College Internship Opportunities
Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration has internship opportunities in the following departments:
California Sea Lion Husbandry
Pinniped and Penguin Husbandry
Beluga Whale Husbandry
Fish & Invertebrate Husbandry
Research and Veterinary Services
Education
Stranding Program
Communications Technology
Other Departments: Visitor & Member Services, Marketing, Public Relations, Merchandising, Development, Engineering & Maintenance
Institute for Exploration
California Sea Lion Husbandry
Department function: Marine Theater staff feed, train, and care for the Aquarium’s collection of California sea lions. The staff also performs in daily presentations educating the public about the species.
Daily duties:
Assist staff with preparing diets for California sea lions.
Cleaning and maintenance of exhibits and back-up areas.
Assist with environmental enrichment for California sea lions
Record keeping
Assist with public presentations
Assist with the training of husbandry/show behaviors
Assist Husbandry staff and veterinary staff with medical procedures
Pinniped and Penguin Husbandry
Department Function: Pinniped and penguin aquarists feed, train and care for the Aquarium's collection of Northern Fur Seals, Steller's sea lions and African penguins.
Daily Duties:
Assist staff with preparing diets for pinnipeds and penguins.
Cleaning and maintenance of exhibits and back-up areas.
Record keeping.
Assist feeding pinnipeds and penguins.
Assist with the training of husbandry behaviors.
Assist Husbandry staff and staff veterinarian with medical procedures.
Assist with stranded marine mammals when possible.
Recent Projects:
Shade utilization in northern fur seals and Steller's sea lions.
Pre-molt vs. post-molt patterns in African penguins.
Quarantine procedures for stranded marine mammals.
The correlation between season and abnormal foot conditions in African penguins.
Beluga Whale Husbandry
Department Function: Cetacean aquarists feed, train and care for the Aquarium’s collection of beluga whales
Daily Duties:
Assist staff with preparing diets for beluga whales.
Cleaning and maintenance of exhibits and back-up areas.
Record keeping.
Assist feeding beluga whales.
Assist with the training of husbandry behaviors.
Assist Husbandry staff and staff veterinarian with medical procedures.
Assist with stranded marine mammals when possible.
Recent Projects:
A comparison of cetacean vocalizations before and after training demonstrations.
Quarantine procedures for stranded marine mammals.
Toy preference in beluga whales.
The ability of a beluga whale to discriminate between differentially rewarded stimuli.
Urination patterns in beluga whales.
Fish & Invertebrate Husbandry
Department Function: Fish and Invertebrate aquarists feed and maintaining the exhibits and reserve holding tanks of the Aquarium's fish and invertebrate collection.
Daily Duties:
Food preparation
Feeding of the fish and invertebrate collection.
Maintenance of aquariums (algae scrubbing, water changes, water monitoring, filter maintenance, H2O chemical analysis etc.) under aquarist supervision.
Cleaning of food-prep and other back-up areas.
Assistance with new-exhibit construction and collection of specimens.
Recent Projects:
Analysis of trace elements in a live coral reef exhibit.
Operant conditioning of an octopus, Octopus dofleini.
The relationship between water temperature and food intake in mummichogs.
The effects of temperature on embryonic development and egg-laying behavior in chain dogfish.
Conditions inducing sex change in the bluehead wrasse.
Early growth and development of horseshoe crabs.
Beautiful stingers: new exhibit and husbandry of the lined sea nettle.
The use of chemical decapsulation in the production of brine shrimp nauplii.
Sea urchin bioassay using Arbacia punctulata.
Courtship behaviors in the seahorse, Hippocampus abdomenalis.
Research and Veterinary Services
Department Function: The Department of Research and Veterinary Sciences is responsible for conducting research in many aspects of marine sciences. This is accomplished through detailed analysis of specimens, data records and a combination of field and in-house research projects. In addition, the medical care of the exhibit collection is the responsibility of the veterinary staff with its advanced program of preventative medicine, diagnostics and therapy.
Daily Duties:
Microbiological cultures.
Dissection of stranded marine mammal carcasses.
Medical assessment of stranded animals (seasonal).
Blood cell counts and slide preparation.
Animal record management.
Field sample collection.
