Ware Marine Research and Conservation

A Kemp's ridley sea turtle hatchling crawling across the sand

FGCU Sea Turtle Nesting Internship with Cayo Costa and Don Pedro Island State Parks

Position Brief:

  • Morning sea turtle nesting surveys from 1 May through 30 September
    • Interns are expected to work the full season
  • 4 interns on Cayo Costa State Park and 2 interns on Don Pedro Island State Park
  • Each park must be covered 7 days per week throughout the full season, barring dangerous field conditions
    • Shifts are two (2) interns per day for Cayo Costa leaving from Jug Creek at 7:30am and one (1) intern per day on Don Pedro Island leaving from Cape Haze Marina at 7:30am. A typical survey day is 4-5 hours, but may take longer during peak season (particularly on Cayo Costa).
    • Each intern should expect to average ~4 days per week.
  • Compensated at $14 per hour for a maximum of:
    • Cayo Costa, May through July – 28 hours per week
    • Cayo Costa, August through September – 15 hours per week
    • Don Pedro Island – 20 hours per week for the full season
  • Opportunities to conduct research, shorebird stewardship, invasive plant control, and other activities relevant to the position and the parks as time allows

FAQs:

  1. This internship runs the full Summer and into the Fall semesters. What about my morning classes?
    • Each intern can be expected to work ~4 days per week. Schedules will be arranged to accommodate the interns’ various class schedules while still providing complete coverage to each park.
  2. Do I live on the island for the length of the internship?
    • No, you can commute from home or campus.
  3. Can these surveys be conducted at any time during the day?
    • State Park staff will meet you at either Jug Creek (for Cayo Costa) or Cape Haze Marina (for Don Pedro) at 7:30am for the start of your shift. You will remain on the island until your patrol is complete, which may take 5+ hours during peak season (late June through July).

To apply:

If you are a current FGCU student (undergraduate or graduate), or just graduated from FGCU, and are interested in applying, please read the details below and use the link at the bottom of this page. Those without an FGCU affiliation are not eligible for this internship.

For a complete application, you will need:

  • The completed Qualtrics form
  • One (1) letter of recommendation in PDF form

For any questions or issues about this internship or the application, please email Dr. Ware (mware@fgcu.edu) with the subject line “FGCU Sea Turtle Nesting Internship”.

Applications are due no later than 11:59pm Wednesday, 19 March 2025.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their materials well in advance of this deadline.

Full Description:

Florida Gulf Coast University has partnered with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to monitor sea turtle nesting activity on Cayo Costa and Don Pedro Island State Parks from 1 May through 30 September each year. FGCU hires four (4) interns to patrol six (6) miles of Cayo Costa State Park and two (2) interns for the 1.5 miles of Don Pedro Island State Park. Interns monitor their respective park by UTV for the full nesting season following protocols established in the latest Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Marine Turtle Conservation Handbook and applicable training (see “Additional Information and Training” below). Interns are compensated at $14 per hour for up to 28 hours per week (May through July) or 15 hours per week (August through September) on Cayo Costa State Park or 20 hours per week (full season) on Don Pedro Island State Park. Shifts are two (2) interns per day for Cayo Costa leaving from Jug Creek at 7:30am and one (1) intern per day on Don Pedro Island leaving from Cape Haze Marina at 7:30am. A typical survey day is 4-5 hours, but may take longer during peak season (particularly on Cayo Costa). Each intern should expect to work roughly four (4) days per week, but this can flex depending on intern needs so long as the parks remain fully covered.

