Available MBNMS Internships

MONTEREY BAY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
Research, Education and Marine Policy Internships
2008

Internship opportunities are available to undergraduate or graduate college students. At this time we are not able to offer internships to high school students. Please note that all internship positions are volunteer (not paid) and will be selected on a competitive basis. Applicants are responsible for paying all individual expenses associated with relocation, travel, and room and board. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) does not provide assistance with housing or transportation. Materials, supplies and office support for work related assignments will be provided. The MBNMS main office is located in Monterey, California with satellite offices in Santa Cruz and San Simeon.

The MBNMS accepts applications year-round. To apply for an internship position, please complete and submit (via mail, fax or e-mail) the attached application to:

Karen Grimmer, Deputy Superintendent
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
299 Foam Street
Monterey, CA 93940
Email: karen.grimmer@noaa.gov
Fax: (831) 647-4250
Phone: (831) 647-4253

Additionally, the Coastal Services Center of NOAA (in Charleston, SC) has developed a marine and coastal related "Internship - Fellowship Opportunities Webpage." It is a great resource for internships and fellowships nationally.

MBNMS Internships at CSU Monterey Bay can be found here:
http://essp.csumb.edu/internships/internships/Opportunities.htm

Research Internship #1: Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network  (SIMoN)

Comprehensive, long-term monitoring is a fundamental element of resource management and conservation. The Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network (SIMoN) has been designed to identify natural and human induced changes to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The integration of high quality scientific research and long-term monitoring data sets through this program will furnish the information needed for effective management. Specifically, The duties of this position include testing of the website, conceptual design of new products for the web, information gathering, developing outreach materials, and general assistance of SIMoN staff on a daily basis.
Staff Lead: Josh Pederson

Research Internship #2: Using GIS in Research

Comprehensive, long-term monitoring is a fundamental element of resource management and conservation. The Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network (SIMoN) has been designed to identify natural and human induced changes to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The integration of high quality scientific research and long-term monitoring data sets through this program will furnish the information needed for effective management. Specifically, the GIS Research Analyst Intern duties will include the acquisition of historical data sets, as well as the conversion (digitization, data entry, scanning) of these data sets into SIMoN’s GIS. GIS, spreadsheet and general PC and Mac use is required. Database, graphic design skills are preferred.
Staff Lead: Chad King

Education Internship #1: Bilingual Outreach with MERITO

The Hispanic population of the central California coast is one of the largest and fastest-growing constituencies of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, but is poorly reached by current Sanctuary outreach and resource threat reduction programs. The Sanctuary's Multicultural Education Plan, known as "MERITO" (Multicultural Education for Resource Issues Threatening Oceans), has been designed in partnership with the local Hispanic community to provide expanded bilingual ocean and conservation-related outreach programs to Hispanic students, teachers, adults and families living near the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The Bilingual Education Intern will work directly with the MERITO education team to implement community and site-based outreach programs. Support is needed for a weekly marine conservation after-school programs, community presentations in Watsonville and Pajaro Valley, and weekend community events.  Spanish language skills required. Translation skills desirable. Marine education and outreach is a solid basis on which to develop knowledge of marine ecology, policy and resource management, and can serve as excellent training for students interested in a marine science career.
Staff lead: Sacha Lozano

Education Internship #2: Updating Education and Outreach Website

Education & Outreach interns will promote understanding and stewardship of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary by assisting staff with the development and implementation of education projects and programs. This may include:

1. Assisting with the production or distribution of print materials and publications including brochures, flyers, fact sheets, posters, newsletters, videos, et. al.
2. Assisting with updating and expanding the MBNMS Website.
3. Responding to public inquiries and requests for Sanctuary related information.
4. Assisting staff with Sanctuary related programs and events such as the Great American Fish Count, Sanctuary Currents Symposium, Sanctuary Birthday Celebrations, Sustainable Seas Expeditions, et. al.
5. Assisting staff at public events such as Whalefest, marine lab open houses, et. al.
6. Working with the MBNMS Public Relations Coordinator to promote the Sanctuary to the media.
7. Helping organize and maintain the MBNMS video and slide collections.
8. Assisting staff with the production and installation of MBNMS interpretive displays and exhibits for visitor centers, parks and other appropriate facilities.
9. Perform other education and outreach duties as assigned. Time commitment: 3-5 hrs per week with a minimum commitment of two to three months.

