The Lobster Institute and the Monhegan Museum of Art & History seek an undergraduate student to assist in creating and delivering public exhibits and programs about the coastal and marine life of Monhegan Island. Applicants must demonstrate a strong interest in communicating science, coastal ecology, and marine life to the public.
Description: The Monhegan Museum has recently been working to update its natural history exhibits and to expand its public programs about the environment and ecology of Monhegan Island. The Science Communication Intern will assist Museum staff in this work, conducting research and collecting and creating materials to produce effective and engaging exhibits and public programs, with particular emphasis on the island’s coastal ecosystems. This will include taking and editing photos of intertidal marine life, writing exhibit and field guide text, creating outreach materials, developing and leading tidepooling activities, and offering informal public talks about Monhegan’s coastal organisms and ecology. The intern will also assist in other Museum activities as needed.
Qualifications:
Current enrollment in a relevant undergraduate program (e.g., marine biology, environmental science, biology, science communications, communications).
The ability to work effectively both individually and as part of a team.
Excellent communication skills.
Attention to detail, ability to organize work tasks, creative problem-solving skills, and flexibility.
Cooperative and positive attitude.
Enthusiasm about getting into/on the water to document the life of Monhegan’s rocky shores, and about encouraging and assisting the public to explore the island’s coastal ecosystems.
Additional Information:
Location: Monhegan Island
Application Deadline: March 1, 2026
Position: Full-time internship
Duration: 10 weeks, 35 hours/week, possible start and end dates June 8-August 14, 2026 (with flexibility depending on schedules).
Stipend: $525/week
Housing: Fully covered at the Trailing Yew dormitory.
Meals: Intern will eat morning and evening meals with the staff of the Trailing Yew, and will prepare their own lunch.
Description: Since 1987, the Lobster Institute has been a center of discovery, innovation, and outreach at the University of Maine. Its mission is to promote, conduct, and communicate research focused on the sustainability of the American lobster fishery in the US and Canada.
The Institute also provides technical and educational outreach, disseminates research findings in understandable and accessible ways, and convenes conferences and workshops to engage stakeholders in solving challenges faced by this iconic fishery.
Responsibilities: The intern will help Monhegan Museum staff to produce engaging exhibits and public programs about the coastal ecosystems of Monhegan Island. To support this goal, the intern will conduct research, collect and create exhibit materials, take and edit photos of intertidal marine life, write exhibit and field guide text, create outreach materials, develop and lead tidepooling activities, and give informal public talks about Monhegan’s coastal organisms and ecology. The intern will also assist in other Museum activities as needed.
Qualifications: We seek an intern with excellent attention to detail, a strong work ethic, problem-solving skills, organizational skills, and an interest in outreach and communications.
Other: Interns are expected to participate in the Darling Marine Center (DMC) Student Research Symposium. For this, interns, with their supervisors’ support, will present their experience at a poster session during the Symposium held in the first week of August 2026.
Darling Marine Center