Internships and Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Opportunities:

If you have an interest in wildlife conservation, enjoy working outdoors or with people, or simply want to give back, consider joining the Refuge's volunteer staff. 

	Volunteers are an essential part of operations at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, staffing the Visitor Center and Lighthouse, conducting wildlife surveys and assisting with biological studies, presenting interpretive walks and talks, constructing and maintaining refuge facilities and trails, improving habitat, and more!
credit: USFWS
Bring your skills, talents, and energy; we’ll supply the rest, including training and uniforms Take the first step towards joining our volunteer community: click here for an application to begin the process.
	credit: USFWS
For more information, contact: Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Attn:  Jenny Howard Owen, Volunteer Coordinator P.O. Box 62 Chincoteague, VA 23336 (757) 336-6122 Interested in volunteering at a refuge near you?  Please visit http://www.fws.gov/vol

Internships:

Welcome to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge! Interns with the Service have the unique opportunity of experiencing one of the most-visited refuges in the entire National Wildlife Refuge System. Interns are an essential part of operations at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. They staff the Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center, conduct wildlife surveys, assist with habitat management, present interpretive walks and talks, construct and maintain refuge facilities, and perform a variety of other essential duties.  Training, housing, and uniforms will be provided - you supply the time and interest!

Location

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (CNWR) is located on the southern end of Assateague Island, VA. The northern end of the island is home to state and federal parks that are not part of CNWR, while the southern end is run by both the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. The closest town is Chincoteague, VA located on Chincoteague Island, approximately two miles away. The Town of Chincoteague has many tourist attractions, including restaurants, inns, souvenir shops, bike and kayak rentals, fishing and sunset cruises, churches, a grocery store, bowling alley, and a movie theater.  

Pay

Interns receive a $300 reimbursement every two weeks for meals and incidental expenses.  The reimbursement is direct deposited into a bank account; therefore interns must provide the refuge with a bank routing number upon arrival.  You can find the routing number on a check or call your bank.  Chincoteague has two banks, PNC and Shore Bank.  Many interns open accounts with the local banks to avoid ATM fees.

Housing

Housing is provided to interns and located on the refuge.  Interns will have housemates and roommates. Housing is cohabited with males and females, but rooms are same-sex.  The bunkhouse is fully furnished with beds, dressers, couches, TV, laundry facility, and kitchenware. However, interns must provide their own twin size bedding.

Phones are available in refuge housing, but you must purchase phone cards to call outside the local area. Wireless internet access is available. When not working, interns may use the office computers to access the internet, but must comply with federal government computer policy and training requirements. 

Uniform

Visitor Services Division Interns are provided a nametag, hat, work and polo shirts upon arrival. Wildlife Biology Division Interns receive work shirts and a hat.  Bug spray and sunscreen are provided. You may wear sunglasses and hats unless speaking to the public within the Visitor Center.  Hiking boots are optimal for working conditions, but other closed toed shoes are acceptable.

Schedule

Internships are a twelve-week minimum commitment; however, the refuge can be flexible when deemed necessary.  Interns normally work 40 hours per week.  Special programs and events may require interns to work early mornings or evenings on occasion.  Interns typically work weekends during the summer season.

VISITOR SERVICES DIVISION

Visitors Services Interpretation/Environmental Education Internship

Internship Duration:  12 weeks; must begin work the week of May 22, 2012.

Application Period: CLOSED

Poitions Available: 4 

Visitor Services Internship Requirements

Applicants should have a background in biology, wildlife management, recreation management, education, interpretation, communications or a related field. Applicants must have experience speaking in front of groups (including children and school groups), knowledge of animal and plant identification (especially birds), and have the ability to communicate well with visitors and staff both orally and in writing.

The job requires office and outdoor work. The work involves frequent on-site field work requiring some physical exertion such as walking over wet, rough, and uneven terrain; bending, crouching, stooping, reaching, lifting or similar activities. Outdoor work may involve extreme temperatures and exposure to biting insects.

Credit:USFWS
Interns sharing the wonders of nature at Children in the Woods Day Camp.