Expectations

  • In the designated permit areas, daily nesting surveys, data collection, installation of self-releasing screens, installation of nest posting materials, and removal of all equipment post-inventory are to be completed. Performing hatch success evaluations per the species- and circumstance-specific guidelines found in the FWC Marine Turtle Conservation Handbook is required on all nests in the north permit area of Cayo Costa State Park and all of Don Pedro Island State Park. Hatch success evaluations are not required for any nests in the south permit of Cayo Costa State Park and may be performed as time allows. It will not be necessary to locate the clutch on any nest prior to placing the self-releasing screen over the egg chamber as the screens meet the 4’ x 4’ guidelines set forth by FWC. Park staff will continue to monitor any remaining nests beyond September 30th.
  • Data collection will include recording species; crawl type; GPS locations; actions taken (screened vs. not screened); date screened; daily nest monitoring observations including any signs of depredation with identification of predator species involved, nest wash-over, wash-out, and accretion; and hatch success evaluation information. Nesting data will be collected using a paper binder and an FWC-designated app in Survey123 on a Trimble handheld data collector (TDC) provided by the park, or as directed by the District Biologist. Hatch success evaluation information will be recorded using the FWC-designated app in Survey123.
  • Document any activity related to rare species (i.e., green, leatherback, Kemp’s ridley, and hawksbill sea turtles). This includes a minimum of three photos taken of the crawl pattern, crawl apex, and/or the body pit photographed using the Survey123 data collection app on the Trimble TDC. Additional documentation may be requested at the time of inventory.
  • Complete obstructed nesting attempt (ONA) and disorientation event forms and collect photos for respective events.
  • Document stranding events through means of photography, handling of turtles, and completing proper forms. Park staff shall be contacted immediately for any live or dead sea turtle stranding events that might be encountered during the nesting survey. 
  • Maintenance of all equipment necessary to complete job tasks. Assigned park UTV shall be maintained through daily washing, recording gas log, and reporting any vehicular issues to park staff immediately. Handheld equipment shall be cleaned to ensure the removal of sand to prevent any wear or tear. Trimble TDC shall always remain in protective pouch. Should any equipment be lost or damaged, park staff shall be immediately notified. All equipment shall be used in accordance with the guidance provided by park staff or FWC Guidelines. Painting stakes, cutting screens, organizing sea turtle supplies, and other duties will be expected during the season and will be followed by proper inventory and storage of equipment at the end of the season. Should any required materials run low, student contractors will let park staff know immediately.
  • Demonstrate proper conduct with coworkers, park staff, and members of the public. Educate members of the public on topics relating to this position, sea turtle biology, and other appropriate topics while demonstrating efficient time management and courteous behavior.
  • On Cayo Costa only: recording a daily count of boats observed anchored along the shoreline and visitors and dogs observed on the beach on an Excel spreadsheet. The count should be completed from north to south as the nesting survey is being completed. The Excel spreadsheet shall be sent to park staff on the 30th/31st of the month, May – September.
  • Attendance records must be submitted weekly and records may be verified at any time. Additionally, should the students not arrive onsite for a particular day for any reason (e.g., boat mechanical issues, weather related, sickness or injury, etc.), they will not receive compensation for that time.
  • If student contractors fail to complete tasks to an appropriate standard, falsify data or documentation, demonstrate poor time management when performing duties, neglect equipment management, exhibit unprofessional behavior towards any parties, or repeatedly fail to complete tasks outlined, the Project Manager will address each outstanding item with the student in accordance with FGCU disciplinary protocols.

Additional Tasks as Time Allows

  • Upon receiving authorization from the relevant entities, students may participate in supervised FWC- and DEP-permitted research activities related to their duties. Such research is not required as part of this position; is not guaranteed by FWC, DEP, or FGCU; and must be coordinated with Dr. Ware and other relevant entities with respect to permitting, logistics, and FGCU course credit.
  • Assist park staff with shorebird steward activities and shorebird posted area maintenance. Shorebird stewarding will include interacting with park visitors to interpret and educate about current shorebird nesting at the state park. Steward training and equipment will be provided by the park.
  • Conduct opportunistic invasive exotic plant removal activities, including hand pulling of Kalanchoe, Madagascar periwinkle, and snake plant. Reports shall be submitted to park staff each day worked and shall include species treated, area of treatment, cover class of treated area, time spent treating, and location of treatment.
  • Beach trash pick-up shall be completed daily upon the return trip to the ranger station should time allow.

