Several Undergraduate Paid Internships are available (links below) through an ongoing collaboration between UMaine’s Sea Grant Program and NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center. These competitive positions will be 40 hours per week, based at one of several mentor locations in Maine including UMaine Orono and Maine Department of Marine Resources offices in Augusta and Jonesboro. Anticipated start date is May 12, 2025 with the positions running 12 weeks. Projects Include:
- Diadromous Program at Maine Sea Grant (2 positions)
- Maine Sea Grant is working on several collaborative projects involved with Atlantic Salmon research priorities.
- The first position will help to develop models of juvenile Atlantic Salmon productivity that incorporate existing population datasets (juvenile density, stocking, redds) with physical, chemical, and thermal habitat features to: 1) describe the modern variability of juvenile Atlantic Salmon production within Maine, 2) evaluate parameters that correlate to the observed variation, and 3) develop a predictive model to estimate and summarize potential juvenile production throughout the Maine.
- The second project involves multispecies approach to Atlantic Salmon recovery and involves fieldwork supporting hydroacoustic surveys in the Penobscot Estuary including data collection and processing.
- Atlantic Salmon Freshwater Assessments and Research of Mutual Interest to Maine DSRFH and NOAA (Jonesboro)
- The Maine Department of Marine Resources Bureau of Sea-run Fisheries and Habitats have been in a cooperative agreement with NOAA-Fisheries for several years with the purpose of preserving Atlantic salmon within the Gulf of Maine. Under this agreement, ME-DMR staff conduct smolt trapping operations and operate adult salmon traps. MDMR also works with other partners on habitat connectivity and restoration projects. This intern would be exposed to a variety of fisheries techniques and management over the course of their term.
- The intern will be involved in conducting habitat assessment surveys in the Narraguagus River, Maine. This work will involve conducting stream substrate sampling, water temperature monitoring, recording stream velocities, and other work focused on identifying key habitat variables that will be associated with ongoing habitat modeling efforts. Data entry and analysis will be part of this work as well as working with the site mentor to establish a survey plan.
- Atlantic Salmon Freshwater Assessments and Research (Bangor)
- The Maine Department of Marine Resources Bureau of Sea-run Fisheries and Habitats have been in a cooperative agreement with NOAA-Fisheries for several years with the purpose of preserving Atlantic salmon within the Gulf of Maine. Under this agreement ME-DMR staff conduct a variety of activities associated with Atlantic salmon management and recovery.
- The majority of this project is field work based out of the Milford Dam, in Milford Maine. The intern will assist MDMR Scientist with tasks associated with the daily operation of the Milford Dam fishway trap and sort facility, including enumeration of diadromous and resident fish species passing through the facility, collection of adult Atlantic salmon broodstock, and collection and stocking of adult river herring in high priority restoration lakes and ponds. The intern will learn fish species identification and proper fish handling techniques, be responsible for accurately recording data, and be expected to operate electronic fish counters and video equipment. The intern will also be responsible for preparing scale samples collected from Atlantic salmon and river herring for age analysis. A clean driving record is a requirement as there may be a need to use a State of Maine vehicle for project needs.
- Atlantic Salmon Freshwater Assessments and Research (Augusta)
- ME-DMR Bureau of Sea-run Fisheries and Habitat (BSRFH) has been in a cooperative agreement with NOAA-Fisheries for several years with the purpose of preserving Atlantic salmon within the Gulf of Maine. Under this agreement, ME-DMR staff conducts a variety of activities associated with Atlantic salmon management and recovery. These activities include: adult salmon trap operations, juvenile assessments using electrofishing, spawner surveys and stream surveys for salmon habitat, stream restoration projects such as adding large wood to streams, and documenting temperature regimes of streams. ME-DMR staff also works with other diadromous species such as river herring, striped bass, American shad and rainbow smelt, collecting data and counts. This intern would be exposed to a variety of fisheries techniques and management over the course of their term. A clean driving record is a requirement as there may be a need to use a State of Maine vehicle for project needs.
To be eligible for this program you MUST be enrolled or accepted in a degree-granting or certificate program from an accredited institution in Maine AND enrolled at least half time (6 credits or more) in the Fall 2025 semester.
The deadline for applications is noon (Eastern) Wednesday February 28, 2025.
