The Mammoth Site Summer Internship 2020
Summer Intern working in the Laboratory on a fossil.
The Mammoth Site is a sinkhole of late Pleistocene fauna. Over 10,000 vertebrate and invertebrate fossils have been uncovered at The Mammoth Site from its initial field season in 1974 to present. These bones belong mostly to Columbian mammoths; more than 2,000 specimens are preserved in-situ. At least 29 other vertebrate species are found at the site, and specimens of 53 invertebrate and botanical species, help explain a long ago ecosystem.
"Mammoth" Changes to the Internship Program
The Mammoth Site internship is getting some “Mammoth” changes. Our new internship program bridges science, technology, and the public. As a Mammoth Site Intern, you will work closely with Mammoth Site staff to learn excavation, preservation, and curation techniques of Cenozoic fossils. You will also spend time working in our new Turner Geospatial Center learning 3D scanning and printing techniques that will have multiple applications in many different fields. No longer will interns give tours or work in the Gift Shop. They will instead have the opportunity to express their interest in paleontology with the public through teaching summer educational programming for children as well as providing short lab tours in our preparation lab and docent work. Thursdays and Fridays during the summer are extra fun, because we love to do educational outreach events at The Mammoth Site for all to enjoy! This summer, Mammoth Site interns will have the opportunity to explore and develop science based activities or projects too that are tailored to their interests.
Internship Details
Our seasonal internship starts in May and ends in August. The position includes:
- Up to 40 hours per week for 10-16 weeks (will include some weekends).
- Compensation: $9.30/hour with onsite housing*.
*Housing: Housing is provided to interns as part of compensation on Mammoth Site property. Housing is residential housing near The Mammoth Site, within the town limits of Hot Springs, SD. Laundry facilities are available on site.
Application Deadline: February 24, 2020
Preferred Qualifications
- Public speaking and/or docent work.
- Customer Service Experience in education program delivery and development.
- One year or more of vertebrate or invertebrate preparation, and/or museum curatorial experience in vertebrate paleontology.
- A working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, and/or ArcGIS software.
Minimum Qualifications
- Working on or have finished an undergraduate (or higher) in the following or related majors: primary, secondary, and/or science education, anthropology/archaeology, biology, geology, or museum studies.
- Availability to start work on or prior to May 17, 2020 and continue through August 15, 2020.
- Basic experience (≥3 months) public speaking, teaching, and/or work with children.
- Good organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Solid interpersonal skills, with the ability to work independently or as part of a team.
- You must be able to lift 25-35 lbs. This is paramount to your work here at The Mammoth Site; the primary educational responsibility of a Mammoth Site intern is leading Junior & Advanced Paleontologist classes. These classes involve repetitive lifting of buckets full of sediment.
International Students – You must be at least in your second year at a US academic institution, have US citizenship, or previously established work visa to be considered.
How to Apply
Application packets will include: Mammoth Site application form, a current CV, unofficial university transcript(s), and cover letter by February 24, 2020 submit below and email the two academic reference forms to Dr. Weaver at sharonh@mammothsite.org
Click here for Mammoth Site Summer Internships for the complete flyer!
Click here for Mammoth Site Internship Reference Form.
Contact: Dr. Sharon Weaver, Curator at sharonh@mammothsite.org or call 605-745-6017 for more information.
Please submit your internship application below.