Work Description:

Visitor Services Interns staff the visitor center in addition to developing and conducting orientation talks, interpretive walks and demonstrations to a variety of general public audiences and school groups. Interns will also initiate or assist with the development or revision of interpretive materials such as brochures, handouts, and exhibits. Knowledge of public outreach and communications tools and techniques (utilizing the internet, audiovisual, and other media) to appeal to a diverse audience is a plus.  Interns will also work with the refuge education staff to prepare and conduct on- and off-site environmental education programs for a variety of audiences. In addition, the intern will assist with the management of wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities such as hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, environmental education and/or interpretation. These duties provide interns with multiple opportunities to provide visitors with enjoyable and enriching opportunities to connect with refuges in ways that are meaningful to them.

Apply to the Visitors Services Internship Program:

Please send a cover letter indicating to which internship program you are applying, a resume, and reference contact information to:

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
Attn:  John Fitzroy
P.O. Box 62
Chincoteague, VA 23336

WILDLIFE BIOLOGY DIVISION

Wildlife Biology Internships

Summer Internship Application Period:  CLOSED

Credit:USFWS

Banding and Releasing Oystercatcher Chicks

There are three different islands for which interns can submit their application materials; Assateague, Assawoman, and Cedar Islands. Primary responsibilities are similar, but daily duties, field site, transportation, lodging and additional opportunities will vary by island. You must indicate in your cover letter one or more of the islands for which you are applying.

Shorebird Management internship applicants must be a recent graduate or a current student with a minimum of junior status in Wildlife Biology, Environmental Science, Natural Resources Management, or a related field; communication skills, writing skills, desire to work with people; must have good observational skills, and a valid driver's license.  Interns are required to walk in difficult terrain for long distances, carry equipment, and tolerate biting insects. Following a period of orientation and training with a field supervisor, interns are expected to work independently on daily tasks.

Primary responsibilities on each island unit, making up approximately 75% of the incumbent’s duties, are to monitor breeding populations of federally threatened piping plovers, American oystercatchers, and colonial beach nesting birds. This includes conducting nest searches, making behavioral observations, chick monitoring, and predator monitoring. Additional opportunities, making up the remaining 25% of duties, vary slightly by island and include invasive species management, marine mammal and sea turtle stranding training, sea turtle nest management, endangered Delmarva fox squirrel management, working on a boat to access field sites, participate in public interpretation, endangered sea beach amaranth plant surveys, banding American oystercatcher chicks, data entry, and waterfowl surveys, among other Refuge programs. See below for detailed differences between islands.

Assateague Island: 12 weeks; May 20, 2012 – Aug 11, 2012

The applicant should be comfortable operating a 4x4 vehicle, be willing to drive over sand and may participate in ATV operation training. Strong communication skills are a must, as Assateague Island is a tourist destination for many and interns often interact with and work around the public. Interns here will live on station in a co-ed bunk house and will share a room with at least one other intern of the same gender. Interns will be required to work weekends and some evenings.

Assawoman Island: 18 weeks; April 15, 2012 – Aug 18, 2012

The applicant should be comfortable operating a 4x4 vehicle, be willing to drive over sand and may participate in ATV operation training. This position includes a secondary field site, Metompkin Island, and a Chincoteague Bay American oystercatcher breeding survey route which is only accessible by boat and therefore has no onsite facilities. The applicant must be comfortable around water, working on a boat, and working for several hours at a time in remote locations. Assawoman Island is accessed by driving through Wallops Island, a secure NASA/NAVY facility, therefore requiring the intern to apply for and obtain a NASA Security Clearance upon hiring. Housing is located on Assateague Island in bunkhouse quarters and each intern will share a room with at least one other intern of the same gender. Interns will be required to work weekends and some evenings.

Cedar Island: 18 weeks; April 15, 2012 – Aug 18, 2012

Apply to the Biology Internship Program:

Please send a cover letter that includes which internship program you are applying, a resume, transcripts, and reference contact information to:

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
Attn: Emarie Ayala 
P.O. Box 62
Chincoteague, VA 23336