Paid Marine Science Education Internship

Job Description: Do you enjoy working with students of all ages? Are you looking for a job that allows you the opportunity to kayak, snorkel, and share the marine environment? Are you a self-motivated, hard-working individual? Then the Pigeon Key Foundation, a 501(c) not-for-profit organization, is looking for you to be a part of our 2026 intern team. Start date January 19th with a TBD end date in mid-August.  Possibility of full-time employment may exist to hired interns who demonstrate a superior ability at the position.  Internship provides weekly stipend and on-island housing, as well as food when groups are present.

Marine Science Education Intern Responsibilities:

**This list is not exhaustive but will give interested applicants a better idea of what jobs will be required of them. We are a small organization. We do not hire a janitorial, cooking, or maintenance staff. Each person living and working on the island is required to pitch in. If you do not agree with the statement “if a task needs doing, it is in my job description” please do not apply for this internship.**

• Marine Education (65% of internship)
  • Lead both classroom and hands-on learning activities for students age K-college on a variety of marine science subjects. Hands-on activities include fishing, kayaking, snorkeling, and invertebrate collection.
  • Days will be long (sometimes 6am-10pm) and often include weekends. Other group-related tasks will include cooking, cleaning, equipment prep/clean-up, etc.
  • While groups are on-island they are our number one priority.
  • Summer Camps (6-7 weeks in June/July/August) will require interns to perform all of the above duties, plus participate in camp activities and be overnight counselors in the student dorms
• Island Maintenance (20% of internship)
  • When groups are not on island, interns will be responsible for island upkeep and preparing for upcoming groups.
  • Days will be mostly 9am-5pm M-F schedule, but that can change based on what needs doing and the weather.
  • Will include, but not limited to, cleaning, sweeping, mopping, raking, weed whacking, washing sheets, painting, maintaining island grounds, cleaning aquariums, etc.
• Office Work (5%)
  • Making group workbooks, expanding and updating curriculum, maintaining membership list, writing articles for the foundation’s newsletter, blog entries, etc.
  • Interns with demonstrated responsibility and integrity may be asked to assist with the foundation’s social media accounts (facebook, instagram, etc.)
• Various (10%)
  • Representing the foundation at various events in the community, running work errands, outreach programs, summer camps, etc. This list is not exhaustive.

The successful applicant will be able to live and work well with people of various backgrounds in a small-work environment. The ability to separate personal issues from professional time (and the ability to resolve any personal issues quickly with little conflict) is crucial to this position.

Interns will live on Pigeon Key, a 5-acre island in the middle of the Florida Keys and a historical landmark. Interns are encouraged to dive, fish, and explore the Florida Keys island chain on their days off, which are limited but do exist!

Qualifications:

• Recent graduate of a degree program in biology, marine biology, zoology, science education, or a related field.
• A high level of interest (experience preferred) in teaching students of diverse ages and backgrounds
• Excellent public speaking skills for audiences of various ages and abilities
• Experienced swimmer (preference will be given to applicants with current or previous lifeguarding, instructing, or diving experience)
• An optimistic, “can-do” attitude
• Willingness to cook, clean, and do yardwork
• The ability to work independently and in a team setting while foreseeing and quickly correcting potential problems
• The ability to work well with others in a small organization where your coworkers are also your roommates.
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Google Drive and various social media formats preferred but not required