​Internship: Avian Care and Research

The Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia’s Avian Care and Research Intern will gain valuable, unique experiences by assisting with our research initiatives regarding various study species. The internship aims to help students develop the skills necessary to pursue entry-level work in wildlife conservation projects. The intern will work collaboratively with other interns, staff, volunteers, and veterinarians. This summer internship is most appropriate for undergraduate students majoring in Wildlife and Fisheries, Natural Resources, Environmental Science, Animal Science, or Pre-Veterinary Medicine, although students passionate about avian conservation from other majors are welcome to apply as well.

Duties:
1. Fieldwork Nest Monitoring

• Conduct firsthand and remote observational data collection.
• Assist with field handling and banding opportunities. 

2. Work from the Lab

• Collect data during sick/injured bird intake procedures
• Gather data during pre-release conditioning of birds.
• Perform postmortem tissue collection.
• Maintain MOTUS tower and tracking equipment.
• Perform GIS analysis and cartographic design.
  

3. Research

• Assist with literature reviews and research discussions.
• Enter data for various studies into our data system.
• Assist with study design and analysis methodology.
• Create a poster presentation for intern focus project.

4. Outreach

• Assist with research presentations for ACCA studies.
• Produce presentational material (maps, figures, etc.) to enhance educational programs.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the internship, the intern should know and have experience with:

• Methods for tracking avian species (camera traps, banding, radio telemetry, GPS).
• Methods for biological sampling techniques (blood draws, disease monitoring, postmortem studies).
• Research project development (literature review, study design, data collection & analysis, reporting and presentation).
• Strategies for communicating effectively with colleagues, supervisors, and the public.

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To Apply:
Fill out the form below, or send by email attachment a resume including a brief objective statement about which internship you're applying for and what you hope to learn from it. Also, please include the dates that you would be able to start and finish the internship, and include approximately how many hours per week you plan to devote to the internship. (Most undergraduate summer interns work 10-20 hours per week from May until August.) Email application materials to Katie Fallon or complete the form. Please note that our internships are unpaid at this time.