St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Winter-Spring 2025/2026 Biological Internship

• Several positions available (4)
• Stipend $200/week paid by check weekly from Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge
• Approximate Work Dates: January 12 – May 1, 2026 (16 weeks)

Site Description:

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

St. Marks is one Refuge that is part of a Complex of 4 Refuges, also including St. Vincent, Cedar Keys, and Lower Suwannee. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it is the crown jewel of a vast network of state, federal, and local conservation lands covering over 1.3 million acres in northern Florida’s Big Bend Region.  This 85,000-acre wildlife refuge supports a complex array of habitats, ranging from coastal saltwater marshes to xeric upland pine forests.  Stretching over 40 miles along Apalachee Bay on the Gulf of Mexico, the refuge lies in the eastern portion of the sparsely populated Florida panhandle but is within a short drive of full amenities approximately 25 miles north in Florida’s capital city, Tallahassee. It is likely you may get some experience also working on the other refuges as well.

Examples of projects you might work on:

• Recovery efforts for the federally Threatened frosted flatwoods salamanders, including: monitoring via occupancy trapping, habitat assessments, habitat management, and potentially pit-tagging adults & genetic collection.
• Monitoring of federally Threatened red-cockaded woodpeckers, habitat assessments, and potentially habitat management.
• Vincent island NWR hunt check station: data collection and public interaction/support
• Assistance with partner agency (USDA) for feral hog control
• Water control structure management: Data collection, hydrology manipulation, bird surveys
• Native ecosystem restoration, including herbicide application and/or planting
• Shorebird surveys with our state partner agency (FWC)
• Intern swap experience with Conservation Pathways (This gives opportunity to make connections, meet other conservationists, and gain more experience on other lands)
• Experience in data entry, quality assurance & control, analysis, & drafting reports
• Data archival using a national system
• Refuge Festival support, helping with activities and public interactions and support
• Habitat monitoring plot establishment and sampling
• Exotic/invasive plant surveys and control activities including application of herbicides with backpack sprayers and/or manual removal
• Potentially Bachman’s sparrow or black rail surveys with partner agency (Tall Timbers)
• Potential assistance with wading bird flight line boat survey for Cedar Keys NWR
• Posting signs for bald eagle nest protection areas, or other wildlife closure areas
• Collecting native seed for groundcover restoration
• Wading bird roost survey
• Gopher tortoise surveys

Work hours will normally be 80 hours over 2-week intervals, although additional work hours may be required during especially busy times. Early morning, nighttime, and weekend hours are all possible.  The position will require extensive walking through difficult terrain in extreme temperatures and buggy conditions.  Inclement weather, poisonous plants, stinging insects, ticks, alligators, and venomous snakes are inherent dangers in this work environment. UTV training will be provided.

Required Skills:

US citizenship; valid driver`s license; wildlife, biology, or environmental science degree or major in a college/university; attention to detail and accuracy; self-motivated; ability to drive 4WD vehicles safely on refuge interior roads; and willingness to perform physical work independently under varying outdoor conditions. 

Housing Provided:

Housing is currently a 2-bedroom (each containing 2 bunk beds) refuge-maintained house located at 6295 Coastal Highway, Crawfordville FL 32327 - on US 98 about 3 miles west of the intersection with County Road 363.  You will likely share the house with up to 5 other seasonals.  The trailer has WiFi and a smart TV with a DVD player.  House includes: laundry room, fully stocked kitchen with several refrigerators, 2 bathrooms with 2 sinks each, and additional external showers.  It is ten miles to Crawfordville, which has limited services but has grocery stores (e.g., Walmart, Publix, Aldi), walk in clinic, restaurants, etc.  More facilities are available in Tallahassee, within 20-25 miles.

Transportation:

Personal vehicle required for off-duty travel.

Refuge vehicle provided for daily work activities only (no personal use).