In partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Chesapeake Bay Office (NCBO), the Chesapeake Research Consortium offers paid, twelve-week summer internships for undergraduate students.

Field Technician Internship

Project Description:

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office (NCBO) and Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC) seek a summer intern for late May through mid-August 2024 (12 weeks) to assist with NCBO’s field-based science and observation efforts.

The Chesapeake Bay is a dynamic ecosystem with highly variable environmental conditions. In order to monitor, understand, and forecast these conditions, data needs to be continuously collected, quality-controlled, and delivered to stakeholders. NCBO collects, processes, and delivers observations data in support of research, management, and protection of Bay habitats. Healthy habitats are a vital part of maintaining healthy fish stocks.

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office Field Team is seeking a summer intern to support:

  • Poplar Island restoration fish community monitoring,
  • Oyster restoration post construction bathymetric surveying,
  • Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System operations & maintenance;

The selected intern will also have the opportunity to use a range of data while working alongside NCBO staff furthering both theirs and our understanding of bay habitats.

Opportunities:

This internship provides a unique opportunity to contribute to large-scale, long-term ecological research critical to understanding Chesapeake Bay habitat and  living resources. This position provides insights into careers in marine science and ocean engineering beyond those applied for. In addition, the internship experience will provide a background in restoration science, oceanography, and ecology. The position will also provide an opportunity to expand the intern’s knowledge of Chesapeake Bay flora and fauna and the technologies related to field research and ecosystem monitoring.

Deliverables:

  • Identify two to three personal professional development goals to achieve during the internship, determine steps to achieve those goals, and report on that progress. Examples of professional development goals include developing particular professional skills, learning particular topics related to NOAA, developing a broader professional network, or attending professional and/or academic conferences.
  • Develop a novel analytical project or product to work on with CBO field staff and report out on the outcomes of the work.
  • Presentation to NCBO staff at the conclusion of the internship summarizing the experiences gained and work conducted.

Eligibility: 

  • Must be a resident and/or attend a college/university within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (NY, PA, MD, DE, DC, VA or WV)
  • Must be a college-level student entering sophomore, junior, or senior year of undergraduate study
  • Must be a U.S. citizen and willing to undergo a security background check

Required Qualifications:

  • Willingness to engage in physically demanding work, typically taking place outdoors and/or on a boat
  • Scientific curiosity
  • Motivated self-starter with ability to work and reason independently
  • Be a college-level student entering sophomore, junior, or senior year of undergraduate study
  • Be a U.S. Citizen and willing to undergo a security background check

Desired Qualifications:

  • Experience with statistical software such as R
  • Experience with GIS
  • Experience working on vessels
  • Knowledge of and/or comfort in using reference sources on flora and fauna of the Chesapeake Bay

Work Location and Duration:

We envision that this position will be an in-person position and will be based out of the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office in Annapolis or the Cooperative Oxford Lab in Oxford, Maryland.

The position will begin in mid-May and conclude in mid-August and will be in pace for 12 weeks. We plan on providing interns with access to a NOAA computer, email and phone services (in the office).

Compensation:

The intern will be reimbursed at the end of each month, for a total of up to $6,000 for the equivalent of 12 weeks (422 hours). Funds are available to compensate interns for occasional work-related travel. Candidates should expect to follow a normal weekday work schedule (roughly 9-5, M-F) with occasional variations for possible field work or other activities. No benefits are provided.

Diversity and Inclusion:

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office is committed to supporting a diverse and inclusive science oriented workforce.  Our internship program endeavors to recruit from a diverse, qualified group of potential applicants to secure a high-performing workforce drawn from all segments of American society.  NOAA is strongly supportive of broadening the participation of historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and institutions that work in underserved areas. We highly encourage applications from students at any of the above institutions as well as students that identify as black, Indigenous, person of color or 1st generation college student.

Application Instructions:

Applicants are instructed to register with the Chesapeake Jobs online application website: https://chesapeake.org/ncbo/ to apply. You will be instructed to submit a resume detailing your education and work experience and a cover letter that details your interest in this position and describes how your skill set will contribute to the work described above. You will also be asked to provide the review team with three references. The deadline for applications is January 28, 2024.