Seasonal Coastal Outreach Intern

Position Summary
The Seasonal Coastal Outreach Internship is a great opportunity to learn how to help reduce disturbances to beach-nesting and migratory shorebirds. Audubon New York launched the “Be a Good Egg” outreach campaign in 2013. We use education, social marketing, and citizen science to decrease human threats to shorebirds and seabirds. We target areas where human disturbance has been a threat to beach-nesting birds and/or there is a need for a reduction in human disturbance and/or stronger community support for beach protection measures. We host on-the-beach outreach events to educate beach-goers and encourage them to sign a pledge to share the shore with beach-nesting birds. We also host community engagement events, such as tern shelter building, string fencing installation days, and beach clean-ups.

The outreach intern will work with the Outreach Technician to learn about on-the-beach outreach events and how to act as a liaison between birds and beach-goers. They will also learn about the stewardship and monitoring of breeding Piping Plovers, Least Terns, and American Oystercatcher. The Outreach Intern will be required to assist in hosting Be a Good Egg outreach events, talk to beach-goers about beach-nesting bird conservation, walk long distances (up to 5 miles) on sandy and rocky beaches, and carry and use equipment (i.e. binoculars, outreach event supplies, post pounders, fence posts). The intern will write an article about their learning experience with Audubon New York’s Long Island Coast program. This article will be published in our newsletter in the fall.

This position is temporary, part-time, and scheduled for 15 hours per week for 6 weeks.

This role is on-site at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Center in Oyster Bay, NY.

Compensation:

$16.00 / hour

Essential Functions
Intern Responsibilities and Learning Objectives
During the internship, you will work with the Outreach Technician to:

• Assist in planning Be a Good Egg outreach activities
• Engage and educate beach-goers about beach-nesting birds and their conservation needs
• Distribute educational and promotional materials to beach-goers
• Encourage beach-goers to sign a pledge to “share the beach” with beach-nesting birds
• Set up outreach equipment, including a canopy tent, table, camp chairs, educational materials, and water and snacks for volunteers
• Use binoculars and/or a spotting scope to locate and/or identify Piping Plovers, Least Terns, American Oystercatchers, and migratory shorebirds
• Assist in leading bird walks for the public
• Enter data into Excel and e-bird as needed
• Prepare and organize outreach materials, and other office tasks.
• Assist in leading children’s activities at our outreach events

Internship Benefits
Interns will gain experience and knowledge in the following:

• Long Island coastal conservation and the protection of Long Island Sound and it’s habitats.
• Public speaking and interaction with the public, public program planning and logistics.
• The stewardship and monitoring of breeding Piping Plovers, Least Terns, and American Oystercatchers. They will learn about how the data determines nest success for threatened and endangered shorebirds.
• How human behavior change can protect threatened and endangered birds, and what those desired behavior changes are.
• Connecting people to nature through conservation messaging for the protection of species and habitat of concern.
• Intern Schedule
• The Intern will be expected to work 2 days a week, including one weekday and one weekend day. This internship is geared towards high school and college students 16-20 years old and will run for six weeks from approximately June 24, 2024 to August 4, 2024. Transportation will be required to the TRSAC in Oyster Bay and to north shore outreach sites.

Projected Start Date
June 24th 2024, and projected end date is August 4th 2024

Qualifications and Experience

• Intern must be 16- 20 years old and have an interest in environmental education, environmental science, biology, or a related field.
• Applicants must have strong communications skills and attention to detail. Applicants should be comfortable engaging and communicating with a diverse public audience and must be willing to work on busy beach days and holiday weekends.
• The ability to speak Spanish and/or other languages is preferred, but not required.
• Ability to work outdoors for long periods in adverse conditions and have a good work ethic. Prior shorebird and/or field experience is not required, but a willingness to learn about beach-nesting bird biology and conservation is.
• Applicants must be able to walk long distances (up to 5 miles), carry equipment (tents, tables, post pounders, fence posts).
• Must have transportation to Oyster Bay and the north shore Long Island field sites in Nassau and Suffolk counties.