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We are currently accepting internship applications! 

 

Interns selected on a rolling basis

Avian Care Internship: minimum 6-month commitment

Education Internship: minimum 4-month commitment

Avian Care Internship

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.

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:

  • 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

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

*Start dates are flexible*

To apply, complete the Internship Application and send to careers@keepthemflying.org

Please include your resume and cover letter.

Environmental Education Internship - Currently Hiring for Spring 2025

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, tours of our sanctuary, and all other public educational events. Outreach/community efforts include providing content for social media platforms, attending community festivals, tabling events, 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 4 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.



Duties include:


  • 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


Qualifications:

  • At least 21 years old

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

  • 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

To apply, please email your resume and cover letter to outreach@keepthemflying.org

with the subject line "Education Intern - Your Name".

Meet Our Interns!

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Apprentice Rehabilitator

Allie Pydynowski

Allie is from Charlotte, North Carolina. She attended college in the mountains of NC at Appalachian State University where she pursued her Bachelors in biology with a concentration in ecology, environmental biology, and evolution. Following graduation she worked as a field technician studying birds in Southern California and then in Franklin NC, the following summer. Now she is very excited to be here in the Keys, pursuing her dream of working in wildlife rehab! In her free time she enjoys hiking, reading, and baking. Her favorite birds are Carolina Chickadees and Piping Plovers.

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Avian Care Intern

Grace Carey

Grace was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, but always knew she wanted to work along the coast. She recently earned a Bachelors degree in Fisheries and Wildlife along with minors in Biology and Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She has since been earning experience working hands on with wildlife through conservation and education positions. Grace’s passion for wildlife conservation led her to the FKWBC, where she’s very excited to work in wildlife rehab! In her free time, Grace loves to scuba dive, read, and go beach combing.

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Avian Care Intern

Bridget Raggon

Bridget is from North Stonington, Connecticut. She has been living in Nashville for the past four years studying for her bachelor's degree in Biology with a concentration in Organismal Biology and Ecology. She has always loved animals and the outdoors and knew her career had to involve working with animals. Canvassing for a human rights nonprofit in Nashville gave her an appreciation for nonprofits and their work, leading her to the FKWBC. In her free time, Bridget loves art and wants to eventually create a children’s book about the outdoors.

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Avian Care Intern

Cheyenne Cope

Cheyenne is from Detroit, MI. She attended Michigan State University where she earned a bachelor’s in Environmental Biology/Zoology. While there she was able to work with insects, arachnids, and birds. During these jobs she was able to realize her excitement and passion for birds! In her free time she likes to do aerial arts, boulder, and read. Her favorite bird is an American Kestrel.

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Avian Care Intern

Spencer Humbert

Spencer is from Canal Fulton, Ohio. He attended The Ohio State University where he earned a Bachelors in Evolution and Ecology. While earning his degree, Spencer was active in the EEOB Undergraduate Research Lab at Ohio State, assisting with several projects. Most recently, he has worked as a Research Assistant in this lab, assisting on a study focusing on human-horse interactions and their effect on human stress level. He has always harbored an interest in wildlife and the outdoors, and is excited for the opportunity to work directly with animals. He is currently exploring future career options and believes that this internship is a great opportunity to help him discover new interests. In his free time, Spencer enjoys birding, scuba diving, and listening to music.

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Environmental Education Intern

Madison Thayer

Madison is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she earned a Bachelors in Conservation Biology and Spanish. She has completed fieldwork in Panama and Ecuador and enjoys working in diverse ecosystems. Some of her favorite coursework has included tropical ecology and mammalogy. She recently worked as a research technician at an Entomology lab studying pesticide impacts on southern Wisconsin fields. She is passionate about connecting people to wildlife and the outdoors and is excited to share her interests with others. She hopes to continue working in environmental nonprofit settings and hopes to learn more about different career paths in this field. In her free time she enjoys hiking, paddleboarding, going to coffee shops, baking, and listening to live music.

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