Now accepting applicants for 2025 Fall/Winter! Deadline to submit: 7/31/25.

Now accepting applicants for 2025 Fall/Winter! Deadline to submit: 7/31/25.

Intern With Us

Gain first-hand experience in wildlife rehabilitation to prepare for a future in a related field.

Carolina Waterfowl Rescue would like to invite high school and college students interested in the zoology, wildlife biology, pre-vet, and public relations/marketing fields to apply for our internship opportunities!

This is a hands-on working internship that provides interns the ability to observe and work with a variety of different wildlife, domestic and exotic animal species; however, the primary focus is songbirds, and wild and domestic fowl. Interns work with a staff veterinarian, licensed staff, and seasoned volunteers as they gain on-the-job training in basic rehabilitation skills, such as handling techniques, cleaning and sterilization procedures, habitat enrichment, diets/food preparation, and feeding methods.

Training will be provided on administering medication, calculating medication dosages, administration of fluids, giving injections, bandaging techniques, etc. Our interns assist our rehabilitation staff with treatment procedures, such as health checks, medicating, and triaging. Interns are also expected to assist with day-to-day sanctuary animal feeding and watering, as well as housekeeping like laundry, dishes, mopping floors, etc.

OPENING: Social Media Internship (Part-Time)

Hey students! Do you consider yourself someone with an eye for design? Are you passionate about animal protection, conservation, and welfare? Do you enjoy creating video/photo/graphic design content for social media? Are you interested in developing your digital marketing skills outside of the classroom?  

The social media intern will assist with various social media and marketing initiatives. Interns receive the full benefit of accessing members of the leadership and rehab teams for questions, learning opportunities, and hands-on experience. Although this internship focuses mostly on day-to-day social media content creation, there will be opportunities to participate in social media campaign ideation and implementation, engage in graphic design projects, or receive practice in other digital marketing experiences, tailored to the applicant’s individual interests. This is a terrific opportunity to gain real-world experience and learn at an active, community-based animal rescue and sanctuary. 

  • Temporary, Summer – Hybrid Remote & In-Person 

    BENEFITS 

    • Flexible schedule 

    • Professional development assistance 

    • $250  stipend upon completion of internship to a level deemed acceptable and appropriate

    TIME COMMITMENT 

    15-20 hr./week commitment, June – August 2023 

    SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS 

    While in this role and on-site, you will be working in proximity to and around: 

    • Wild animals 

    • Heavy machinery 

    • Potential allergens, such as hay 

    INTERN RESPONSIBILITIES 

    Your primary goal will be to: 

    • Create engaging social media content through use of provided and self-generated photos, videos, and graphic designs surrounding native wildlife, domestic waterfowl, and dumped or surrendered farm animals and exotic pets at CWR, for the purposes of fundraising, education, public appreciation, community-building, and awareness.  

    In the course of this goal, you will: 

    • Work in tandem with your supervisor to coordinate CWR's social media efforts across all social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Patreon, YouTube) 

    • Brainstorm, film, and edit short-form video content for publishing as reels and TikToks that engage followers and generate excitement about CWR 

    • Photograph animals, volunteers, day-to-day animal rescue and rehabilitation efforts, and other important aspects of CWR sanctuary work to publish as fundraising content 

    • Respond to comments from followers to ensure an exceptional follower experience 

    • Create compelling graphics to share across social channels 

    • Assist in writing educational, activist, promotional, and fundraising captions 

    • Be attentive to using multiple, credible sources when creating factual captions/videos and always conduct verifiable research before creation of engaging, educational content 

    • Partner with other departments, such as admin, rehab, and volunteers, on content creation and social media announcements, such as animals for adoption and emergency animal intakes 

    • Stay up to date with social media trends and align CWR’s original content with these trends 

    • Follow a rolling content calendar to ensure timely posting and engagement across all social media channels 

    • Adhere to established protocols for content creation, formatting, editing, and approvals 

    • Ideate social media strategy, follower engagement, and influencer outreach objectives to drive growth and fundraising 

    • Participate in strategy/check-in meetings once a week with your supervisor (we are interested in your thoughts!) 

