INTERNS AT I.CARE
Current Openings:
We are not accepting new interns at this time. See our application schedule below, and monitor this page for openings!
While Dr. Kylie Smith and Michael Goldberg are the brainpower behind I.CARE, the interns are the heart. Interns participate in guiding recreational divers on trips, monitoring 100% of our corals and sponges, onshore coral husbandry, education and outreach, as well as data analysis and collection. Our interns do it all!
Interested in our year-long, paid internship? Our timeline for our application periods can be seen in the table.
View our position description and download a copy of the application here.
To apply, fill out this Google form with your answers to our application questions.
Get to know our past and present interns below!
CURRENT INTERNS
ZOE SZABO
Education & Outreach InternOriginally from Indiana, Zoe attended Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in Fort Myers, FL, and recently graduated with a B.S. in Marine Science. During her time at FGCU, she worked under Dr. Mike Parsons in his harmful algae bloom (HAB) lab, focusing on how macroalgae and seagrass contribute to Ciguatera poisoning in the Florida Keys. She also served as a Divemaster for her university’s AAUS Scientific Diving course. Throughout this course, she created an original research project, IMMERSIA-VR. This program focuses on implementing 360° underwater video into virtual reality headsets for scientific diving education. She is most excited to continue to gain experience in underwater media and learn how to most effectively communicate the amazing science that’s being done (while participating in it too!). Her favorite is the grooved brain coral, Diploria labyrinthiformis.
mADISON lIN
Coral Restoration InternMaddy grew up in the Philadelphia area and always enjoyed being by or near the water. She attended Colby College in Waterville, Maine, and received two majors: one in Environmental Policy and the other in East Asian Studies. She also received a minor in Math! During her time at Colby, Maddy worked on intertidal species diversity research within cobble berm habitats. Following graduation, she worked as a diver in the Northeast on invasive aquatic plant management and decided to pursue a career in marine science. This prompted her to spend some time in Nusa Penida, Indonesia, where she earned her divemaster certification. She is most excited about working with corals in the Florida Keys, and her favorite coral species is Euphyllia ancora, the hammer coral. She loves how it looks like a bunch of beans.
WILL CARROLL
Coral Restoration InternBorn and raised near Denver, Colorado, Will grew up loving the outdoors and attended the University of Oregon, where he earned a degree in Marine Biology. While here, he volunteered at the local marine life center on the coast of Oregon and fell in love with ocean conservation. Following graduation, Will spent three months in Koh Tao, Thailand, pursuing a coral conservation internship. This solidified his love for corals, and he decided to obtain his divemaster certification in Honduras while also learning about Caribbean reef ecology. Will is most excited for the coral outplanting aspect of the internship, and his favorite coral is the smooth flower coral, Eusmilia fastigiata.
MATT MILLER
Coral Restoration InternOriginally from Wilmington, Massachusetts, Matt studied marine science with a concentration in Aquaculture at the University of Maine. In his time at UMaine, Matt completed his senior capstone research project on the effectiveness of biofouling reduction methods on oyster farms while working at Nonesuch Farms in Scarborough, Maine. He is most excited to participate in helping the vital ecosystems of our coral reefs through I.CARE’s restoration efforts. He is also excited to be able to share these experiences with the public! Matt’s favorite coral is the smooth flower coral, Eusmilia fastigiata.
JOLIE GANZELL
Caribbean Sponge Restoration InternOriginally from southern Maryland, Jolie studied marine biology and computer science at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. At Bowdoin, she was involved in several research projects, including two projects on introgression and adaptive gene flow in two hybridizing sea star species and a hybrid swarm of parrotfish. She earned her AAUS certification and is excited about diving in much warmer water and helping to build I.CARE’s sponge program. Her favorite sponge is Niphates digitalis, the pink vase sponge.
VICTORIA LEAVITT
Coral Restoration InternOriginally from a small town in northern Maine called Caribou, Victoria grew up on a potato farm! She attended the University of Maine in Orono where she studied Marine Biology and Environmental Sciences. In her time at UMaine, she studied abroad in Australia and spent a “Semester by the Sea” in Damariscotta, Maine. Here, she completed a capstone research project focusing on phytoplankton growth dynamics. She is most excited about connecting people to marine environments through hands-on experiences, especially through diving. Her favorite coral is Orbicella faveolata, the mountainous star coral!
CHIP RALPH
Coral Restoration InternChip is from Raleigh, North Carolina, and found his love for the ocean while exploring Masonboro Island, North Carolina. As a child, he would spend most summer weekends on the island with his family. Following high school, he attended North Carolina State University (Go Pack!) Here, he studied Zoology, Applied Ecology, and GIS. Following graduation, he spent three years at the Catalina Island Marine Institute serving as an educator, aquarist, and research diver for their Kelp Restoration Project. He is thrilled for the opportunity to restore such an essential part of Florida's marine ecosystem during his I.CARE internship and his favorite coral is Acropora palmata, the elkhorn coral.
LAUREN WORRICK
Field Research ScientistOriginally from Aurora, Colorado, Lauren earned her B.S. in Marine Science at the University of Maine. She recently earned her Divemaster certification in the Philippines. While there, she had the opportunity to monitor coral reefs, primarily focusing on disease and fish abundance. Lauren is thrilled to intern at I.CARE, and is excited to participate in the outreach side of this internship. Being able to share I.CARE’s mission, research, and teaching people how they can get involved in restoration science, is something Lauren truly enjoys and is a skill she is excited to strengthen. Her favorite coral species is Diploastrea heliopora, the honeycomb coral! After her internship with I.CARE as a Coral Restoration Intern, Lauren was hired on as a field research scientist to assist with operations in the sponge program.
cJ rICHARD
Restoration Field TechnicianCJ is from Warrington, Pennsylvania, and attended Robert Morris University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science. During his final semester, he studied abroad with the School for Field Studies (SFS) in South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands. Here, he researched the connection between coral abundance/diversity and fish abundance/diversity. He is thrilled for the opportunity to get out in the field and get our community involved in restoration. His favorite coral is Diploria labyrinthiformis, the grooved brain coral. It's simply the best brain coral out there!
I.CARE recognizes that our internship opportunities may not fit everyone.
Here’s a list of some of our favorite job boards to monitor!
