Norwalk Public Schools is proud to bring their students and their families internship opportunities through the NPS Workforce Development Internship Series. This is a time for your NPS scholar and/or family members to explore all of their interests through internship opportunities. For more information on each opportunity, please click on the links below for all the details you need to get started. Be sure to check back often for new and exciting opportunities!

NPS Workforce Development Internship Opportunities

• Animal Husbandry Internship at the Maritime Aquarium for Ages 18+
• Early Elementary Internship at the Maritime Aquarium for Ages 18+
• Education Internship at the Maritime Aquarium for Ages 18+
• Interdisciplinary Research Internship at the Maritime Aquarium for Ages 18+
• Mammal Internship at the Maritime Aquarium for Ages 18+

Animal Husbandry Internship at the Maritime Aquarium for Ages 18+

The Maritime Aquarium houses many species of fishes, invertebrates, frogs, and reptiles, from the Long Island Sound and beyond. Our aquarists work daily to provide the best husbandry for the animals in their care. From routine exhibit cleaning and feeding, to water quality testing and health examinations, our staff completes a wide variety of tasks as a part of their jobs every day. An aquarist internship at the Maritime Aquarium is designed to be a learning experience for any college student, or recent graduate who is interested in exploring a career in aquatic animal husbandry. During the internship, individuals will learn how to maintain aquarium exhibits, prepare diets, complete water quality tests, and keep records, as well as be introduced to aquatic animal health assessments, quarantine procedures, and aquarium system design. Those who have completed an internship with the Maritime Aquarium have gone on to careers here as well as other AZA-affiliated zoos and aquariums. For more information please visit https://www.maritimeaquarium.org/internships and to apply online visit https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2531/internship_application.pdf. Once you have filled out the application, be sure to send your cover letter, resume, and a list of references to Rachel Stein at rstein@maritimeaquarium.org.

Early Elementary Internship at the Maritime Aquarium for Ages 18+

The Maritime Aquarium education department provides inquiry-based, STEM-focused enrichment for learners of all ages and backgrounds. This is accomplished through a variety of programs with school groups, interactions with guests at the aquarium exhibits, the STEM based summer camps at the aquarium, and programming aboard the RV Spirit of the Sound. Respondibilities will include engaging in nature play and STEM learning with young children 1-8 years old in a variety of program settings, including preschool and early elementary classes, fishtales story times, and a variety of free-play and public programs in the Aquarium’s new Sea & Discover Zone. Assist education staff with early childhood programs, including set-up and take down. Research and develop a project focused within the early childhood range (infant to second grade) to present to children as well as Aquarium staff. Serve as a role model for young children and establish relationships that will encourage children and families to continue to participate in programs furthering The Maritime Aquarium’s mission. For more information, please visit https://www.maritimeaquarium.org/internships and to apply online visit https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2531/internship_application.pdf. 

Education Internship at the Maritime Aquarium for Ages 18+

The goal for this program is to help interns gain experience with all aspects of the education department. By the end of the internship, we hope that each individual has an understanding of how programs are taught at the aquarium, what thought goes into creating programs, and how activities are modified depending on the level of the students or setting of the program. Responsibilities will include shadow educators on programs to learn classroom management skills, assist aquarium educators as they teach programs on and off site and in the field. This may include gathering and setting up equipment, assisting with group work, and cleaning materials and supplies, assist aquarium educators as they lead camp programs for children ages 6-8, 9-12, and 13-15, help facilitate interpretative conversations with guests at various exhibits, touch tanks, and floor tables, assist aquarium educators and staff during special events, attend weekly mentoring meetings to discuss the experience and leave valuable skills for informal education, complete an end of internship project. Ideas include: Designing curriculum, designing exhibit interpretation, or creating other education-related activities. For more information, please visit https://www.maritimeaquarium.org/internships and to apply online visit https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2531/internship_application.pdf. 

Interdisciplinary Research Internship at the Maritime Aquarium for Ages 18+

The mission of the Aquarium is to inspire people of all ages to appreciate Long Island Sound, its ecosystem and the global environment through living exhibits, marine science and environmental education. As the Aquarium emerges from the pandemic of the last two years, it is looking forward to the next 5-10 years, and is beginning to develop a new strategic plan.  This plan will offer a very ambitious vision for the future, which underscores the connection of the Long Island Sound and the ocean to our communities – not just ecologically, but historically, culturally, socially, and economically.  Through this internship, the intern will conduct interdisciplinary research on these connections and prepare a comprehensive report at the end of the internship.  The intern will work closely with the President and CEO of the Aquarium in conducting this internship. The intern will be responsible for designing a research plan and scope, including identification of potential source materials and resources; conducting research using desktop and online resources, as well as conducting interviews with relevant experts identified above; and preparing a final report to present research findings and references. For more information please visit https://www.maritimeaquarium.org/internships and to apply online visit https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2531/internship_application.pdf.

Mammal Internship at the Maritime Aquarium for Ages 18+

The Maritime Aquarium is home to several species of mammals, both marine and terrestrial. We currently house harbor seals, North American river otters, slender-tailed meerkats, Geoffroy’s tamarins, a striped skunk, a prehensile-tailed porcupine, and Sebas fruit bats. In addition to providing excellent husbandry care to these animals, we strive to provide an engaging training program for them as well. Training is an important part of daily animal care, allowing us to mentally and physically stimulate our animals on a daily basis. We train our animals for medical management behaviors such as blood draws, weights, and ultrasounds. We also train behaviors to physically stimulate our animals, such as spins, jumps and waves. Our mammal trainers work daily to provide the best training, enrichment and husbandry for the animals in their care. From routine exhibit cleaning and feeding, to water quality testing and health examinations, our staff completes a wide variety of tasks as a part of their jobs every day. A mammal internship at the Maritime Aquarium is designed to be a learning experience for any college student, or recent graduate who is interested in exploring a career in animal husbandry and training, and is designed to be a career learning experience and is suited for candidates that are new to the field of animal training. Internships are custom designed to each individual's skill level. Those who have completed an internship with the Maritime Aquarium have gone on to careers here as well as other AZA-affiliated zoos and aquariums.  For more information please visit https://www.maritimeaquarium.org/internships and to apply online visit https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2531/internship_application.pdf. Once you have filled out the application, be sure to send your cover letter, resume, and a list of references to Rachel Stein at rstein@maritimeaquarium.org.