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The Marine Studies Initiative (MSI) office is pleased to offer a variety of summer internships every year, focusing on interdisciplinary topics of the ocean and coasts. View our 2023 Summer Internships below.

Science to Action

Location: Newport, OR

 

The MidCoast Watersheds Council (MCWC) is dedicated to the quality of aquatic habitat on the central Oregon Coast, and is based in Newport. We are seeking a motivated student to help restore habitats and communicate the benefits and processes of habitat restoration. The student will receive practical training in habitat restoration, native plant identification and care, web design, social media marketing, design tools, data analysis, and collaboration in a nonprofit work environment. This would expose the student to a variety of careers in the conservation and restoration fields, and provide them with the training and network to begin their career.

Animal Ambassador Program

Location: Newport, OR

 

The intern will work with the Oregon Coast Aquarium Education department on their new animal ambassador program supporting and delivering two styles of programs, respectively– amphitheater and “meet and greet” carts.  A major intern responsibility will be collecting evaluation data such as surveys, which will be used to refine messages and program delivery.

 

Coastal Bird Stewardship and Outreach

Location: Newport to Florence, OR

 

Assist with the Coastal Bird Stewardship Outreach Project along the central coast (Newport to Florence) by cultivating visitor stewardship of coastal seabirds and shorebirds—primarily the Marbled Murrelet. This involves increasing visitor understanding of their role in sensitive seabird and shorebird conservation at Siuslaw National Forest and Oregon State Park areas on the Oregon Central Coast. Activities include developing, producing and delivering interpretive messages at recreation areas and via social media, and collaborating with state and federal interpretive and field rangers to develop and deliver program content.

Marine Reserve Interpretation
and Science Communication

Location:  Port Orford, OR

 

A combination of field scientist, science communicator, and marine reserve interpreter, the intern will learn about and experience the Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve and Marine Protected Area (MPA), and communicate ecological and cultural aspects of the Marine Reserve and MPA to the public and visitors to Port Orford. The intern will also recruit volunteers for community science programs with partner agencies such as Coast Watch, COASST, and the Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Responsibilities also include being part of the team sampling juvenile fishes as part of an OSU/ODFW long-term monitoring collaboration at Redfish Rocks.

Port of Newport:  Public Policy or
International Marine Opportunities

Location: Newport, OR


The Port of Newport stewards ~59 sq miles of the central Oregon coast--north to south from Otter Rock to Seal Rock, and east to west from 6 miles inland to the Pacific Ocean. The Port offers a wide variety of services to develop, promote, and sustain the economic base of the area, including commercial and sport fishing, fish processing, shipping, tourism, recreation, and lumber and wood processing. The intern may choose one of two project areas:  Public Policy or International Marine Opportunities.
International Marine Opportunities
The intern will develop and compile information on raw materials imported to the West Coast and match these materials with current and potential manufacturing processes in the Port of Newport. The project focuses not only on which shipping methods fit into the Port's facilities and schedules but also those that pair with manufacturing processes that bring jobs to Newport and expand the regional economy. The student could also identify markets and marketing strategies for the finished products.
Public Policy
The intern will help develop public access rules and camping regulations; examine ordinances to check and update signage, lay out plans for future fences, gates and borders; and develop a licensing system. The project may also include updating the Port Facilities Code to regulate the sale of fish/seafood directly from commercial fishing vessels.

Advancing Biogeochemical Instrumentation
and Science

Location: Newport to Florence, OR

 

This internship offers the opportunity to explore how academia and industry can work together to advance the understanding and monitoring of the ocean. Specifically, the intern will work with Sea-Bird Scientific (a leader in oceanographic instrumentation) on a project related to the design, testing, calibration, and/or validation of bio-optical oceanographic instrumentation used to sense ocean biogeochemical variables such as chlorophyll fluorescence, oxygen, pH, nutrients, particulate organic carbon, and/or colored dissolved organic matter.

MSI Summer 2023 Internships

The Marine Studies Initiative (MSI) office is pleased to offer Summer 2023 internships focused on interdisciplinary topics of the ocean and coasts.  Summer 2023 internship project options include ones focused on marine reserve interpretation and science communication, evaluation of aquarium animal programs, biogeochemical instrumentation, coastal bird stewardship & outreach, habitat restoration and collaboration, public policy, and international marine market opportunities.  Internship locations include Newport and Port Orford, Oregon. Internships will be in-person experiences with some remote work.

Application & More Information:


Locations – Newport, OR / Port Orford, OR / Corvallis, OR
Dates - June 20 - August 25, 2023. Start and end dates may vary depending on the internship.
Housing - Summer group housing is provided. In Newport, this group field housing is at Hatfield Marine Science Center (hmsc.oregonstate.edu/main/housing) Group housing at Port Orford Field Station is located in a low populated, more secluded area--e.q., small town with minimal-to-no public transportation (portorfordfieldstation.oregonstate.edu).
Hours  – Summer Internships are full-time commitments, typically 30- 40 hours per week. Within or in addition to this commitment, interns are expected to participate in program activities such as field trips plus perform work to fulfill scholarly expectations such as project plan writing, poster creation, and presentation prep and delivery.
Compensation - Interns will receive compensation as an Oregon State University hourly student worker. Total salary depends on the internship. Typical summer salary range is $4,500 - $6,000 for a 10-week period internship commitment. The hourly salary rate for the Summer Internships is $13.50-$15.00/hour. Group housing is provided by the program in addition to the salary.

Eligibility:


This paid internship is a full-time commitment, typically 30- 40 hours per week in the summer. Within or in addition to this commitment, all interns are expected to perform work to fulfill scholarly expectations such as project plan writing, poster creation, and presentation prep and delivery. This internship is open to all currently enrolled OSU students and Oregon Community College students (OSU dual enrollment program or degree partnership program preferred).
 
To be a student worker, in summer, you cannot be enrolled in more than 5 credits of summer classes to work 40 hours. Eligible students will need to be enrolled in 6+ credits in Spring and Fall terms 2023 to be eligible for summer term-off employment. International undergraduate students will need to be enrolled in 12+ credits in Spring and Fall terms of 2023. Per OSU’s Student Employment Manual, students can be given one term off during the academic year where they can continue employment and take below 6 credits. Students who take a term off must be minimally enrolled the term before and will be enrolled the term immediately following and taking 6 credits or more. If newly admitted into a community college or university and pursuing a program or course of study no enrollment is required for the term immediately before the term off.

All interns are expected to write a project proposal, create a poster, and present their project at both the Coastal internship symposium and a public meeting or conference after the internship, all under the guidance of a mentor. Interns will also be required to participate in group check-ins, field trips, seminars, professional development and other group activities.

Some positions require driving a University, agency or personal vehicle, thus intern must possess and maintain a current valid driver’s license in their state of residence to be eligible for use of University vehicles. Additional requirements may apply, if incumbent chooses to use personal vehicle or a rented or leased vehicle.

All applications due: Midnight on March 5, 2023 - Application HERE

For more information contact: Academic Advisor, Cynthia Leonard - [email protected]

2023 Internship Partners

Check out the MSI 2023 Internship Partners by clicking the links below. 

Mid-Coast Watershed

Oregon Coast Aquarium

Siuslaw National Forest

Port Orford

Port of Newport

Sea-Bird Scientific