Recent Projects:
Tissue distribution and serum levels of selected enzymes in sharks
Analysis of stranding and sighting patterns for seals in Connecticut and Rhode Island waters.
Studies of marine mammal parasites.
The effects of fluid infusion on hypernatremic harp seals.
Elasmobranch coagulation.
Energy budgets of African penguins during molt.
Analysis of blood hormone data from marine mammals.
Education
Department Function: The Education Department offers classes and activities to supplement an Aquarium visit, enrich classroom curricula and undertake research to assess the effectiveness of programs.
Daily Duties:
Assist Aquarium teachers in teaching classroom and field programs for students of all ages.
Travel with Aquarium teachers to present outreach programs at local schools.
Present public programs within the Aquarium.
Assist with the design and preparation of class materials.
Whenever possible, teach portions of Aquarium classes.
Help maintain classroom aquaria.
Assist summer staff with summer camp programs
Recent Projects:
Development of unit: "Pressure - Challenge of the Deep"
Development of pre- and post-activity curriculum materials for "Explore the Shore." Let's Go to the Aquarium" activity kit.
Development of a Sharks class for 4th grade students according to the 4MAT System.
Development of a Beluga class, “Beluga Basics”, for grades 4-6.
Evaluation and upgrade of elementary programs, “Indians and the Sea” and “Create a Coral Reef”, according to teaching styles.
Development of the concept and construction of a “Touch Box”; incorporating a tactile experience for visitors.
Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Program
Department Function: Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration responds to strandings along the shores of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Fishers Island, N.Y. A rehabilitation facility is operated for pinnipeds, cetaceans and sea turtles. Internships are offered in this program during peak seasons.
Requirements: Intern should be working toward a degree in marine biology or a related field. A background in marine biology and familiarity with scientific literature desired. Minimum requirement of 30+ hours per week, computer experience, organizational and communication skills, ability to work well with others, motivated and responsible.
Daily Duties:
Work with both live and dead pinnipeds and cetaceans in rehabilitation and in the field. Work may be done under extremely adverse weather conditions
Assist in the collection of Level A data for the National Marine Fisheries Service
Assist in rescue and salvage responses
Participation in post mortem work and necropsies
Assist in care fore animals during rehabilitation
Assist in weekly seal physicals
Coordinate the release of healthy animals
Completing a project for the stranding program
Communications Technology
Department Function: The Communications Technology Department designs, implements and supports the computer, network, Internet, telephone, telecommunications, and audio/visual equipment for Mystic Aquarium and the Institute for Exploration.
Daily Duties
Assist staff in maintaining computer and telecommunications network.
Assist with the design, installation and maintenance of web page and Intranet.
Assists staff with the design, installation and maintenance of audio/visual systems.
Other Departments
Visitor & Member Services, Marketing, Public Relations, Merchandising, Development, Engineering & Maintenance
If you are interested in one the departments listed above, please submit ONLY a completed application form. The Intern Coordinator will contact you by phone to discuss possible internship projects within the department of your choice. If an opportunity is available you will be asked to submit all application materials. A short description of each department appears below.
Visitor & Member Services
The Visitor & Member Services Department is responsible for ensuring a quality visit for all our guests. Admissions, group and program reservations and member services are all handled through Visitor & Member Services.
Marketing
The Marketing Department coordinates community relations activities, advertising, conducts marketing studies and creates special events.
Public Relations
The Public Relations Department works to promote a positive image of the Aquarium & Institute for Exploration by responding to requests for information and distributing press materials and public service announcements. This departments also coordinates publicity of Aquarium special events, education, research and special programming.
Development
The Development Department coordinates fundraising for the Aquarium, a nonprofit organization, by pursuing donations, grants and major gifts. Staff from this department also assist with the organization of special events, including annual KSOS events.
Engineering & Maintenance
The Engineering and Maintenance Department provides life-support services for all exhibits and maintains a comfortable environment for visitors and staff. This departments maintains mechanical, electrical and refrigeration systems and assist with the design, installation and maintenance of the grounds around the Aquarium and outdoor exhibits.
Institute for Exploration
The Institute for Exploration conducts deep-sea research and marine archeology using remote-controlled vehicles, and offers visitors an opportunity to experience this research through the Challenge of the Deep exhibit.
Currently no internships are available through this program at the Institute for Exploration.