Marine Mammal Intern, Fall 2026

Position Title: Marine Mammal Intern


Department: AnimalCare and Conservation


Classification: Volunteer, Unpaid


Reports To: Curator of Marine Mammals, Training& Animal Interactive Programs


Internship Dates: August 31st, 2026 - December 20th, 2026

POSITION SUMMARY

This position requires a highly motivated individual whowill take direction from the Curator, Supervisor, and Marine Mammal Staff inassisting with the animal care routine and maintenance for the Atlanticbottlenose dolphin and north American river otter areas. As an intern, you canexpect to get experience in the daily care of our Atlantic bottlenose dolphinsand north American river otters and learn what it takes to be a marine mammaltrainer. Throughout the internship, interns will learn various tasks requiredfor the daily operation of a marine mammal facility; gain practical trainingexperience by working closely with staff during training and enrichmentsessions; and develop skills in time management, communication, publicspeaking, and teamwork. The position will also be responsible for adhering toall aquarium safety protocols and standard operating procedures. The goal is tohelp interns succeed professionally in any chosen field.


ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assists marine mammal staff in the overall daily care of thedolphins and otters
• Performs proper animal diet preparation
• Keeps support areas clean, organized, and safe
• Completes educational animal training lecture series
• Builds knowledge of operant conditioning and aids staff inbehavioral training of the dolphins and otters
• Designs, implements, and evaluates environmental enrichmentunder guidance of staff
• Supports interactive programs and educational presentationsthrough formal and informal public speaking opportunities
• Ensures guest satisfaction by delivering exceptionalcustomer service
• Complies with all standard operating procedures (SOPs)pertaining to daily operations and safety
• Promotes conservation, animal welfare, and good stewardshipin daily tasks
• Undertakes special projects as assigned by manager(s)

QUALIFICATIONS

• 18 years of age or older
• Enrolled in or recent graduate of a four-year collegeprogram in psychology, biology, marine biology or another related field
• Previous animal care experience, such as volunteering at ananimal shelter or completing other internships is preferred
• Applicants should consider themselves hardworking,dedicated, and reliable

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Ability to work full-time, 4 days per week, for 16 weeks
• Ability to perform physically demanding job duties daily
• Daily interaction with fellow team members and the public
• Excellent observation and communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and ethics that sustain apositive and professional environment
• A valid driver's license and ability to travel to and fromwork
• Ability to work weekends, holidays, and days closed due toinclement weather
• Ability to find and secure housing for the duration of theinternship
• Valid CPR and first aid certification preferred
• Strong swimming skills preferred
• Public speaking experience preferred

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensivelisting of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of theintern for this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may changeat any time with or without notice.


TEAM REQUIREMENTS

• Safety & Security - All Team Members are required toadhere to all Mississippi Aquarium safety and security standards.
• Attendance & Appearance - To maximize the guest'sexperience, all Team Members are required to adhere to Mississippi Aquariumstandard operating procedures regarding attendance and dress code policies asit relates to individual job functionality. Tattoos and piercings must beappropriate and in keeping with a professional image. Depending on the workarea, management reserves the right to determine that tattoos will need to becovered during your shift.
• Sales & Guest Services - Our forward-thinking businessmodel requires listening to and understanding the needs of our guests bothinternal and external. To that end, we must always be focused on the guest experiencewhich is the key driver for return guest visitation and increased sales.

• Team Partnership - All Team Members are focused onsupporting each other to complete the guest experience. Therefore, supporting,facilitating, and participating in activities that promote team effectivenessis vital to our organization.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands and work environment described here arerepresentative of those that must be met by an intern to successfully performthe essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made toenable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Whileperforming the duties of this job, the intern is occasionally required tostand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools orcontrols; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel,crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The intern must occasionallylift and/or move up to 60 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by theposition include close vision, distance vision, color and peripheral vision,depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. While performing the dutiesof this position, the intern is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at thetime. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.