Staff Lead: Dawn Hayes

Education Internship #3: Media and Public Relations

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is considered a reliable and authoritative source on local coastal and ocean environmental issues. As such it receives numerous inquiries from local, regional, national and international media. The Sanctuary also proactively seeks out media in an effort to help inform the public about research, education, and resource protection activities in the Sanctuary. This position would be ideal for a communications or journalism major seeking to gain real hands-on experience in developing communications plans and to respond to and solicit media. The job can easily be tailored to fit the needs of the individual student. Duties would include:

1. Update and maintain list of media contacts (newspaper, TV, radio, web, others)
2. Work with staff to develop communication strategies and talking points for Sanctuary programs or issues
3. Work with staff to write and distribute media advisories and press releases
4. Develop and implement a strategy to increase public awareness and understanding of the Sanctuary
5. Track news reports about the Sanctuary and general ocean issues
6. Help staff respond to media inquiries
7. Assist in providing media and communications training to other Sanctuary staff. Time commitment: minimum of 3-5 hours per week.

Staff Lead: Scott Kathey

Resource Protection Internship #1: Sampling Water Quality for the Sanctuary Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network

The Monterey Bay Sanctuary Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network trains and supervises volunteers to conduct monitoring of water quality contaminants in the Sanctuary’s watersheds. The Network needs the services of an intern to investigate water quality concerns in urban drainages on the Monterey Peninsula . Six years of citizen monitoring during the Urban Watch program have found high levels of phosphate, ammonia, and detergents from storm drains. Additionally, six years of data from the First Flush program have found that during the first significant rain event of the season, urban storm drains have high levels of bacteria, copper and zinc. The intern position will include providing support and leadership to Urban Watch teams in Pacific Grove , providing an important role to aid in the Network’s new expanded monitoring sites, and provide assistance during the coordination and production of the First Flush event. The intern must be able to commit 10-20 (flexible) hours per week from June until November. No water quality monitoring experience is required, but is preferred. The intern must be an independent worker, have data entry skills and be willing to drive to monitoring sites on the Monterey Peninsula . Initial training and area familiarization will be provided. This is a paid internship position. Additional information about the Network can be found at http://montereybay.noaa.gov/monitoringnetwork/welcome.html. Staff lead: Lisa Emanuelson

Resource Protection Internship #2: Beach Water Quality (Focused on Runnoff from Homes and Businesses)

Runoff and spills along the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s coastline have periodically resulted in high levels of microbial contamination being detected in coastal waters, resulting in hundreds of beach closures or warnings annually.  These contaminants can be a source of transmission of disease to both humans who come in contact with the water and to wildlife such as sea otters.

The Sanctuary’s Water Quality Protection Program recently developed a Beach Closure and Microbial Contamination Action Plan to address this issue as part of the Sanctuary’s Joint Management Plan Review http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/jointplan/m_reptoad.html.

One of the critical needs identified in the plan is to develop ways to reduce contamination from private sewer laterals. Private laterals are the pipes that connect a home or business to the main sewer lines in the street.  Private laterals typically make up about half the total length of the sewer system.  The contamination problems associated with laterals are significant due to inadequate repair, replacement, and maintenance, and can lead to raw sewage draining to rivers and beaches. The Sanctuary is interested in dealing with the issue of private laterals by working with local jurisdictions and developing ordinances that will require inspection, and if necessary repair, of private laterals upon the sale or transfer of a property and address the issue of chronic problems from individual laterals.   An intern is needed to identify cities where similar lateral ordinances have been enacted, and gather and evaluate information on their format and success.  This would include descriptions of the ordinances, a discussion on how it was developed, success at reaching desired goals, problems encountered, and financial impacts.  The project should include recommendations on the best examples to follow in the Monterey Bay Sanctuary region.
Staff lead: Bridget Hoover

Resource Protection Internship #3: Beach Water Quality Internship (Focused on Runnof from Cities)

Runoff and spills along the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s coastline have periodically resulted in high levels of microbial contamination being detected in coastal waters, resulting in hundreds of beach closures or warnings annually.  These contaminants can be a source of transmission of disease to both humans who come in contact with the water and to wildlife such as sea otters.  The Sanctuary’s Water Quality Protection Program recently developed a Beach Closure and Microbial Contamination Action Plan to address this issue as part of the Sanctuary’s Joint Management Plan Review http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/jointplan/m_reptoad.html. One of the critical needs identified in the plan is to improve the massive system of aging main pipelines underlying the region’s cities.  Unfortunately, the repair or replacement of main trunk sewer lines is an extremely expensive proposition, and it often takes a grant or matching funds from State and Federal sources to get these projects implemented.  Individual local cities and counties know where and what needs to be replaced, and this information can often be found in various city documents and lists describing capital improvement projects.  In order to assist the Sanctuary and local jurisdictions with raising the funds for these projects, an intern is needed to compile a regional list and description of these projects throughout the Sanctuary and work with staff to identify priority regional locations.  This effort should briefly describe the replacement or repair project, the need and expected benefit to the sewer system, and relate the projects to the downstream benefits to Sanctuary recreation or wildlife that would result.
Staff lead: Bridget Hoover

[Volunteer Intern Application Form]