Sharks Intern - Fall 2026

Sharks Internship - Fall 2026

Location: New York Aquarium
Department: Animal
Duration & Schedule: Fall - September - December

Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis but must be received by August 1, 2026. Candidates are encouraged to apply early.

Current students 
 5 days/week: 10 or 12-week program 
 4 days/week: 10, 12, or 15-week program 
 3 days/week: 15 or 20-week program 
Non-students (including recent graduates)
 4 or 5 days/week: 10-week program 
 Stipend: $1,300-$2,000 total stipend (varies depending on schedule) to be paid as one lump sum upon completion of the position, less applicable taxes.

Overview: 
The New York Aquarium Shark Internship is an in-depth program for future animal care professionals that focuses on the essential skills and knowledge necessary to enter the competitive field of aquatic animal husbandry. This program offers hands-on experience in our ‘Ocean Wonders: SHARKS!’ exhibit caring for various shark, ray, sea turtle, and saltwater teleost species. 

Candidates will learn directly from animal care staff, developing skills in aquatic animal husbandry. This includes learning dietary preparation, quarantine procedures, exhibit and life support operation, record keeping, feeding, and the fundamentals of training and enrichment. Interns will also have the opportunity to observe routine veterinary procedures and animal transfers.

Learning Outcomes:
Interns will learn the scientific concepts that are vital to keeping animals in an aquarium environment. 
Interns will understand concepts of aquarium system design, filtration, and water quality maintenance and problem solving. A large focus will be placed on animal husbandry including dietary needs, overall animal health and observations, operant conditioning, enrichment, quarantine procedures, and record keeping.
Interns will participate in formal instruction, complete reading assignments and conclude their internship with a project that will be presented to the animal care staff.

Eligibility Requirements:

•  Current/rising college junior or above 
•  Current college student or recent graduate 
•  Proficiency in swimming 
•  Can make the schedule commitment outlined above with the ability to work weekends and holidays 
•  Interest in pursuing a career working with sharks and rays 
•  Able to work well in a busy and fast-paced environment 
•  Physically able in extreme weather conditions 
•  Be able to lift 50 lbs 
•  Able to complete all daily tasks independently 
•  Provide own housing and transportation 
•  Must be eligible to work in the United States 

Important Information about the Application
To be fully considered for this role, applicants must upload both a resume and cover letter. Applicants are also encouraged (but not required) to submit a recommendation letter (preferably from a previous animal care facility or coworker) which can be added to the same document as your cover letter. In order to combine your cover letter and recommendation letter into the same file, check out these free PDF merge options: https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/merge-pdf.html or https://smallpdf.com/merge-pdf or https://www.sodapdf.com/

Salary Range

• $1,300-$2,000 stipend