Additional Information and Training

All qualified persons conducting sea turtle surveys will need to complete the FWC training workshops listed below as well as in-house training provided by FGCU and park staff. All qualified persons will be listed on the Marine Turtle Permit for the park in accordance with F.A.C Rule 68E-1. Equipment used for the surveys will be provided by the park including stakes, screens, datasheets, flagging tape, markers, and a Trimble TDC. Boat transportation to/from the island will be provided by the relevant park. In situations involving inclement weather, boat transportation to/from the islands may be delayed or canceled (departures to the islands only) at the discretion of the park service. Students will need to complete additional UTV training prior to the operation of vehicles and equipment at the park.

There are two REQUIRED training workshops and one optional workshop to be completed by personnel associated with this project. It is highly advisable that students register and attend these workshops prior to applying due to the limited training dates. Note however that completion of these trainings does not guarantee an offer of employment, nor does it authorize an individual to complete the associated activities without a permit.

REQUIRED: FWC INBS/SNBS Nesting Beach Survey Webinar (all times EST):

Friday, February 21: 9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M
Friday, March 14: 9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
Saturday, April 12: 9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
Thursday, May 29: 6:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.

Register at https://fwritraining.azurewebsites.net/start

Note: If registering for training prior to formally accepting the position, please list the permit holder as “CAYO COSTA SP” or “DON PEDRO SP” (list both if you are applying for either location). If you register for training after formally accepting the position, you will receive an email with alternate instructions on how to register. Please note that if you are not selected for this position, you will not be permitted to conduct nesting survey activities despite participating in the workshop.

REQUIRED FWC STSSN Workshop (all times EST):

Friday, February 19: 9:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M
Friday, February 25: 10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
Saturday, March 13: 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

Register by emailing the requested information below to Corey Lloyd (Corey.Lloyd@MyFWC.com). They will respond to your email registration request approximately one week prior to your requested workshop date with your confirmation/invite and instructions on how to join the meeting.

When you email Corey to reserve your spot, please include the following information:

First/Last name:
Affiliation: FGCU / FPS
Date of training you would like to attend:
Permit number: *Read Note Below*
Phone number:

Note: If registering for training prior to formally accepting the position, please list the permit holder as “CAYO COSTA SP” or “DON PEDRO SP” (list both if you are applying for either location). If you register for training after formally accepting the position, you will receive an email with alternate instructions on how to register. Please note that if you are not selected for this position, you will not be permitted to conduct STSSN activities despite participating in the workshop.

OPTIONAL: FWC Nesting App Webinar (all times EST):

Monday, February 24: 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. Join the meeting now or call 850-270-2928, conference ID 459 509 454#

Saturday, March 22: 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. Join the meeting now or call 850-270-2928, conference ID 505 400 20#

Thursday, April 24: 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. Join the meeting now or call 580-270-2928, conference ID 949 063 298#

Simply click the appropriate link to join the Microsoft Teams webinar on the date of your choice, or you may call in and enter the conference ID. There’s no need to RSVP.

APPLICATION DETAILS

Applications are due no later than 11:59pm Wednesday, 19 March 2025.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their materials well in advance of this deadline.

To apply for this position, you will need to complete a Qualtrics form and upload one (1) letter of recommendation on its final page. The Qualtrics form includes several fill-in-the-blank and multiple choice questions, followed by four (4) short answer questions. These include:

  • In a few sentences, what caught your attention about this internship opportunity?
  • In a few sentences, what general knowledge or specific skills do you hope to learn from this internship?
  • In 1-2 paragraphs, how do you anticipate this internship experience to help you toward your overall academic objectives and future career goals?
  • In a few sentences to a paragraph, what specific prior classwork, fieldwork, experience, and/or interest makes you the best candidate for this internship?

The Qualtrics form can be accessed at https://fgcu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6sdyIxNL3N3jt5k.

For any questions or issues about this internship or the application, please email Dr. Ware (mware@fgcu.edu) with the subject line “FGCU Sea Turtle Nesting Internship”.