Internship: Wetland Communities
Season: Spring 2025 (Approx March-May)
Location: Onsite
Application Deadline: February 7 at 4pm CST
 
Shedd Internship Program
Shedd Aquarium's Internship Program aims to provide meaningful career exploration for those seeking professions in non-profits, animal care, conservation, research, and beyond.  We hope to inspire and develop future professionals as diverse as the aquatic world we care for.

These opportunities are geared toward those that are new to the field and just starting to establish a career. They have the skills and knowledge, but not necessarily the real-world application.

We welcome applications from all levels of experience, including those seeking career exploration or changes, gap year students, freshmen, sophomores, and those seeking first internships.

Department Overview: 
Wetlands are biodiversity hotspots and their protection is critical to support diverse wildlife. Shedd Aquarium is working with community volunteers and local partners to restore and monitor wetlands across Cook County. This restoration work falls under Shedd’s Conservation Priority Area to Revitalize Habitat.  

As part of the Conservation Research Department, the intern will work closely with the Wetland Biologist to document the wildlife that use these habitats and monitor species abundances in response to restoration efforts; special focus is given to aquatic invertebrates and amphibians. These efforts will help us understand how restoring temporary wetlands can benefit aquatic animals. This research will help inform management strategies to best protect wetlands 
 
Learning Objectives: 

• Gain skill in field and laboratory procedures to collect data on community composition 
• Demonstrate understanding of how to conduct scientific research: study design, data collection and analysis, and presentation of results 
• Gain working knowledge of restoration and wetland ecology in Chicago 
• Broaden perspectives on conservation ecology 

Responsibilities & Projects: 

• Demonstrate commitment to Shedd’s vision, mission and values 
• Assist with field work  
  • This includes walking to isolated wetlands to set out/monitor audio loggers, document breeding activity, and sample tadpoles 
  • Collect aquatic invertebrate samples 
• Assist with laboratory work  
  • Laboratory work will include use of a dissecting microscope to sort, identify, and count macroinvertebrates samples 
  • Laboratory work may also include processing frog-call recordings  
• Data entry and other office work 
• Other projects as assigned 

Qualifications: 

Fields of Interest: 

• Wetland ecology 
• Conservation Biology 
• Wildlife Biology  
• Habitat Restoration 
• Herpetology 
• Entomology 

 
Skills/Characteristics: 

• Self-motivated to work hard 
• Good organizational, written communication, and oral communication skills 
• Excellent attention to detail 
• Capable of working independently and as part of a team 
• Able to walk 5 miles ‘off trail’ though forest and prairie habitat, carrying field supplies 
• Able to work outdoors in unfavorable conditions (cold, hot, insects, mud) 
• Able to work in front of a microscope / computer screen for long periods of time. 
• Willingness/desire to learn about freshwater conservation research 
• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Have a high school diploma or GED. 

On-boarding
All interns attend one full day orientation. These are held in person on select Mondays from 9am-5pm. This is required, even if you will not normally be scheduled on Mondays.

Time & Compensation: 

• This is a non-exempt, temporary position that pays $17 per hour
• We anticipate this position will be scheduled for 16-24 hours per week for 12 weeks, pending business needs and individual performance.
• Preferred schedule: Weekdays within Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm.
• Set schedule based on intern availability. 

Reasonable Accommodations:
Shedd Aquarium is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodations for any part of the employment process, please email us at internship@sheddaquarium.org.
 
We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ community, Veterans and active duty military, parents, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from all cultural backgrounds to apply. Shedd Aquarium is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team.