Careers

Position Title: Georgia Coastal Bird Ambassador Program Coordinator (Internship)
Department: Resilient Habitats (Georgia Bight Shorebird Conservation Initiative)
Reports To:   Shorebird Biologist
HR Job Category:  Internship

POSITION SUMMARY

The intern will act as the coordinator and lead for the Georgia Coastal Bird Ambassadors volunteer program, taking on a visible leadership role in the community. They will recruit, train, and support volunteers, engage with the public, and conduct shorebird disturbance monitoring surveys to collect data that can support future management decisions. The intern will provide wildlife viewing opportunities for visitors and community members on Tybee Island’s beaches, helping increase awareness of shorebird and seabird conservation issues.

They will also assist Allie Hayser, Shorebird Biologist, with tabling events, school programs, and opportunities for collaboration with partners across the Georgia coast. Training in shorebird identification, communication, and volunteer coordination will be provided during onboarding.

This is an excellent opportunity for a local, early-career conservationist or birder who wants to build leadership skills, gain field experience, and grow as a community conservation leader.

INTERNSHIP LOCATION: 

• Tybee Island, Georgia.
• Some travel along the Georgia coast for any outreach events throughout the internship between St. Simons, Savannah, and Brunswick, GA

ABOUT MANOMET

Manomet is a 501(c)(3) organization that empowers stakeholders through science and works with partners to make a world where ecosystems and human communities thrive. Since Manomet’s beginnings as a bird banding operation in 1969, its science and research have expanded to focus on ecosystem management and resilience, shorebird conservation, and educating tomorrow’s leaders about the importance of the natural world. Workplace diversity, science, and climate change are the fundamental principles driving Manomet’s work today.

In 2018, Manomet launched the Georgia Bight Shorebird Conservation Initiative (GABSCI) to address specific threats to the shorebirds dependent on the southeastern region of the Atlantic Coast. We partner and work closely with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, local Audubon chapters, the City of Tybee, private landowners and foundations to support shorebird conservation in the southeast and more broadly throughout the Western Hemisphere. This initiative is part of our efforts to ensure that shorebird populations in the Atlantic Flyway have healthy habitats where they can feed, rest, and nest. Our goals at the GABSCI include working with partner groups to provide outreach to reduce threats to shorebirds and protect habitat by addressing human disturbance, disturbance from dogs, loss of habitat, and other issues that impact coastal birds.

TRAINING/EDUCATION PLAN:

Our internship opportunity has two main areas of focus:

1. Volunteer Coordination, Outreach & Education: leading the Georgia Coastal Bird Ambassador volunteer program, convening volunteers and partners, conducting outreach and education related to shorebird conservation, and promoting messaging to reduce disturbance at key stopover sites along the Georgia coast.
2. Shorebird Conservation & Fieldwork: immersive training and experience in shorebird conservation and fieldwork, along with associated data entry, management, and community-based social marketing. Projects include long-term disturbance monitoring, shorebird and seabird band resighting, nest monitoring, and environmental data collection.

Projects will include developing social media posts, written pieces for local news, collection of data at beach sites, and collaboration with schools, partners, and state/federal agencies. The intern will also collect and organize data from volunteer shift reports, maintain and grow volunteer involvement, improve nesting success for species that use the beach, and carefully document ongoing problems that cause disturbance to coastal birds.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

• Gain skills in volunteer management, community engagement, conservation planning, and collaboration.
• Act as a leader for the Coastal Bird Ambassador program by managing and engaging the current volunteer group and supporting volunteer recruitment. Encourage volunteers to interact positively with the public and relay any concerns to Manomet.
• Prioritize and schedule steward shifts to coincide with the heaviest beach use, with emphasis on weekends and holidays.
• Participate in tabling events and provide outreach programs virtually and in person for volunteers, community groups, and the public. Design materials to contribute to steward resources, including field guides, pamphlets, polls, articles, blogs, and posts on media platforms.
• Monitor seabird and shorebird roosting and nesting sites on Tybee Island while minimizing human disturbance to nesting birds. Note that nest establishment can begin in late March for Black Skimmers.
• Promote the “Wildlife Beach Area” concept, highlighting important parts of the beach for birds and asking beachgoers to give birds space.
• Engage with the public by leading bird walks and educating them about shorebirds using optic gear and other outreach tools.
• Work with Manomet and partners to keep managers apprised of blatant violations of existing ordinances. Beach stewards have no enforcement authority; all interactions should be positive.
• Maintain volunteer equipment (cart, chairs, signage, vests) and coordinate with Manomet staff as necessary. Coordinate maintenance of ropes and signs at exclosures to protect nesting or roosting birds in collaboration with Manomet, GA DNR, and the City of Tybee.
• Complete shift reports and encourage all volunteers to complete shift reports throughout the season. Reports will include estimates of nesting birds by species, estimates of nesting success, and documentation of interactions with the public. Submit shift reports through the Google Form platform.
• Conduct surveys using established protocols and ensure that data collected by volunteers is accurate and reliable.
• Document disturbance issues (human, canine, tidal flooding, and other factors) at priority sites and report findings to Manomet staff.

