Internship OPPORTUNITIES
Internships that will advance your career beyond the coast!
Whether you are a current undergraduate or graduate student looking for research support, or a soon to be graduate looking for exciting opportunities that will set the course for your career; Virginia Sea Grant offers a range of internships aimed at helping you achieve your goals while giving you the professional skills to be a leader in your field.
Resilience Adaptation Feasability Tool Internships
Virginia Coastal Policy Center (VCPC) - William & Mary Law School
Three (3) positions will be filled for this opportunity (see eligibility requirements for more information)
This is a paid internship - each intern will receive a $6,000 stipend for participating in the program
Start Date: June 1, 2022 End Date: August 31, 2022
The start and end dates of the internship and the 10-12 weeks duration will be negotiable between VASG and the selected CEI student.
SEA GRANT COMMUNITY ENGAGED INTERNSHIPS FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
The Community Engaged Internship is designed for undergraduate students from underrepresented and indigenous communities. The overarching goal of this internship program is to broaden participation in marine and coastal professions by providing training and mentorship to the next generation of scientists, decision makers and citizens. The program will do so by recruiting, retaining and engaging diverse students in place-based research, extension, education and/or communication that respects and integrates local cultures and traditions. LEARN MORE>>
ELIGIBILITY
Two (2) of the positions are limited to applicants from Virginia tribal/indigenous communities, and one (1) will be limited to a student candidate from Virginia’s underrepresented communities and/or historically underrepresented universities, colleges, or community colleges:
- A community college, undergraduate or graduate student affiliated with a Virginia Tribe, enrolled in an academic institution anywhere in the United States.
- A community college, undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in a Virginia academic institution from one or more of the following groups whose underrepresentation in American professional practice has been severe and longstanding: Alaska Natives (Aleut, Eskimo, or other Indigenous People of Alaska), Black/African Americans, Latinx/Latin American, Native American Indians, Native Pacific Islanders (Hawaiian/Polynesian/Micronesian), LGBTQIA+. Students who are first-generation, nontraditional, economically disadvantaged, veterans, or students with disabilities are also encouraged to apply.
INTERN RESPONSIBILITIES
The selected CEI students will work full-time for 10-12 weeks with a Sea Grant mentor(s) as part of the Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool (RAFT) team, in collaboration with Virginia Sea Grant (VASG) extension program staff at William & Mary Law School’s Virginia Coastal Policy Center (VCPC). As part of the internship, the students will engage tribes and socially-vulnerable urban communities to gather input for tailoring the RAFT process, integrating the impacts of heat on communities, as well as traditional knowledge and culturally appropriate methodologies.
RAFT is a collaborative, community-driven process to help localities improve resilience to flooding and other coastal hazards while remaining economically and socially viable. The RAFT has been used with coastal municipalities, although not yet on tribal reservations or historically marginalized urban communities. Modifying the RAFT requires integration of traditional and local knowledge and the involvement of the CEI interns from tribes and under-represented urban communities will support this effort.
During the project period, the interns will work with content experts from VCPC, other RAFT team members, Science Museum of Virginia, and tribal and community partners. The CEI internship learning outcomes will include greater understanding of assessment methods for resilience, particularly regarding:
- Policy, leadership, and collaboration
- Risk assessment and emergency management
- Infrastructure resilience, including roads, wells, and septic systems
- Planning for resilience
- Community engagement, health, and well-being (including impacts of heat)
- Methods and tactics of knowledge integration across diverse perspectives, including:
- Traditional knowledge in resilience
- Visualization strategies
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORING
The selected CEI interns will receive professional development and mentoring from the National Sea Grant CEI program, as well as professional development support through Individual Development Plans and interactions with VCPC (on resilience, law, and planning) and Tribal members. While the intention is an in-person internship experience, the CEI program and participating state Sea Grant programs, including the VCPC extension partners who will serve as mentors, have experience with remote operations as a back-up plan.
FOSTERING A SAFE AND WELCOME COMMUNITY
VASG is committed to building inclusive research, extension, communication, and education programs that serve people from diverse backgrounds, circumstances, needs, perspectives, and ways of thinking. Diversity includes, but is not limited to, age, disability and/or health status, ethnicity, gender identity, geographic origin, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and/or veteran status.
VASG does not tolerate any form of misconduct, discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment, or sexual misconduct (e.g. sexual assault within its organization, at awardee organizations, field sites, meetings, or anywhere VASG-funded research, outreach and education are conducted).
APPLICATIONS MAY BE SUBMITTED BY MAIL, EMAIL, OR THROUGH eSEAGRANT
A printable application PDF is available for download. Submit your application to:
Scott Sandridge, Virginia Sea Grant (sasandridge@vaseagrant.org)
Virginia Institute of Marine Science, P.O. Box 1346, Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062-1346
The Application Process
If you plan to apply, Virginia Sea Grant (VASG) strongly recommends registering for eSeaGrant at least two weeks in advance of the application deadline. Please review the 2022 Community Engaged Intern from a Virginia Tribe or Underrepresented Community announcement and refer to these instructions as a guide to submit your applications using eSeaGrant. VASG requires that applications be submitted by mail or through eSeaGrant by May 31, 2022 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time.
Your application package should include:
Full Name
Major/Degree program
College or university
Anticipated year of graduation
Tribal or under-represented community affiliation
Resume (1 page max.)
A one-page resume or list of past work, volunteer and community experience (position title, organization, employment start and end date, short description of responsibilities and accomplishments).
Personal Statement (limit of 1,000 words)
Virginia Sea Grant is a multidisciplinary organization and values individuals from a wide range of academic disciplines and career paths. Please describe:
- How this internship contributes to your broader career ambitions;
- Your motivations for participating; and
- Two professional skills you want to gain or refine as part of this program.
Engagement and Experience Statement (limit of 1,000 words)
Based on your experience or knowledge of past projects/partnerships you have seen, learned about, or contributed to directly:
- What opportunities do you see for gathering input from historically marginalized communities concerning natural and cultural resource challenges or climate change impacts to inform community leadership and their local, state or federal partners?
Other Experience
Please include a list of up to four college or university courses, professional development trainings, and/or volunteer or professional experiences that you feel align with this opportunity.
