dolphin Pathways Program staff and may involve: preparing, repairing and maintaining session equipment, assisting program participants and their families, recording session notes and maintaining session records, preparing program participant folders, and handling information requests and other correspondence. This position is not offered for all sessions. Note: Working directly with the dolphins is not a part of this position.

In addition, all interns provide regular support to all areas of operations through crossover to other departments and by weekly participation in the Resource Pool.

Back to Top

Research interns participate in DRC's ongoing research projects, giving them broad exposure to a variety of research methodologies. Interns receive extensive on the job training in observing marine mammal, behavior, collecting observational data, working with research equipment, and assisting with behavioral research sessions. In addition, educational opportunities are available, such as informal journal article reviews and the development of personal learning objectives. This position of offered in all three sessions. Note: conducting your own research projects is not part of this position.

Specific job duties include:

• collecting observational data
• preparing stimuli for behavioral research sessions
• setting up equipment for behavioral research sessions
• operating video equipment
• entering data into the computer for analysis

Research studies vary widely in nature and availability. For information on past or current research projects at DRC, click here to visit the Research area of our website. In addition, all interns provide regular support to all areas of operations through crossover to other departments and by weekly participation in the Resource Pool.

Back to Top

The goal of the Education Intern position is to support and assist the professional education staff. Our educational programs have enormous potential to influence public attitudes and actions and directly affect the health and well-being of the environment. We accomplish this through a variety of programs, from thirty minute educational presentations to week-long DolphinLabs. Education Interns do not work directly with the dolphins or sea lions.

Responsibilities vary depending on the program schedule at the time of your internship. Specific job duties may include (but are not limited to):

• Observing, presenting and providing input on educational programs
• Stocking and updating information files
• Answering information requests
• Assisting with DolphinLab – preparation and conducting
• Assisting Program Hosts
• Assisting with library research and maintenance
• Assisting with outreach (if available)
• Assisting with curriculum development

Your coach will work with you weekly to design your schedule. In addition to daily tasks and projects, you will need to set specific goals for your internship and update them frequently. You will be required to develop and complete a special project that will both benefit the Education Department and enhance your experience. You will also complete various assigned readings, view specific DolphinLab seminars, and maintain a daily journal.

In addition, all interns provide regular support to all areas of operations through crossover to other departments and by weekly participation in the Resource Pool.

Back to Top

The goal of the Visual Communications Intern is to support and assist the Visual Communications (“VisComm”) staff.  Using your knowledge of digital photography and videography as a Visual Communications Department Intern, you will have the opportunity to work outdoors around the water, interact with guests and watch dolphins at play while photographing program participants to provide lasting memories of their experiences.  This is a team department and as an intern, using your still and video editing skills, you will assist on projects working closely with V-C staff members and co-workers from other departments.

Each intern is asked to bring his vision and creativity forward as he is assigned at least one special project either within the department or under the direction of another department.  Depending on the individual’s interest or skill set and the needs of DRC this may be a still photography, a video, a design project or a mix of all media.

Basic responsibilities of this position may include (but are not limited to):

• Taking candid digital still photos of guests and dolphins during public programs
• Working directly with guests to select and process print and/or digital photos
• All phases of video production  from capturing to editing
• Organizing, scanning, and storing digital images of archived photos, slides and VHS tapes
• Creating on-site informational and directional signage

In addition to these basic responsibilities all interns are required to keep a daily journal of activities.  Through weekly meetings, your coach will review your journal and help you develop and attain specific learning objectives.  All interns also provide regular support to all areas of operations through crossover to other departments and by weekly participation in the Resource Pool.

VisComm Interns do not work directly with the dolphins but will be around them throughout the day as they interact with trainers, other departments and the general public.

Note: All images/products produced through this internship will remain the sole property of DRC.  Any images taken with your own equipment are for your personal use and not to be sold or published.  This position is offered in all three sessions.

Back to Top

To apply for an internship position, complete and send us the Volunteer Application including Section B and all other supporting information described in the intern application section. Click here to download an application from our website. You may answer the four questions in Section C on a separate piece of paper and submit it with your application.

If you are seeking credit for your internship, your transcript must be an official copy and one of your letters of recommendation must be from a faculty advisor. Letters of recommendation must have an original signature. If printed on plain paper or unsigned it will not be accepted.

Applications may not be submitted on-line. You may send the application and supporting documentation by fax to the attention of Volunteer Resources, 305-743-7627.

Mail to:
Dolphin Research Center
Attn: Volunteer Resource Dept.
58901 Overseas Highway
Grassy Key, FL 33050 USA

You may send any additional information that you feel would be beneficial to us in processing your application. On the application be sure to note which intern position(s) you wish to apply for in preferential order. You may apply for more than one position on the same application. The number of intern positions is very limited. Once received, intern applications are given to department coaches for review and selection. Phone interviews are conducted with finalists. Selections are usually completed two months prior to the starting month of each term. The actual start and end dates for the internship are arranged with the coach at the time of acceptance. We keep these dates flexible to meet varying schedules of schools and activities. Applications and all additional material must be RECEIVED by DRC no later than the following:

Back to Top

OCTOBER 1 for the Winter Term (January through April)
FEBRUARY 1 for the Summer Term (May through August)
JUNE 1 for the Fall Term (September through December)

If you have additional questions regarding internship opportunities with DRC, please send us an e-mail at drc-vr@dolphins.org or telephone 305/289-1121 x 230 Monday – Friday 9AM to 5 PM (Eastern Time).

Back to Top