Wildlife Conservation and Management Internship
The Wildlife Diversity Conservation Section offers internship opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students interested in species conservation. The Wildlife Conservation and Management Internship is a great opportunity for students to gain valuable experience working as part of a state wildlife conservation agency. Each intern is assigned projects that directly address conservation actions of the Gopher Tortoise Management Plan, Imperiled Species Management Plan or the State Wildlife Action Plan.
Below is a list of previous interns, their corresponding projects, and links to their final projects (if available online). In addition to obtaining professional experience, the internship has also helped many interns graduate with jobs through FWC or other environmental agencies.
Upperclassman, graduate students, and recent graduates in the Tallahassee area are encouraged to apply. The WCM internship program runs fall, spring, and summer semesters and application deadlines occur before the semester begins. Applications require a completed application form, resume and cover letter. Please reach out to Sara Drake for semester-specific application timelines.
Recent Intern(s)
John Bronakoski (Spring 2026)
As a WCM intern during the Spring 2026 semester, John helped support statewide monitoring efforts in several ways. His primary project focused on southeastern pocket gopher imagery surveys. John continued the work of previous interns and the mammal team by helping determine the species’ current range using satellite imagery.
Additionally, John worked to help monitor indigo snakes using Zooniverse, an online platform for community science where volunteers can help analyze data. John provided quality assurance and quality control of the collected data, confirming indigo sightings made by other volunteers. This project helps monitor the population of indigo snakes reintroduced at Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve.
John also had the opportunity to gain experiences out of the office during his semester with the FWC. He assisted with indigo snake surveys, native dune restoration planting, and outreach days. John’s efforts with the agency were wide-reaching and benefited wildlife species across the state.
John will graduate in December 2026 and is looking to pursue a career in conservation biology.
Anna Williams (Spring 2026)
During her time as a WCM Intern, Anna worked hard on several projects impacting wildlife conservation in Florida. Her primary project was to create species profiles for the mimic glass lizard and the round-tailed muskrat. These species profiles will be published on the FWC’s website and help provide education about Florida’s wildlife species.
Anna also monitored the Gopher Tortoise Events inbox, helping to connect volunteers to projects throughout the state. Additionally, Anna helped continue statewide monitoring efforts by reviewing public submissions to the FWC’s Gopher Tortoise Sightings App. During her time as an intern, she reviewed 290 sightings on the application, an essential step in maintaining an interactive map of gopher tortoise sightings in Florida.
In addition to her main projects, Anna got to participate in indigo snake surveys, native dune restoration planting, and outreach days. She was able to make a meaningful impact on wildlife conservation during her semester.
After spending a summer as a naturalist intern, Anna will return to graduate in December 2026.