Monterey Bay Aquarium Internships: A Guide to Opportunities and Requirements

Internships at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and associated research institutions like MBARI offer invaluable experiences for students and educators interested in marine science, conservation, and related fields. These programs provide opportunities to work alongside leading scientists, engineers, and conservationists, contributing to cutting-edge research and conservation efforts. This article provides a detailed overview of internship opportunities available in the Monterey Bay area, focusing on eligibility, requirements, and program specifics.

Internship Opportunities with NOAA

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is the managing agency for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and offers several internship opportunities to support workforce development. These internships provide fantastic networking opportunities for career development and valuable resume-building experience in ocean conservation and management. Interns may work on various projects or programs that align with their interests, in fields such as research, education, and resource protection.

Key aspects of NOAA internships:

Eligibility: Open to individuals aged 16 or older.
Flexibility: Some positions may accommodate remote work.
Academic Credit: NOAA cooperates with academic institutions to ensure interns receive credit for their work hours, when applicable.
Duration: Most internships last at least eight weeks.
Requirements:
- Required paperwork and a NOAA Office of Security background check are mandatory before the internship begins.
- Non-U.S. citizens must hold a J-1 Visa (Exchange Visitor Visa) and be accepted as an intern at least 45 days before the scheduled start date to complete additional security clearance.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Internship Program

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Internship Program is designed as a rich learning resource for interns and externs, enabling them to partner with the Aquarium in pursuit of shared Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) objectives and advance the Aquarium's mission. The program targets underrepresented communities, specifically Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), offering eligible college, undergraduate, and graduate students meaningful work experience under the guidance of an Aquarium mentor.

Core Responsibilities:

Intern responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Daily care and feeding of ill, injured, and orphaned sea otters.
Maintenance and cleaning of animal tanks and enclosures.
Computer data entry.
Assistance with rescues of live-stranded otters.
Tracking of released otters.
Administration of medication to sick otters.
Managing otters in research projects.

Requirements and Qualifications:

Absolutely Required:
- Animal handling experience in a professional environment (must include experience with mammals).
- Must be at least 18 years of age.
- Must be a current student at an accredited college or university or hold an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
- Must submit a resume of courses and/or experience related to the position applying for.
- Must provide a minimum of 2 letters of recommendation.
- Must be/have been in good academic standing.
- Six-month commitment of 24 hours each week.
- Proof of current tetanus vaccination.
- Proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
- Valid driver’s license.
- A project-based report will be required at the end of the internship.
- Project task assignments may include weekends and holidays as assigned.
Desired Skills:
- Strong interest in and awareness of animal husbandry and marine science/ecology.
- Experience with wildlife rehabilitation or handling potentially aggressive animals.
- Willingness to get wet and dirty.
- Attention to detail.
- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
- Ability to multi-task.
- Research, writing, academic literature, and organizational skills.
- Interpersonal skills and proven ability to work effectively with colleagues.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
- Proficiency with SharePoint a plus.

Compensation:

This Internship Program is a paid STEM Internship opportunity.
Pay rate of $18.00 USD per hour.
College credit may also be available.

Application:

Early submission of applications is encouraged.

MBARI's Summer Internship Program

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI)’s Summer Internship Program offers talented college students (undergraduate and graduate) and educators the chance to collaborate directly with MBARI scientists, engineers, and communicators. Interns are immersed in collaborative teams, learning innovative research and engineering techniques and enhancing their communication skills.

Program Highlights:

Mentorship: Each intern is supervised by an MBARI mentor for a specific project lasting ten weeks.
Facilities: Access to MBARI’s state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, including research vessels, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).
Stipend: Interns receive a stipend (the 2025 stipend was $22/hour) for full-time participation.
Housing Assistance: MBARI may assist with housing for interns coming from outside the area.

Eligibility and Application Requirements:

Applicants must submit the following in PDF format:
- A cover letter (submitted with the application form).
- Curriculum Vitae (submitted with the application form).
- One letter of recommendation (submitted using the online LOR submission form).
- A completed online application form (including CV and cover letter).
Clearly identifying a specific research interest/area via the project opportunities is essential.
Applicants should include how they meet the eligibility requirements in their cover letter. Students (undergraduate or graduate) are eligible, as are those who have graduated but plan to continue in graduate school. Educators at all levels are eligible.
Include relevant academic and work experiences, honors, leadership activities, and skills and training.
Interns must be at least 18 years of age when the program starts.
International applicants are eligible but must secure a work visa if accepted (visa costs and international travel are not supported by MBARI).

Application Tips:

Write active descriptions of experiences focusing on accomplishments and ‘end products’.
Customize the resume or CV for the audience.
Use consistent formatting to ensure the resume or CV looks professional and information is easy to find.

Informational Sessions:

MBARI hosts informational Zoom sessions where questions about the program and application process can be asked.

