The Coastal Expeditions Foundation is seeking college interns for 10-week & 15-week summer positions working closely with wildlife experts at US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and professional guides at Coastal Expeditions for sea turtle nest protection and environmental education. 

Location: Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, Charleston County, SC

Duration: May 19th - July 28th (10 weeks) OR May 19th - September 1st (15 weeks)

Schedule: 40-50 hrs per week. Expect to work early mornings, weekends and holidays

REQUIREMENTS: 

• Recently graduated or currently enrolled as a Junior/Senior in a relevant undergraduate program (biology, marine science, conservation, wildlife management, etc.)
• Ability to complete physically demanding work outdoors for extended periods of time in harsh summer conditions
• Outgoing personality, willing to work hard and maintain a positive and respectful attitude in small team settings and while interacting with the public
• Thrives in a flexible work environment - interns will work with a variety of professional personalities and every day will present new and exciting tasks and challenges

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Knowledge of Coastal SC flora and fauna 
• Experience leading interpretive or educational outdoor programs
• Experience on powerboats

ABOUT:

The Coastal Expeditions Foundation (CEF) was established in 2018 in response to the increasing need for habitat and wildlife protection and environmental education in the Lowcountry. CEF offers aid to USFWS by providing additional staff, funds, and environmental awareness to ensure the protection of critical nesting habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and 2,000+ sea turtle nests per season in Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. 

The nest protection program at Cape Romain NWR has been in existence for 45 years, one of the longest running programs of its kind. The remote barrier islands of the refuge receive over 40% of all nests in the state and hold the highest nesting density rate north of Cape Canaveral, FL. Cape Romain NWR receives up to ~14,000 turtle crawls in a single season, and is considered one of the most significant nesting beaches for Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta).

This position will work closely with US Fish & Wildlife Service (wildlife biologists, field technicians, and volunteers) and professional guides at Coastal Expeditions while gaining valuable hands-on experience with sea turtle nest protection and environmental education.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Sea Turtle Nest Monitoring: 

• Assist refuge staff and volunteers while conducting sunrise beach surveys 
• Operate ATV over ~8 miles of beach
• Determine if turtle crawls are nests or non-nesting emergences (false crawls)
• Locate egg chambers through probing, relocate nests when needed, and install predator nest protection (caging) over egg chambers
• Use a GPS, collect genetic eggshell samples, document nest emergences as they occur, conduct inventories for all remaining nests, release of live hatchlings
• Transcribe all field data collected each day in the statewide database (seaturtle.org).
• Assist in any live/dead sea turtle strandings should they occur
• Assist with general upkeep of ATVs and other turtle surveying equipment
• Cut additional nest caging as needed

Mate and Naturalist on Coastal Expeditions trips to Bulls Island 

• Assist ferry crew while loading passengers and docking
• Greet guests upon arrival 
• Interact with clients by answering questions and offering nature interpretation
• Weekly maintenance of bathroom facilities on Bulls Island

Shorebird/Seabird Stewarding:

• Protect nesting and migrating shorebirds and seabirds by:
• Documenting/reporting human disturbance at nesting sites 
• Educating beachgoers about threats to coastal birds and how to responsibly share the shoreline with vulnerable species

Sewee Visitor & Environmental Education Center:

• Complete various projects under the direction of Refuge Ranger