    REQUIREMENTS 

    • Pursuing a high school or college diploma, must be 16 years of age or older 

    • Must have a current provable tetanus shot 

    • Possession of a personal device (phone or laptop) for creating content 

    • Some familiarity with social media content creation 

    • Proficiency in a video editing software of your choice 

    • Experience working in Canva 

    • Basic copywriting skills 

    • Has a personal Facebook account for team correspondence 

    • Ability to stay self-motivated and work independently, but in conjunction with a team as well, when needed 

    • Able to keep up with a fast-paced environment and regular deadlines 

    • Because CWR specializes in working with live animals, applicant should be comfortable working with and around waterfowl, reptiles, and farm animals. 

    PREFERENCES 

    • Able to work across the Adobe Creative Suite 

    • Background knowledge on domestic and wild waterfowl varieties, exotic pet reptiles, or local ecosystems and native wildlife is a plus!

    APPLICATION PROCESS: 

    • 1-2 paragraphs explaining why you are interested in this position and interning with CWR 

    • 2-3 samples you have created, or projects worked on (can be video content, photography, graphic design, or writing) 

    • Emailed to hiring@cwrescue.org

  • Please email hiring@cwrescue.org with:

    1. A current resume.

    2. Cover letter indicating why you are interested and applying for this stipend internship.  

    3. Two to three samples you have created, or projects worked on  -  details in job listing.

Annual student internships run in two sessions: the Spring / Summer and the Fall / Winter.

Applications open in January for Spring / Summer and in July for Fall / Winter and are accepted on a rolling basis until spots are filled.

Program Details

Interns split their time between our two programs: Wildlife Rehabilitation and Songbird Stewardship. While medical exams and processes are the focus of wildlife rehabilitation sessions, songbird feeding in our songbird nursery is the primary task at hand during songbird stewardship.

    • This internship will require a minimum of 12 hours per week with flexible scheduling and does not provide housing or transportation. Interns are expected to complete a 90-day internship. 

    • Must have initiative, good skills, be a team player, and be able to work independently in a fast-paced environment. 

    • Must be adept at handling fluctuating priorities. 

    • Must be willing to work evenings, weekends, and/or holidays. 

    • Must be able to work in various weather conditions including the heat and humidity of summer, rain etc. 

    • Must be up to date on Tetanus shot. 

    • Set up and maintain animal enclosures.

    • Clean cages, dishes, floors, laundry, etc.

    • Diet preparation.

    • Baby Care: songbirds, waterfowl (geese and ducks), fowl (pigeons, doves, chickens), small mammals for stabilization until transferred to a partner rehab center (much more limited in the fall than spring/summer).

    • Hand-feed young patients.

    • Assist with intake, physical exams, fecal parasite testing, and medication administration.

    • Data entry and maintenance of patient management database. 

    • Assist with volunteer shifts.

    • Answer hotline calls. 

The most important qualification is to have a strong interest in animal care, as all training will be provided.

How To Apply

Preference will be given to those currently in college for a related field or those who have completed a bachelor’s degree. We will also consider mature high school students 16 years of age and older with a strong interest in animal care. College credits may be considered with approval prior to hiring. 

Step 1:

Email a current resume and 2-3 paragraph personal essay stating why you are a good fit for this internship to hiring@cwrescue.org and CC lmillaci@cwrescue.org.

1-2 strong references should be available upon request.

Step 2:

You will hear back from us within two weeks to schedule an interview with you, either in person or virtual.

Step 3:

If you receive an official offer from us and accept, get ready to explore new interests, develop new skills, and support local wildlife! A minimum commitment of 90 days is required.

We do not offer relocation or transportation assistance at this time.

This is an incredibly fast paced and busy rescue where good organizational skills and attention to detail are a must. We are open 365 days per year; this includes nights, weekends, and holidays. There are various shifts between 8 AM to 9 PM. Start and end dates can vary based upon school schedule and individual availability.

Testimonials

“Wow, I can't believe my internship is coming to an end. What an unforgettable summer experience. I was so happy to be chosen as one of the interns this summer and every day I was reminded of how much I love animals and how much I want to help them all. Looking back at my first weeks of the internship to now I have realized also how much I have grown as a person and how much I have been inspired by these people. It was truly an unforgettable experience that I will never forget and one that will help me with my professional career. If you can donate to them please do so, it makes a big difference! I'll always have Carolina Waterfowl Rescue in my heart!”

-Jose Meza, Summer 2022 Intern

“The interns this year have been stellar. I know they will be missed when they leave. I've enjoyed volunteering with all of them, good luck on journeys ahead and I know bright futures are awaiting them!”

-Rachael Eerenberg, Summer 2022 Baby Songbird Mentor

Please visit our pages on volunteering or careers for more information on these opportunities.