Specific MBARI Internship Projects

MBARI offers a diverse range of internship projects, catering to various interests and skill sets. Here are a few examples:

1. Antarctic Polynyas Productivity from BGC-Argo Floats Perspective

This project focuses on phytoplankton productivity in Southern Ocean polynya systems, exploring its relationship with seasonal drivers and the fate of carbon exported to the deep ocean. Candidates should be comfortable with programming (MATLAB preferred) and will have the opportunity to learn about biogeochemical sensing capabilities on Argo floats and how to analyze BGC Argo data. Knowledge in oceanography is desirable but not mandatory.

2. Automated Classification of Deep-Sea and Surface Imagery

This internship involves testing selected techniques against collections of videos or images to detect and classify organisms of interest to MBARI scientists. The intern will explore state-of-the-art automated classification and analysis techniques, including self-supervised and weakly supervised methods.

3. Autonomous Coastal Profiling Float: FIDO (Filtering Instrument for DNA Observation)

This project involves the development of an autonomous water sampling system designed to collect and preserve Environmental DNA samples. Potential subjects include mechanical design improvements, characterization of FIDO’s sensing systems, and design for manufacturability and assembly optimization.

Read also: Paying for CSUMB

4. Biodiversity and Bioluminescence

This internship focuses on characterizing and monitoring the diversity and behavior of gelatinous plankton in the deep sea and open ocean. Potential subjects include bioluminescence biochemistry and genetics, population genetics of zooplankton, generating interactive taxonomic keys, deep-sea ecology from video annotation archives, and comparative bioinformatics and transcriptome analyses.

5. Bioinspiration Lab

Interns will have the opportunity to train and deploy machine learning models on ocean visual data in real-world settings or conduct human-computer interaction experiments via video gaming.

6. Deep-Sea Video Data Mining

This project involves annotating and managing MBARI's extensive video archive of biological, chemical, geological, and physical aspects of the Monterey Canyon and beyond. The intern will work with MBARI software engineers to facilitate cataloging and querying of this valuable database using VARS Machine Learning (VARS-ML) tools and workflows.

7. Developing a Communications Campaign for the 30th Anniversary of MBARI’s Summer Internship Program

This internship involves developing and launching an outreach campaign about the program’s legacy, requiring strong writing and video production skills.

8. Ecology of Invertebrate Communities on Organic-Falls

This project involves sorting samples in the laboratory and analyzing data to study the colonizing invertebrate communities on wood blocks and bones deployed at three depths in the Monterey Canyon.

Read also: Your Guide to Monterey Internships

9. Environmental DNA

This internship focuses on the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool to track changes in biodiversity. The intern will gain experience in laboratory-based molecular techniques and/or data and bioinformatic analysis from eDNA samples collected along the California coastline.

10. Modular Aerial Imaging System

This project involves the development of a modular aerial camera and sensor system for Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) to expand ocean surface sensing capabilities. Potential subjects include mechanical design and prototyping, development of remote sensor control systems, and software development for image capture and data management.

11. Multimodal Perception for Underwater Robots

This internship focuses on developing novel sensing and mapping techniques that fuse multimodal data to build rich, high-resolution 3D reconstructions of benthic environments. Candidates should have proficiency in Python programming and familiarity with deep learning libraries.

12. Satellite Data Analysis of the Galápagos Upwelling Ecosystem

This project involves analyzing satellite datasets to understand the spatial and temporal variability of upwelling dynamics and their biological consequences on phytoplankton. Candidates should have basic MATLAB programming skills.

13. Scalable Marine Robotics

Potential intern projects will use current MBARI’s robotics platforms to enable scalable marine robotics navigation in complex terrain. The work will combine elements of estimation, computer vision, software development, and data analysis. Candidates should have basic competence in C/C++ and Python programming.

14. Soundscape

This project offers the intern opportunities to wield a variety of advanced analysis methods that are needed to detect and classify specific sounds produced by different species, and to synthesize those results with understanding of the ecosystem in which they live.

15. Tracking the Surface Origin of Deep Sinking Particles in the California Current

This project involves exploring a recent machine learning method for reconstructing the origin of sinking particles captured at Station M by training a neural network based on a set of numerical simulation experiments and applying it to real satellite observations.

Applied Water Science Internship at Monterey Bay Aquarium

This internship is designed to provide STEM students with experience working with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Applied Water Science Laboratory team, focusing on microbiology, chemistry, and instrumentation. The program aims to increase the diversity of scientists involved in conservation and aquatic animal science.

Responsibilities:

Assist Water Science Laboratory staff with instrument calibration and maintenance.
Participate in daily rounds and chemistry and microbiology testing.
Participate in required laboratory safety training.
Observe and assist applied water science staff, including aquatic life support operators, data management, and environmental discharge management.
Design, implement, and present a final project pertinent to the Aquarium and Applied Water Science.

Eligibility:

Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or master’s degree program or within one year post-graduation.
In good academic standing.
Able to work safely in a laboratory environment utilizing handheld laboratory tools, such as pipettes.

Internship Dates & Pay Rates:

Offered in the summer through fall of 2025 for up to 480 hours, tentatively June-December.
Interns may choose either two (preferred) or three eight-hour days per week or a combination of half and full days to accommodate class schedules.

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