Closing Date: 12/31/2019
Facility: Audubon Nature Institute
Description:
The animal care staff at Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center is seeking candidates for 2019 internship positions.
Location: Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center (FMASSC)
Department: Husbandry
Dates of Position:
Summer: May/June – August
Winter: Nov/Dec – January
Application due dates:
For Summer 2019 session: March 1, 2019
For Winter 2019 session: August 15, 2019
Time Commitment:
12 Weeks (3 months): Works 5 days per week (40 hrs). Including weekends and holidays.
About the Species Survival Center:
The Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center (FMASSC) is one of the facilities run by the Audubon Nature Institute. It is a unique piece of property that expands approximately 1,000 acres in an area south of downtown New Orleans. The FMASSC is historically known for its innovative research in exotic feline reproduction at its research facility, the “Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species (ACRES),” and its endangered Crane Recovery Programs. Currently FMASSC runs several programs, including; the Coastal Wildlife Network, which rehabilitates sea turtles and marine mammals; the Crane Recovery Programs, which breeds and releases endangered whooping crane and Mississippi sandhill cranes; the G.U.L.F. Program, which works with sustainable fishery projects in the Gulf of Mexico; and the most recent, the Alliance for Sustainable Wildlife (ASW). The Alliance for Sustainable Wildlife is the new partnership between Audubon Nature Institute and San Diego Zoo Global; its mission to become a large breeding center for endangered species of hoofstock and birds. Phase II of this new program will be under construction in 2019.
Summary of Position:
Wildlife Studies Interns will be assisting staff with observational data collection and research studies pertaining to the property, animal habitats, and the animals themselves. This internship will also include minimal husbandry training. Types of data collection and research projects will change throughout the year and most will be focused on exotic hoofstock and bird taxa or Louisiana land management. Interns will gain valuable hands-on experience working on a variety of tasks at this AZA certified facility. This internship may include long periods of time observing animals in one or multiple locations, collecting field samples, collecting data, electronic data input, and data analysis. This internship may include long hours of sitting in one place, or hiking through thick vegetation. Most interns will be assisting with ongoing projects, i.e. the project may not reach completion during the intern’s session. All interns will also have the opportunity to visit the Audubon Zoo, Aquarium, Insectarium and occasionally the Mississippi Sandhill Crane Refuge. This internship is unpaid and free housing is available upon a limited basis.
Duties and Responsibilities: (may vary depending on current projects)
Data recording in the field
Data input in the computer
Collecting samples – anything from plant materials, water, animal feces, etc.
Behavioral observations
Data research through animal records, journals, etc.
Some husbandry tasks, such as diet prep, facility maintenance, preparation and administering of enrichment items, enclosure cleaning, and assisting staff with veterinary procedures.
Requirements:
Strong interest in animal care, research, behavior, and conservation.
Capable of accurately following written and verbal directions, policies and protocols.
Good attitude
Ability to work alone or as part of a team.
Ability to work outdoors in physically demanding adverse conditions (heat, humidity, rain, mosquitoes, poison ivy etc.)
Ability to sit, stand, walk for long periods of time
Must be able to record data in a neat and organized fashion
Must be flexible, as daily assignments may change suddenly
Up-to-date tetanus vaccination.
Proof of negative TB skin test prior to beginning work.
Must be able to pass a background check and drug test