Interns are invaluable to the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center. We are happy to provide 6-month, paid internships to individuals who are interested and passionate about wildlife rehabilitation and conservation.  The unique ecosystem of the Florida Keys creates a great opportunity for interns to gain knowledge and experience working with a wide variety of avian species. From seabirds and shorebirds to raptors and songbirds, interns can expect to work hands-on alongside our Certified Wildlife Rehabilitators at Mission Wild Bird and independently at the Laura Quinn Wild Bird Sanctuary.

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Our Avian Care internship consists of 5-day, 40-hour (sometimes more) work weeks. The schedule is split up so that individuals will be working 3-4 days a week at our Wild Bird Hospital and 1-2 days a week at our Sanctuary. We provide a $250 bi-weekly stipend and shared intern housing located on-site at our Sanctuary.

Hospital Duties include:

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• Daily cleaning and feeding of Hospital patients

• Maintaining hospital cleanliness (i.e. sweeping, mopping, laundry, etc.)

• Keeping detailed and updated records on rehab patients

• Administering medication and fluid therapy

• Helping rehabilitators with medical procedures including wound care, fecal floats, and X-Rays

• Performing bird rescues, intakes, and releases

• Being on-call for bird emergency calls at least two nights per week

• Performing after-hours bird intakes

Sanctuary Duties include:

• Daily husbandry of permanent sanctuary residents (i.e. feeding, cleaning, checking enclosures, cleaning perches)

• Picking up donated fish from local marine centers and sorting fish for quality

• Feeding and cleaning of rehabilitation patients in medical and flight cages

• Occasional weighing of patients, assessing condition, and noting diet changes

• Researching, organizing, and providing enrichment for residents

• Interacting with visitors

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Qualifications:

• At least 21 years old

• Willing to work 40 hours per week, including weekends and holidays with occasional evenings

• 6 month commitment

• Ability to lift 50 lbs and work in hot, humid, and rainy weather conditions

• Capable of multitasking and handling physically and mentally stressful tasks

• Ability to interact with the public in a professional manner

• Have a strong work ethic, positive attitude, and ability to work well with others

• Valid Driver's License and clean driving record

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*Start dates are flexible*

The Environmental Education Intern is a supporting role and involves participating in all aspects of education programs and outreach efforts for the Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center in Tavernier, FL. Education efforts include field trips, in-classroom visits, afterschool programs, camps, and all other public educational events. Outreach/community efforts include providing content for social media platforms, attending community festivals, tabling events, expos, and other non-profit related events. This position also includes handling our species ambassadors, which can include a raptor, snake, turtle, and invertebrates.

The Environmental Education Intern position is a part-time, unpaid, seasonal position lasting between 4-6 months and may include some holidays, weekends, evening, and event hours. Typically, the Environmental Education Intern works a 3-day, 24 hour work week with occasional events or programs, not to exceed 30 hours. The goal of this position is to provide well-rounded experience to build towards a career in Environmental Education and Outreach.

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Duties include:

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• Work on an independent project approved and supported by the Education & Outreach Coordinator over the course of the internship

• Assist Education & Outreach Coordinator with running and delivering educational programming on and off site

• Set up and run educational booths at local festivals and off-site events

• Assist with development and implementation of educational programs for visiting groups and local events

• Assist with developing programs and workshops to integrate environmental/wildlife concepts into established school curricula. Integrate CPALMS standards with program development

• Assist in planning and set up for annual fundraising event

• Maintain outreach program log, including program name, dates, type, and participant numbers

• Lead guided tours of the hospital and sanctuary to interns, volunteers, and guests as scheduled

• Attend public bird releases

• Assist in gift shop operations inventory, shipping orders, greeting guests, etc.

• Respond to the public’s curiosity and questions about the organization (i.e. the mission, sanctuary information, bird advice, bird injuries, etc.)

• Network with other environmental education organizations to form collaborative efforts

• Assist with content for social media including pictures, videos and captions​

• Assist with volunteer group programming

• Represent the FKWBC at events as scheduled

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Qualifications:

• At least 21 years old

• Currently pursuing or recent graduate with an environmental or education focused degree or a related field

• Available to start early to mid September

• At least a 4 month commitment

• Ability to lift 50 lbs and work in hot, humid, and rainy weather conditions

• Ability to adapt to a changing work schedule to accommodate events that occur on weekends

• Comfortable with handling animals including birds and reptiles

• Knowledge of basic biological principles and ability to quickly master Florida Keys ecology.

• Ability to teach to people of all ages

• Public speaking experience

• Possess strong communication and interpersonal skills

• Ability to interact with the public in a professional manner

• Have a strong work ethic, positive attitude, and ability to work well with others

• Valid Driver's License and clean driving record