SCHEDULE:

• Posting Closes: October 31, 2025
• Application Review & Interviews: November- December 2025
• Internship Start Date: February 2, 2026
• End of the Internship Date: June 26, 2026
• Schedule: 15-25 hours a week in the field and working remotely on projects.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Valid driver’s license and personal transportation are needed to travel to events and beach sites.
• Must have local housing; housing is not provided for this internship.
• High School Diploma
• Preferred- Bachelors, or in-progress of Bachelor’s with emphasis in environmental education, conservation, avian ecology, or wildlife management.

PREPARATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Familiar with conservation projects, community engagement events, and can communicate positively with beachgoers
• Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, enthusiasm, and demonstrated ability to work independently.
• Interest in shorebird conservation and birding; bird identification experience or interest in improving skills preferred.
• Familiar with writing posts on social platforms, sharing media with the public, and using cameras, phones, and optics to create media for our steward group.
• Familiar with scheduling, data management, and report writing.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Ability and willingness to travel to various locations on the Georgia Coast as necessary to complete job duties.
• Hybrid remote work when not in the field.
• Applicants should be comfortable working independently in the field and recording data. This position requires walking long distances over sandy beach, sitting for several hours, and tolerating exposure to variable and sometimes harsh weather and environmental conditions (wind, heat, sun, biting insects)

BENEFITS

• Paid internship, $16 per hour.
• Hours will be flexible: 15-25 hours/wk., but will not exceed 25 hours/wk.
• Will provide documentation for college credit opportunities if desired.

HOW TO APPLY:

Send cover letter, resume and contact info for 2 or 3 references via email to Allie Hayser (ahayser@manomet.org) and CC to Abby Sterling (asterling@manomet.org).

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the internship opportunity performed by people assigned to this internship.  The above is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required.

External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act must be able to perform the essential job functions (as listed) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by management on a case-by-case basis. 

Manomet provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Position Title: Research Associate in Data Science and Acoustic Ecology
Department: Science
Reports To:   Vice President of Science
FLSA Classification: Full-Time/Exempt
HR Job Category:   Project Manager

POSITION SUMMARY

The Research Associate in Data Science and Acoustic Ecology will lead the design and analysis of studies related to monitoring of shorebirds in the Arctic. The position supports an active partnership between Manomet Conservation Sciences, the University of Moncton, the US. Fish and ‘Wildlife Service, and Environment and Climate Change Canada. We are exploring whether Autonomous Recording Units (ARUs) can assist in determining the presence, absence, and abundance of shorebirds breeding across the North American Arctic, as part of the Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (PRISM). The position requires cutting edge skills in the collection, management, and analysis of acoustic data using machine learning.

ABOUT MANOMET

Manomet is a 501(c)(3) organization that empowers stakeholders through science and works with partners to make a world where ecosystems and human communities thrive. Since Manomet’s beginnings as a bird banding operation in 1969, its science and research have expanded to focus on ecosystem management and resilience, shorebird conservation, and educating tomorrow’s leaders about the importance of the natural world. Workplace diversity, science, and climate change are the fundamental principles driving Manomet’s work today.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Project Planning and Management:
  • Assist with coordination and planning for the annual spring field season in the arctic, with activities such as the timetable of the fieldwork, updates of the inventory of acoustic recorders, and preparation of field equipment.
    Help with the permitting process and logistical steps toward the onset of the field season.
  • Present overviews, summaries, and analyses from the project in a variety of scientific meetings and to partner organizations.
  • Build the acoustic database linked to PRISM and other nest data and manage the online repository of acoustic files
  • Implement analyses of acoustic data and prepare scientific papers describing the results.
• Analysis:
  • Conduct cutting edge analyses of acoustic data from the PRISM program.
  • Lead the development along with partners of statistical approaches to measuring shorebird density through detection of song in the field.
  • Determine patterns of presence and abundance from multiple field sites and projects across the PRISM program.
• Publication:
  • Serve as the lead author for scientific publications related to design of acoustic surveys, specialized tools for detecting shorebirds through sound, and measurement of shorebird presence and abundance.
  • Share detailed knowledge of the literature related to acoustic monitoring of wildlife.

PREPARATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• PhD. in a related field such as acoustic analysis or wildlife applications of acoustic data.
• Publication record in scientific journals in related fields.
• At least two years of field work and manuscript writing on acoustic analyses.
• Strong written and oral communicator.
• Able to effectively partner with others to ensure the science team is meeting the needs of the organization, and provide leadership on applied acoustic sciences to our partner organizations.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States and maintain a valid passport.
• Must successfully pass a background check.
• Must have access to reliable transportation.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

• Ability and willingness to travel to various locations in the US as necessary to complete job duties. Travel may also be international. Travel is reimbursed. (If applicable)
• Field work in remote arctic locations with long distance travel over rough terrain.
• Close work (paperwork, visual examination).
• Occasional walking up and down stairs, standing, and bending.
• Ability to work at a computer for long periods of time.
• Fully remote/Hybrid remote work possible.

SALARY RANGE: $62,000 – $72,000, plus benefits.

Compensation commensurate with experience. Manomet offers excellent benefits including health insurance, dental, 403b match, life insurance, and several other benefits.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please email a resume and cover letter, to jobs@manomet.org by October 24^th, 2025. Please reference the job title in the subject line.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to do this job. The above is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required.

External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act must be able to perform the essential job functions (as listed) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by management on a case-by-case basis.

Manomet provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.