Heal the Bay Aquarium is looking for enthusiastic and responsible interns who love to work with children and are interested in pursuing a career in education. This internship is also an excellent chance to learn more about marine science and environmental advocacy and gain experience working for an environmental nonprofit.

Summer Camp Interns will be exposed to the process of organizing, planning, and teaching the Aquarium Science Camp programs. They will assist staff with hands-on activities, classroom management, and beach exploration. In doing so, they will help children gain a greater sense of Ocean Literacy and inspire future environmental stewards. Interns will also receive professional development in student-centered pedagogy, training in outdoor field education, and become familiar with NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards).

Intern Expectations and Responsibilities: (include, but are not limited to)

• Expectations:
  • Be available to attend one full training week (June 16-20, 8:30 AM – 3 PM)
  • Design and implement one summer camp activity, craft, or experiment based on trainings received through Heal the Bay’s Education department
  • Be present with the campers – no phones, social media, minimal chatting during instruction
  • Be enthusiastic & personally responsible – take initiative when possible, show excitement for your work, and you will get the most from this internship
  • Be punctual – please arrive on time each day
  • Model behaviors – modeling behaviors like curiosity help campers connect to the material and can help them learn something new each day
• Responsibilities:
  • Assist the Education team and other staff members with daily operations of Aquarium Science Camp
  • Help organize materials for the camp programs
  • Learn and teach activities for lesson topics with the Education team
  • Attend to the supervision and safety of campers
  • Maintain a professional and positive manner with children, parents, volunteers, and staff
  • Perform appropriate duties as assigned by management

A qualified Camp Intern:

• Is excited to work with kids
• Is able to share their passion for the ocean
• Loves to spend time outside on the beach
• Is at least 18 years old
• Is organized and has careful attention to detail
• Is able to work independently and with a team
• Is able to pass a federal Live Scan background check

Working on the beach can be challenging. There are required physical expectations that an intern must possess including: 

• Ability to walk in the sand
• Openness to occasionally getting wet
• Willingness to interact with and touch marine animals
• Ability to lift and carry up to 30lbs
• Ability to push and pull up to 30lbs
• Ability to spend 2+ hours outside in different types of weather

While you are with us, you will gain:

• Classroom management skills
• Public speaking experience
• Interpretation skills and techniques
• Outdoor education techniques
• Environmental education content knowledge
• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) knowledge
• Hands-on science activity practice
• Letter of recommendation
• Professional skills and industry knowledge/experience

This is an unpaid internship that requires a time commitment of 25-29 hours per week. It will last about 7.5 weeks, starting June 16, 2025, and ending August 8, 2025. School credit is available at participating colleges and universities.

Please email a resume and cover letter to:

Robert Ramos, Education Manager at rramos@healthebay.org

ATTN: Summer Camp Intern Application

These documents should be sent by Friday, May 30, 2025 at midnight for applications to be considered.

Heal the Bay is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status and we strongly encourage applications from individuals that reflect the diversity of Los Angeles County.

Heal the Bay complies with AB 1008, the Fair Chance Act, during the onboarding process. Once a conditional internship offer has been made the candidate will be asked to complete a Live Scan criminal background check. A thorough assessment of conviction history will be considered including: the nature and gravity of the criminal history, the time that has passed since the conviction, and the nature of the job the candidate is seeking.

Heal the Bay’s Science Department is seeking a self-motivated MPA Watch Intern with a strong interest in marine protected areas (MPAs), coastal conservation, and fieldwork for the Summer Session (June – August). The intern will report to our Marine Protected Area Program Coordinator and complete field work at MPA sites and virtual work for approximately 10-20 hours each week, with flexible scheduling. This internship offers hands-on experience in community science and environmental data collection, making it an excellent opportunity for students and early-career professionals looking to gain real-world fieldwork experience.

This is an excellent opportunity to gain science fieldwork experience and to work for a reputable non-profit that has been a leader in water quality and environmental advocacy for 40 years. Heal the Bay’s community science program, MPA Watch, is part of a statewide network and collects valuable scientific data to inform various organizations about human use at MPA sites and inform MPA management.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Complete MPA Watch beach surveys of human activities inside and outside protected areas for MPA Watch program.
• Assist in organization and management of the MPA Watch database.
• Conduct quality assurance and quality control on MPA Watch surveys in the database.
• Assist with the development of MPA Watch program and training materials such as manuals and PowerPoint presentations
• Assist in the development and implementation of MPA Watch volunteer trainings.
• Assist in MPA Watch volunteer events and coordination.
• Attend weekly virtual MPA Watch team meetings.
• Maintain a professional and enthusiastic attitude when representing Heal the Bay in public settings, meeting, events, and trainings.
• Develop an independent research project on MPA Watch data, MPA policy and legislation, or another related topic and present results at the end of the internship.

Qualifications:

• Must be currently enrolled at or recently graduated from a college or university as an undergraduate or graduate student.
• Must be currently enrolled or recently graduated in a degree program of Environmental Studies, Marine Science, Geography, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Policy or related field.
• Must have reliable transportation to and from MPA field sites in Malibu and Palos Verdes.
• Must have reliable access to a computer and internet to complete remote work in addition to field work.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Detail-oriented; ability to complete projects promptly and completely.
• Ability to work independently as well as with a team.
• Preferred: experience in conducting data collection and/or research and proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

There are required physical expectations that an individual must possess in order to successfully perform essential internship responsibilities, including:

• Ability to spend 4-5 hours outside including in harsh weather conditions, if necessary.
• Ability to complete moderate hiking incluing in harsh weather conditions, if necessary.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull up to 50lbs.

Compensation:

• This is an unpaid internship. School credit is available at participating colleges and universities.

How to Apply:

• Applicants must send a resume and cover letter to Zoë Collins, Marine Protected Area Program Coordinator, at zcollins@healthebay.org by May 2, 2025, for application to be considered.

Heal the Bay is an equal opportunity employer and actively recruits to promote diversity in our workforce. Candidates of color are strongly encouraged to apply.