NCMNS Public Science Events Intern
Program Description:
The NCMNS Public Science Events Intern will participate in the planning of the Museum’s large-scale public science events alongside the permanent Public Science Events Team. Our museum, the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, is located in the heart of downtown Raleigh and has been a hub of science learning and public engagement since 1879. Our public events are special chances for the Museum to draw in large audiences from North Carolina and beyond to illuminate the natural world and inspire its conservation.
BugFest is our biggest and buggiest event and the Public Science Events Intern’s main project during their internship will be to develop a table activity for BugFest 2025 which will be themed around krill to complement the event’s overarching theme of sea arthropods. Their project will be exhibited at BugFest 2025 on September 20th and will be enjoyed by the over 28,000 visitors this event draws in.
Supplemental Museum Experiences:
Alongside this main project, the NCMNS Public Science Events Intern will have opportunities to manage other projects as their interests and skills allow.
Side projects that our interns have completed in the past include developing micro-events around themed science days such as International Catfish Day and World Lynx Day, collaborating with the Public Science Team on their Museum Movie Night events, and implementing sustainable initiatives around the Museum through participation in our Green Team.
The Public Science Events Intern will be encouraged to pick these extra projects based on what they find interesting, accomplishable, and pertinent to their professional development.
NOAA Sea Grant Experiences:
This internship is made possible by the Sea Grant and their Community Engaged Internship (CEI) Program. The Sea Grant will be providing additional experiences to the NCMNS Public Science Events Intern which include:
· Mentoring by Sea Grant professionals, Sea Grant-funded researchers and Knauss Fellows
· Virtual professional development sessions
· Peer discussions with other interns in the cohort through virtual platforms
· A REQUIRED trip to attend the in-person field experience fromJuly 20th-24th in North Carolina. This is a mandatory, all expenses paid field experience.
Internship Schedule: (location is 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh NC 27601)
· Virtual work Mondays and Fridays 9am – 5pm
· In-person work Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 9am – 5pm
· Or equivalent 40 hours per week with at least 30 hours overlapping with this schedule
· There will be occasional night and weekend work
Timeline:
· 10 weeks
· Suggestion of June 2nd through August 8th (flexible)
Compensation:
· $15 an hour
· Compensation will be received in 2 payments of $3,000 each. One in June and one in July.
Eligibility Requirements:
· Applicants must be a North Carolina resident attending a college, university, law school, community college or technical institute in North Carolina or a North Carolina resident attending an equivalent institution out of state.
· Applicant must be at least 18 years old by Jan. 1, 2025.
· Applicants must be willing and able to work full-time for the entire 10-week internship. Applicants must be able to provide legal proof of identity and work authorization within three working days of employment.
· Basic knowledge of science and nature principles.
· Availability July 20th – 24th for the required field trip.
Eligibility Preferences (Preferred but not Required):
· Interest in science communication
· Experience working collaboratively on projects with a team
· Passionate about one or more advanced science or nature topics
no later than April 7th:
· Resume
· Cover Letter
