Spring/Summer Environmental Education Internships

Dates: Mid-February through Mid-August.

Primary responsibilities: Responsibilities of the Environmental Education Interns include assisting with the teaching of environmental education programs to school groups. During the month of March, this person(s) will also be heavily involved with the Center's Maple Sugaring Operation.  The primary responsibility of the summer naturalists is to oversee the Sharon Audubon Center Summer Nature Programs for children ages 3-11. Children visit the Center for 2-5 hours each day during weeklong sessions.  Activities range from discovery hikes, pond explorations, live animal programs, nature crafts and games. The summer naturalists design the curriculum for these programs and conduct the programs with the help of Summer Camp assistants.

Environmental Education Interns are expected to help with other aspects of a nature center, such as helping with special events, wildlife rehabilitation, general education programs and public programs, answering requests for information from the public, assisting customers in the Nature Store, and helping with many other facets of a Nature Center's day to day operation.

Summer/Fall Environmental Education Internships

Dates: Mid-May through Mid-November

Primary responsibilities:  The Summer/Fall intern is responsible for teaching the summer camp programs for children ages 3-11 (see spring/summer description above) throughout the summer months, along with the Spring/Summer intern.  During the rest of the time at Audubon, responsibilities include assisting with the teaching of environmental education programs to school groups both on and off-site. During the month of October, this person(s) will also be heavily involved with the planning, set-up and implementation of Enchanted Forest and Audubon Kids’ Day, the Center’s two fall special events for families. 

Environmental Education Interns are expected to help with other aspects of a nature center, such as helping with special events, wildlife rehabilitation, public education programs, answering requests for information from the public, running the Nature Store, and helping with many other facets of a Nature Center's day to day operation.

For all Environmental Education Internship Positions:

Qualifications: Completion of at least two years of college coursework in the environmental or life sciences. Some teaching experience and/or curriculum development is necessary. Summer Naturalists must be confident in leading a group and initiating activities, working independently and team teaching. The most important assets are a strong work ethic, natural history background, enthusiasm, commitment, flexibility, a desire to learn, and the ability to work well with others and with children.

Interns must have a driver's license and means of transportation to and from the Miles Wildlife Sanctuary and the Sharon Audubon Center.

Supervision:  Environmental Education Interns work under the guidance of the Education Program Manager, however, the entire staff is available to interns for special interest sessions, guidance and assistance.

Compensation: Interns have a furnished cottage at the Miles Wildlife Sanctuary with private bedrooms, a shared kitchen, bath and living room. Salary is $288.75 per week.  Students should arrange for school credit with their advisor beforehand, if applicable.

To Apply : To be considered for an internship, all applications must be done online (no mailed, faxed or emailed resumes will be accepted.) Check out the National Audubon Society Career Center to apply for current open positions. *Please note that these positions are not listed on the Career Center continuously. They are usually posted a few months before the start date of the position, so continue to check back if it's not listed.

Bird Banding Internships

Dates: May through August

Each summer Audubon Sharon hires one or two interns to mist-net and band songbirds that are breeding on their property.  Banding takes place at the Sharon Audubon Center and the Miles Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon, as well as the Bent of the River Audubon Center in Southbury, Great Mountain Forest in Norfolk and the Buttercup Farm

Sanctuary in Stamfordville, N.Y. To date nearly, 5000 birds have been banded.  Many of these birds return to breed at the same locations year after year giving us the opportunity to gain a better understanding of how old they are and how successful they may be at breeding and completing their migration each winter. Banding interns go through an intense week-long training and will be responsible for setting up and taking down mist nets, extracting birds, taking measurements and recording data, and entering data into the database, as well as other related tasks. 

A drivers license and means of transportation is required for this position.

Compensation: Interns have a furnished cottage at the Miles Wildlife Sanctuary with private bedrooms, a shared kitchen, bath and living room. Salary is $288.75 per week.  Students should arrange for school credit with their advisor beforehand, if applicable.

To Apply: To be considered for an internship, all applications must be done online (no mailed, faxed or emailed resumes will be accepted.) Visit the National Audubon Society Career Center to apply for current open positions.*Please note that these positions are not listed on the Career Center continuously. They are usually posted a few months before the start date of the position, so continue to check back if it's not listed.

Wildlife Rehabilitation Internships

Dates: mid-May through early September

Responsibilities: Interns gain valuable practical experience, while caring for wildlife patients and working with staff and volunteers. Some of the skills learned include individual species identification and natural history, proper husbandry and enrichment techniques, animal handling, tube-feeding, medication administration, lab work, and various other procedures. Interns will receive one-on-one training.  Interns will be asked to work primarily on an individual basis, but will assist in the training and supervision of volunteers. The internship is intense, physically demanding, fast-paced and repetitive, giving interns the opportunity to learn about many aspects of wildlife rehabilitation.

Each year the Center admits approximately 300 birds, mammals and reptiles into wildlife rehabilitation clinic.  The ultimate goal of the rehab program is to provide care and treatment to injured and orphaned wildlife and to release them back into the wild.  Although we admit and stabilize mammals, we primarily focus our rehabilitation efforts to birds of prey, songbirds, water birds and reptiles.  Mammals are transferred to local wildlife rehabilitators for continued care.

Qualifications: Must have completed at least two years of college coursework in the environmental, life sciences or veterinary technology.  The most important assets are a strong work ethic, natural history background, enthusiasm, commitment, flexibility, a desire to learn.

Compensation: This is an unpaid position.  Students should arrange for school credit with their advisor beforehand, if applicable.  A furnished cottage is provided.

To Apply: To be considered for an internship, all applications must be done online (no mailed, faxed or emailed resumes will be accepted.) visit the National Audubon Society Career Center to apply for current open positions.