In addition to offering the following list of potential projects, we also encourage students to contact Cary scientists and other staff for internship projects that are developed by the student and performed under the mentorship of a Cary employee.
To solicit an internship, please submit an email with a cover letter to the intended mentor explaining your interest in their work and how your project might fit in with their program.
Cary Institute views credit-bearing internship arrangements as a 3-way partnership in which the student develops professional skills, the college provides credit and Cary Institute acts as mentor for the development of those skills through the completion of an internship project.
Data Jam Data Interns
Temporary in Millbrook, NY - Remote OK
Cary Institute is accepting applications for Data Jam Data Interns to work with Cary scientists and educators to enhance the annual Hudson Data Jam and related resources. The Hudson Data Jam is an annual competition where students in grades 4-12 analyze data from the Hudson Valley, write a report, and develop a creative project that communicates a story from the data to a general audience. Data Jam resources are used widely by educators in other contexts as well. Interns will develop and apply data management, analysis and visualization skills as they update and add to the long-term ecological datasets and background information for Data Jam and associated resources for students and teachers. They also will gain experience working with educators to foster student-active learning of vital data and environmental science literacy skills.
Work Location: Work at Cary’s campus in Millbrook, NY, is preferred, but remote work is a possibility.
Duration:These are temporary, part or full time positions for up to 4 months duration, any time starting in October 2022. Work schedule, start and end dates to be determined on a case-by-case basis. We anticipate engaging two or three Data Interns through summer of 2023, with the possibility of continuing to offer this opportunity beyond then.
Duties: Each Data Jam Data Intern will develop an Individual Development Plan at the beginning of their internship, specifying their learning and other goals, and mapping out the activities, products and supports that will help them achieve these goals. Potential products include:
- Bringing a new dataset into the Hudson Data Jam collection, including student-friendly worksheets with metadata, background sheets, sample graphs and analyses for teachers/advisors, and instructional support materials for use in various classroom settings.
- Updating one more or more dataset with more recent data and/or additional variables, sample graphs and analyses, background sheets and/or instructional support materials.
- Pilot testing the use of Data Classroom, CODAP or other currently available platforms for selected Data Jam datasets, and then developing the requisite support materials for student and teacher use.
- Exploring the creation of a version of Data Jam datasets and resources that supports motivated high school students in using R, Python or other advanced platforms for their data exploration, analysis and visualization work.
- Creating a Data Nugget (see: https://datanuggets.org/) from a Hudson Data Jam dataset.
Required Qualifications:
- College coursework and experience working with scientific data
- Excellent data management, analysis and visualization skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Interest in ecology, environmental science or related fields
Preferred Qualifications:
- College coursework in Ecology, Environmental Science, or related field, and in education.
- Background and interest in Hudson Valley ecosystems
- Teaching experience in formal and/or informal settings
- Ecological/environmental field or lab research experience from college, internships, or jobs
- Advanced skills in working with data (data management, R programming, etc.)
Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for employment.
Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience. These are temporary, hourly, non-exempt, non-benefited positions.
Closing Date: This is an open internship announcement. We will accept applications at any time and consider them on a rolling basis.
Position Reports To: The Data Jam Data Intern will report to Dr. Alan R. Berkowitz, Head of Education, with additional mentorship from Ashley Alred, Ecology Education Program Leader and, if appropriate, the scientist(s) providing the data being showcased.
Contact Information: For additional information about the Data Jam Data Intern openings, please contact Alan Berkowitz at berkowitza@caryinstitute.org
Apply: To apply, complete our online job application. Please attach one document which includes a cover letter, resume and the names and full contact information (including e-mail address) for three professional references.
The Cary Institute is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action (AA) employer. It is the policy of the Institute to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.
White-tailed Deer Ecology and Management
Note: we are suspending this internship for Spring 2021
Availability: Ongoing, spring and fall semesters
Compensation: Unpaid position with the expectation the intern will receive credits through his/her school
Browsing by overabundant deer can degrade plant communities and cause declines in animal populations that use those habitats. Protection of our forested ecosystems from excessive browsing by deer is one of the priority management goals for the Cary Institute property.
The White-tailed Deer Ecology and Management Intern will assist the Manager of Field Research and Outdoor Programs with aspects of the Institute's deer management program. The intern will gain field experience monitoring deer and other wildlife using trail cameras. Data collection and management experience will be gained by downloading and organizing photos/videos, recording animal incidence and behavior data from photos/videos, and related tasks.
Depending on the time of year, the student may also be involved in other aspects of deer management such as field surveys quantifying deer browsing of trees or oversight of our annual controlled deer hunt.
This internship is most suitable for a student in biology, wildlife biology, conservation/environmental sciences, or a related field who is interested in gaining real-world experience with wildlife ecology and management.
The student must be able to hike to remote parts of the property and work outdoors under adverse conditions such as in inclement weather and around insects and poison ivy. The student should be willing to learn to use a GPS, trail cameras, and computer programs including spreadsheets. The student must have a valid driver's license.
We will work with academic institutions to provide credit for this unpaid internship. The scope of the internship can vary depending on college requirements and the number of credits the intern would like to earn.
Contact: Mike Fargione | fargionem@caryinstitute.org