Internships

Marine Animal Training Internship Program

If you are considering a career in the marine mammal field, our internship program is an excellent way to start. You will receive valuable experience that will assist you in achieving your future goals. Our volunteer-based internship program is designed for college students and recent graduates who are serious about pursuing a career working with marine mammals. The Gulfarium houses a variety of marine animals and provides a unique and diverse internship experience. Interns will deliver formal microphone presentations, prepare diets, maintain cleanliness of all areas, record husbandry data, and observe training techniques. (All Gulfarium internships are unpaid, voluntary positions)

If you are considering a career in the marine mammal field, our internship program is an excellent way to start. You will receive valuable experience that will assist you in achieving your future goals. Our volunteer-based internship program is designed for college students and recent graduates who are serious about pursuing a career working with marine mammals. The Gulfarium houses a variety of marine animals including bottlenose dolphins, California sea lions, Harbor seals, Asian small clawed otters, and African penguins. Interns will deliver formal microphone presentations, prepare diets, maintain cleanliness of all areas, record husbandry data, and observe training techniques. (All Gulfarium internships are unpaid, voluntary positions) Interns will:
  • Learn and practice public speaking techniques by conducting daily microphone presentations about the resident animal species. These presentations should be entertaining, accurate, and inspire conservation action.
  • Learn and execute proper food preparation procedures.
  • Complete daily exhibit cleaning and maintenance.
  • Assist with veterinary procedures
  • Practice effective communication between all staff and fellow interns
  • Learn techniques of operant conditioning by observing training sessions with all animals using positive reinforcement
  • Participate in weekly Trainer Lecture Series with accompanying quizes
  • Monitor animal areas and provide exemplary guest service
  • Perform other duties as assigned
Requirements:
  • Must have completed at least one year of undergraduate schooling
  • Commitment of 5 days a week for a three month period
  • Ability to work varied shifts/weekends/holidays
  • Ability to work in all weather conditions
  • Ability to lift 50 pounds
  • Excellent teamwork skills
  • Good public speaking skills
  • Good swimming ability
  • Open Water SCUBA certification preferred, not required
Session Dates Application Deadline
Summer (May – August) February 15th
Fall (August – November) June 15th
Winter (December – February) September 15th
Spring (February – May) December 15th
Application Procedure All interested parties must submit the following:
  • Completed job application
  • Resume
  • College transcripts (official or unofficial are both acceptable)
  • One page essay with your answer to ONE of the following questions: There are varying views on housing animals in human care. Please discuss the pros and cons and explain your stand on the issue. Working with marine animals can be very rewarding yet also demanding and competitive. Please discuss what you believe to be the rewards and challenges of working in this field as well as the strengths you possess to help you succeed.
Applications can be mailed to: Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park Attention: Marine Mammal Intern Coordinator 1010 Miracle Strip Parkway SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 Documents can be scanned and emailed to: intern@gulfarium.com

Aquarium Internship Program

The Aquarium Internship will provide valuable experience in several areas of biology while working hands-on with a variety of aquatic species and reptiles. Interns will learn the workings of small and large marine systems and the animal ecology behind each species. The Aquarium Internship is broken down into three different areas: Bony Fish and Invertebrates, Elasmobranchs, and Reptiles. Interns will spend time in each separate area and will be involved in different aspects of these areas, including guest programs, animal diet preparation, cleaning of animal habitats, narrating chats, and feeding and training animals. (All Gulfarium internships are unpaid, voluntary positions)

The Aquarium Internship will provide valuable experience in several areas of biology while working hands-on with a variety of aquatic species and reptiles. Interns will learn the workings of small and large marine systems and the animal ecology behind each species. The Aquarium Internship is broken down into three different areas: Bony Fish and Invertebrates, Elasmobranchs, and Reptiles. Interns will spend time in each separate area and will be involved in different aspects of these areas, including guest programs, animal diet preparation, cleaning of animal habitats, narrating chats, and feeding and training animals.  (All Gulfarium internships are unpaid, voluntary positions) Requirements:
  • Must have completed at least two years of undergraduate schooling
  • Commitment of 3 days a week for a four month period
  • Ability to work varied shifts/weekends/holidays
  • Ability to work in all weather conditions
  • Ability to lift 50 pounds
  • Excellent teamwork skills
  • Good public speaking skills
  • Strong swimming ability
  • Open Water SCUBA certification preferred, not required
Session Dates Application Deadline
Winter/ Spring (January – April) November 15th
Summer (May – August) March 15th
Fall (September – December) July 15th
Application Procedure All interested parties must submit the following:
  • Completed job application
  • Cover letter, resume, and 3 references
  • Official college transcripts
Applications can be mailed to: Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park Attention: Aquarium Intern Coordinator 1010 Miracle Strip Parkway SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 Documents can be scanned and emailed to: Cara.Zito@gulfarium.com

CARE Center Internship

If you are considering a career in Marine biology, specifically Sea Turtle Rehabilitation, our internship program is an excellent way to start. You will receive valuable experience that will assist you in achieving your future goals. Our volunteer-based internship program is designed for college students and recent graduates who are serious about pursuing a career working with sea turtles and/or animal management, as well as pre-vet students. The Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center rehabilitates sea turtles from the Gulf of Mexico, which include, Kemp’s Ridley, Green, and Loggerhead Sea turtles. Interns will, prepare diets, maintain cleanliness of all areas, receive hands-on experience administering treatments, record animal behavior, and learn to complete Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) and accompanying forms and deliver formal educational presentations. Please note that all Gulfarium internships are non-compensatory, and housing is not provided. Because stranding work is unpredictable, internship experiences may vary by season.

Duties
  • Learn and execute proper food preparation procedures
  • Complete daily habitat cleaning and maintenance
  • Practice effective communication between all staff and fellow interns
  • Participate in weekly lectures series with accompanying quizzes
  • Monitor animal areas and provide exemplary guest service
  • Assist with veterinary procedures to include administering oral and injectable medications, wound care, blood draws, surgical procedures, and necropsies
  • Assist with new patient arrivals, to include, collecting vital signs (heart rate, respiration rate, temperature), morphometrics, and wound care.
  • Maintaining laboratory inventory of medical supplies
  • Assist with daily and weekly reporting
  • Learn and practice public speaking techniques by conducting weekly formal education presentations to the public about the current rehab patients. These presentations should be entertaining, accurate, and inspire conservation action.
  • Complete other tasks as assigned by the Gulfarium C.A.R.E staff
Requirements:
  • Must have completed at least one year of undergraduate schooling
  • Commitment of 3 – 4 days a week, 830am – 500pm for a three-month period. Weekend and holiday coverage is expected.
  • Ability to work in all weather conditions
  • Ability to lift 50 pounds
  • Excellent teamwork skills
  • Good public speaking skills
  • Should be comfortable around dead animals
  • Background in biology and familiarity with stranding response (preferred)
Internship Learning Objectives:
  • Develop hand-on stranding response and rehabilitation skills:
  • Assist with post-mortem examinations on sea turtles
  • Perform basic health assessments of rehabilitation patients (i.e., vital collections, administering medications, blood processing, and wound treatment)
  • Complete Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) as well as supplementary forms
Session Date Application Deadline Session 1 (April – June) January 15th Session 2 (June – August) March 15th Session 3 (August – October) May 15th Application Procedure All interested parties must submit the following:
  • Completed job application
  • Resume with 3 references
  • Cover letter
  • College transcripts (official and unofficial are both acceptable
  • Documents can be scanned and emailed to care@gulfarium.com