Hatchery, Field, and Research Internship at Brant Point Shellfish Hatchery – Nantucket

The Natural Resources Department is seeking a motivated Hatchery, Field, and Research Technician to join our hatchery team at the iconic Brant Point Shellfish Hatchery. This internship is a unique educational opportunity to gain hands-on experience in marine science, habitat restoration, and restorative aquaculture while working on Nantucket Island.

Starting Hourly Rate: $21

(Please note that the advertised hourly pay rate may increase by $2 per hour, pending approval at the Annual Town Meeting.)

The Natural Resources Department’s hatchery facility is located on iconic Brant Point, Nantucket where hundreds of millions of shellfish are produced seasonally for various restoration projects. Apart from producing shellfish like bay scallops, quahogs, and oysters, the Hatchery team is also involved in an array of field operations and research projects on Island. This internship is intended to be educational and pertains to the field of marine science with a focus on habitat restoration and restorative aquaculture. The candidate will work closely with the Assistant Biologists of the hatchery and will be exposed to an array of tasks around the facility. Those tasks may include, but are not limited to, shellfish production, dive surveys, eelgrass restoration, oyster reef restoration/ shell recycling, water quality sampling, education/outreach, and aquaculture research. 

Duties: 

• Help the Assistant Biologist and the Aquatic Resource/Shellfish Manager execute the shellfish production schedule for the season. Hatchery work entails broodstock care, shellfish spawns, larval rearing, algae production, nursery grow-out, and stock enhancement of species in Nantucket and Madaket Harbor 
• Help operate and maintain recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) for the hatchery’s seawater holding tanks, static holding tanks for broodstock and larvae, and flow-through systems for juvenile shellfish, eelgrass seeds, and macroalgae. 
• Assist with eelgrass seed collection, processing, and out-planting 
• Assist the shell technician with shell recycling as needed 
• Early morning field work, and some weekend work
• Data entry and basic analysis 
• Assist with the Island wide Benthic Dive Surveys in May and September 
• Assist the Water Quality Specialist with water sampling as needed
• Help with public hatchery tours and various community outreach activities 
• Aid in various field projects within the department and other collaborating organizations 
• Field work is mostly conducted on a boat, sometimes in adverse weather conditions. The right candidate will be comfortable working on 18-25ft boats in a variety of weather conditions. Knowing how to operate a boat is helpful. 

Candidate Must Possess: 

• A degree or background in marine science, environmental science, and/or aquaculture 
• SCUBA Certification is highly preferred
• Comfortable and confident swimming/snorkeling for work in marine environments
• Excellent record keeping skills and organization 
• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and phone/email
• A valid driver’s license and comfortable driving pick-up trucks on small roads
• Positive attitude and willingness to work in all weather conditions 
• Team player mentality with ability to work independently