COAST Student Internships Summer 2021

The application period for the Summer 2021 internships is now closed.

 Want to get paid to explore the ocean, learn about ocean policy,
or help protect marine species?
Then apply for a COAST Summer Student Internship today!

The CSU Council on Ocean Affairs, Science & Technology (COAST) is offering paid internships for continuing CSU undergraduate and graduate students for Summer 2021. Interns will be placed with a host institution where they will work side-by-side with professionals on current scientific research, policy, and resource management projects. This is an excellent opportunity for CSU students to gain valuable experience and technical skills while working with experts in marine fisheries, ecology, policy and technology!

Students who are members of a group that is historically under-represented in marine and coastal science, including students who are Hispanic/LatinX, Black or African American, Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaska Native; female; LGBTQIA+; first-generation college students; economically disadvantaged; veterans; and students with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants of any race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, dis/ability or veteran status are welcome.

Please click on the internship titles in the table below for individual internship descriptions. General eligibility requirements and application instructions are provided below the table. Individual internships may have additional eligibility requirements. A list of frequently asked application questions can be found here.

PLEASE NOTE: We are planning for in-person participation but will transition to hybrid or remote if necessary. Any in-person activities will adhere to CDC COVID-19 protocols.

Internship Host	Internship Title	Location in CA
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Marine Region	Emerging Box Crab Fishery	Santa Barbara or San Diego
	Northern California Marine Invertebrate Fisheries Management (2 positions)	Bodega Bay
	Southern California Marine Invertebrate Fisheries Management	San Diego
California Ocean Science Trust	Science-Policy⁺	Sacramento (or remote)
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary	Ocean Exploration^*	Santa Barbara
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, Protected Resources Division	Abalone Conservation⁺	Long Beach
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, Sustainable Fisheries Division	Highly Migratory Species⁺	Long Beach
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center	Invasive Species	Tiburon
Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve	Bioindicator Trends and Analysis⁺	Imperial Beach

*Internship contingent upon funding

⁺Core internship duties may be performed by students with physical disabilities or limitations.

General Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be continuing CSU students in good standing. Applicants must still be students during the internship (i.e., must not have graduated and must be enrolled at a CSU for Fall 2021). Undergraduate students must complete at least two full years of coursework by the end of Spring 2021 and be considered at least a Junior at the beginning of Fall 2021 (i.e., 60 semester units or 90 quarter units completed). Graduate students must be enrolled in a degree program. Both part-time and full-time students may apply.

Applicants are not required to be U.S. citizens; international students are eligible to apply. Some internships may require the ability to pass a federal background check. If a background check is not required, undocumented students may be eligible to apply. Please see individual descriptions for specific requirements.

Activities and qualifications vary with each internship. Each internship has specific preferred experience and capabilities, eligibility/requirements (including coursework, skills and physical capabilities) and is based in a specific geographic area. If selected, it is expected that the intern will be able to relocate to the specific area for the entirety of the internship. Several internships require working with data in an office setting and the core duties may be performed by students with physical disabilities or limitations while others require intense fieldwork and have extreme physical requirements such as:

Carrying equipment up to 50 pounds,
Working in remote locations,
Working out of small boats,
Controlling equipment and accurately and legibly recording data during harsh weather conditions.

Application Materials and Procedures

To apply, you must submit a Google Form with your Application Package(s) attached and a CSU faculty member must submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf. You may apply for up to FOUR internships.

You will complete ONE Google Form (http://bit.ly/COAST2021-InternshipSubmission) and attach your Application Package(s) to it. You must submit a separate Application Package for EACH internship you wish to be considered for. An Application Package consists of your

1. Application Form

- You will complete an individual Application Form for each internship you are applying for.
- Please note that this is NOT the same as the Google Form noted above.
- All information on this form must be typed.

2. Professional resume (two-page maximum)

- For tips on resume building and example resumes, please see https://www2.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/research/coast/students/Pages/resume-building.aspx.
3. Transcripts

- Submit your FULL transcripts (including GPA) from ALL institutions attended (community college, undergraduate and graduate).
- Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
- Ensure that transcript files are not protected documents.

Each Application Package you submit must include all of the items listed above, compiled in that order, as ONE PDF file. Name each Application Package using the following convention: ApplicantLastName_FirstName_InternshipTitle.pdf.

Please note: Google Forms will send you an email confirming your submission. Please keep this email. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact COAST (csucoast@csumb.edu) immediately. COAST is not responsible for applications that were not successfully submitted if applicants cannot provide a copy of the Google Forms confirmation email.

Letter of recommendation:

Your letter of recommendation must be submitted directly by a CSU faculty member as a PDF attachment to the COAST Student Internship Letter of Recommendation Submission Form (http://bit.ly/COAST2021-InternLORSubmission). Letters submitted directly by applicants will not be considered. The PDF file must be named using the following convention: StudentLastName_FacultyLastName_LOR.pdf.
The letter must be on institutional letterhead and signed by the faculty member. The letter can be addressed to CSU COAST.
Ideally, the letter should be submitted by a CSU faculty member who knows you well and can speak to your personality and skills. Strong letters will describe in detail why you are an ideal candidate for a specific internship.
One letter of recommendation can be used to apply for multiple internships. In other words, if you apply for four internships, you do not need four individual letters of recommendation. It is perfectly fine to have one letter recommending you to the COAST Internship Program in general. However, if you want to have an individual letter of recommendation specific to each internship opportunity you apply for, that is allowed (limit one letter per internship opportunity).

Application Deadline: Tuesday, March 2, 2021, 5:00 pm PST. All materials, including your letter of recommendation, must be submitted by this deadline in order for your application to be complete.

Applicants should consult with appropriate personnel on their home campus concerning the potential impact of support provided through COAST internships on other forms of compensation already received from or through their university, including financial aid.

A list of frequently asked application questions can be found here. Please direct all additional questions to the COAST Support Coordinator, Kimberly Jassowski (kjassowski@csumb.edu).

This program is made possible with generous financial support from our host institutions. Thank you!

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