Volunteer Opportunities

Sea Turtle Research Program (St. Petersburg and Melbourne)

The FWRI Sea Turtle Research Program occasionally brings on volunteers to assist with multiple lab and field-based projects. Depending on the project, tasks may include:

• Organization and preparation of biological samples for stable isotope analysis
• Data entry, processing, QA/QC, and analysis
• Field work on nesting beaches (nighttime and daytime)
• Basic GIS tasks and spatial analysis

Marine Mammal Research Program (St. Petersburg, Melbourne, and Tequesta)

The FWRI Marine Mammal Research Program accepts volunteers to assist with multiple lab and field-based projects. Depending on the project, volunteers may assist staff with any combination of the below activities:

• Assist staff with marine mammal carcass salvage and necropsy, including, but not limited to recording data, photography, dissection, and cleaning
• Assist staff with marine mammal rescue and transport of injured animals
• Photograph manatees and collect behavioral and environmental data; match photographed manatees to known animals
• Download images and enter field data into appropriate databases
• Scan and edit datasheets
• Assist staff with assigned GIS and database tasks, including, but not limited to reviewing and archiving maps, data, and datasheets, and completing independent GIS mini-projects
• Assist researchers with data collection involving various manatee studies, including, but not limited to recording behavioral observations of individually tagged manatees, recording environmental data, and equipment building/maintenance
• Vehicle/vessel maintenance
• Drive FWC vehicles
• Assist with data entry/organization projects
• Assist with other marine mammal research projects as deemed appropriate
• Assist with education and outreach activities related to marine mammals

For information on additional volunteer opportunities within FWC, visit the FWC Volunteer page.