Seasonal Shellfish Aquaculture Technician - Wells

Start Date: April 02, 2025 | End Date: September 29, 2025
County: York County
Job Type: Other

Internship Opportunity

Estimated start: Mid-June, 2025

Duration: 16 Weeks, 14 hours a week, Sundays are required

Area(s) of discipline: Aquaculture, Animal husbandry, Marine and Aquatic Sciences, Coastal Ecology, Fisheries, Environmental Science, Education, and Public Outreach

Internship location: Town of Wells (Wells Harbor), and the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve in Wells, ME.

Description:

The Town of Wells (TOW) and the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve (WNERR) are seeking an enthusiastic, energetic, and motivated intern who will help support the workings and operations of a new wetlab facility and clam hatchery located at the Mouth of the Webhannet River (Wells Harbor) in Wells, ME. The Intern will be part of a dynamic and interactive team who will be involved in the day-to-day operations of this facility, including daily maintenance and inspection of the facilities and animals there-in, public outreach, community activities, as well as assisting researchers from the Wells NERR in maintaining research and monitoring projects and experiments located at the new facility and town dock. The Intern will work in close coordination with the TOW Harbormaster but will also work in tandem with staff from the WNERR who will be involved in aspects of the Intern’s work plan.

The Intern’s primary tasks will be centered around the daily operations of a clam hatchery and associated wetlab space that are purposed for research, shellfish production, and educational outreach. The Intern may also provide both field- and lab-based research and monitoring support for projects including, but not limited to lobsters, crabs, invasive species, marsh monitoring, larval fish surveys, microscopy, as well as some data entry and management.

This internship position will be approximately 50% hatchery and wetlab work, and 50% research and monitoring support. Under the primary direction and guidance of the Town of Wells Harbormaster (Michael Yorke), the following tasks are considered regular and routine for this internship position:

Regular and Routine Duties

• • • • Maintaining good hatchery practices for shellfish aquaculture (feeding, cleaning tanks and cages, animal sorting)
      • Helping to support and run a public touch tank and commercial lobster holding tank
      • Monitoring and maintaining water quality and chemistry through calibration, deployment, and maintenance of water quality instrumentation
      • Supporting ongoing research and monitoring projects through technical help
      • Plankton tows at the harbor’s dock location
      • Sorting and working through zooplankton samples
      • Public outreach and interpretation to seasonal visitors, researchers, town residents, students, and educators. 
      • Assisting in other lab- or field-based project support as needed and time allows

Required Qualifications & Skills

Applicants should be enrolled in a formal academic program of study related to aquaculture, aquatic, or environmental sciences with some prior hands-on experience in the area of biological or environmental sciences, or a closely related field such as marine biology or fisheries. Lab and/or technical experience is also highly desired. Applicants should be highly motivated, able to work collaboratively as a member of a team, work well independently, be organized and detail-oriented, and must hold a valid and current driver’s license. Because this position involves considerable interactions with the public, applicants should also be “outgoing” and enthusiastic about the project, and able to deliver information about the facilities, animals, and any on-going research and monitoring activities to visitors and guests.

Other required qualifications are as follows:

• Ability to perform “semi-physical” labor (ability to lift 50 lbs.)
• Ability to work and operate effectively in outdoor environments in all weather conditions

• Enjoys working both in the field and in a dynamic lab environment
• Strives for accuracy and dependability
• Knowledge and use of Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing

One or more of the following skills are desired but are not essential:

• Some experience working in a wet-lab, hatchery, or fish farm setting
• Quantitative or analytical skills with software packages
• Current SCUBA certification
• Experience with small boating operations and on-the-water field experience

Salary & Compensation

$20.00 per hour

Submission Deadline

Open Until Filled

Applications for Employment can be obtained by visiting the Town’s website at www.wellstown.org or the Human Resources Department at Wells Town Hall.  Completed applications should be sent to: Attn Human Resources, Town of Wells, 208 Sanford Road, Wells, Maine 04090, or email to [email protected].   

To be considered for employment with the Town of Wells, applicants must complete the Town’s Application for Employment.  Please do not use the apply online functions provided through Facebook or any other social media platforms.  

The Town of Wells is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Expected outcomes

We envision that the Intern will gain significant hands-on experience in a variety of disciplines from animal husbandry and laboratory procedures to educational outreach and public speaking skills. Technical skills will include managing and maintaining marine invertebrates in laboratory settings, working with water quality monitoring equipment, identifying local and invasive marine species, and engaging with the public to explain research efforts and how they relate to coastal ecology in southern Maine. This individual will also be exposed to other research and monitoring efforts around the Reserve which will serve as additional learning experiences. The Intern will have the opportunity to network with a wide variety of professionals in the field of marine science as well.

About the Wells Reserve at Laudholm

The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve is one of 30 nationally protected areas throughout the United States dedicated to practicing and promoting coastal and estuarine stewardship through innovative research and educational programs. The Reserves are a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the coastal states. The Wells Reserve encompasses 2,250 acres along the southern coast of Maine in Wells. It has seven miles of trails that take visitors through diverse habitats, which are home to a variety of wildlife including several endangered species. The Visitor Center, offices, and laboratory are housed in a cluster of restored 19th-century farm buildings that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Laudholm Trust – the Wells Reserve’s non-profit partner – spearheaded the effort to save this historic site and create Maine’s only National Estuarine Research Reserve. For more information about the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve and our work please visit our website at www.wellsreserve.org.