*The Shannon Dolphin Project (SDP) is accepting applications for its 2026 spring and summer internship program*
*Background* The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) is a registered charity and NGO in the West of Ireland. The group has been running the SDP photo ID catalogue since 1993, focused on monitoring Ireland’s only resident population of bottlenose dolphins. This volunteer internship is based in Kilrush, Co. Clare, Ireland. *To apply, email your CV (resume) and your letter of interest by Sunday, 30th November 2025 to **[email protected] * <[email protected]> The SDP internship programme in 2026 will run from mid-January to October, and interns are requested to stay for a minimum of 10 weeks to gain enough experience. Please include your preferred start and end dates when submitting your application *Intern Duties* *Shannon Dolphins Surveys* Join surveys on board the IWDG’s RIB, Muc Mhara, to record sightings, capture photo data, record behaviour, group size, and environmental conditions. Assist with coming in and out of port. Download and sort the data captured during the survey. Interns will also join a week-long survey on board the IWDG’s research vessel, Celtic Mist, where the whole Shannon Dolphin range will be surveyed, involving similar duties as RIB surveys, with the addition of assisting with running the boat with other crew members. Interns will also join local tour boat operators to collect data. Data will also be captured from land during monthly watches from several headlands. Two interns will conduct 6-hour surveys, on a 30-minute watch rotation. *Photo ID & Data Handling* Interns will process the photo id data they collect in the field, including matching photographed animals to the known catalogue of animals in the population. Other duties include double-checking processed trips for quality control, collating images into catalogues and adding data collected to databases. *Education & Outreach* The Shannon Dolphin Centre offers free tours to the public. Interns will be trained on the collection of artefacts in the centre and how to give a tour to the public. Other E&O duties include writing social media posts and a blog about a specific survey or task during the season. *Miscellaneous* Ad hoc tasks may come up during an intern’s time with the project. These may include assisting the SDP Officer with occasional post mortems, sampling of stranded cetaceans, responding to local strandings, deploying or recovering acoustic devices and bird surveys. *Requirements* *Applicants should be enrolled or have completed a BSc. / MSc. in STEM, particularly biology, ecology, or marine science program.* Applicants should also possess a strong work ethic and the ability to work effectively with others; this is especially important, as interns will be working in close quarters at sea. *Advantageous Experience or Skills* - Previous data collection or handling experience in any research setting - Experience at sea - Education and outreach experience - Knowledge of marine mammals - Small power boat handling - Photography - Driver’s License: Several of the headlands for watches are not within walking distance of the office; therefore, some intern positions require a full, clean driver’s license, valid in the Republic of Ireland, and applicants who are over 25 years of age, to be covered under our motor insurance policy *Expenses and housing* This is an unpaid internship. Successful applicants are responsible for their living expenses. However, the IWDG will help organise accommodation. There will be no fee for Celtic Mist surveys; your food onboard will be covered. Any food purchased while on land will be at the intern’s own expense. Mags Daly Shannon Dolphin Project Officer Irish Whale & Dolphin Group Merchants Quay, Kilrush, Co. Clare Tel: +353 (0) 838401102 Email: [email protected] Website:www.iwdg.ie
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