Internships - ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain

ECHO has internships for every season

Winter/Spring: ~Mid-January–Early May (Applications open mid-October)
Summer: ~Mid-May–Late August (Applications open early March)
Fall: ~September–Early December (Applications open late July)
Please see position descriptions to the right to check which positions are available.

Embracing Diversity

ECHO is proud to be an equal opportunity employer who fosters an environment that embraces diversity. We are committed to assembling a diverse and well trained group of volunteers and interns. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Supporting ECHO’s Mission

Interns play an important role at ECHO. They bring experience, leadership skills, and enthusiasm to support our mission to engage everyone in the joy of scientific discovery, the wonder of nature, and care of Lake Champlain. ECHO provides a variety of internships throughout the academic year and during the summer. Please see individual position descriptions for more information.

Furthering Job Skills

While at ECHO, interns gain hands-on experience to build relevant job skills, craft a competitive resume, and further their individual and/or career goals. Interns receive training in their area of focus, work closely with a staff mentor and work both independently and collaboratively on projects in support of ECHO’s mission.

The benefits of being an intern at ECHO:

Career exploration and growth.
Training and mentoring with ECHO’s talented staff.
Independent project work.
Workplace and leadership skill development.
Team building experiences.
Participation in special programs and/or organizational events.

Internship Opportunities

Animal Care Academic Internship (Unpaid)—CLOSED

Note: There is no monetary compensation associated with this position. You must be seeking academic credit to apply for this position. This role is intended for interns seeking academic credit for their work who cannot commit the required number of hours each week for the paid role.

Reports to: Animal Care Manager

Academic Credit: Intern is responsible for arranging and meeting internship requirements through their institution of higher education. Any requirements (projects, paperwork, contracts, evaluations, etc.) must be presented to ECHO Animal Care Staff during the internship interview and must be agreed upon with all parties before the start of the internship.

Start Date: January (flexible)

End Date: May (flexible)

Accepting Applications: Until positions are filled

Location: ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, 1 College St., Burlington, VT 05401

Description: ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain is looking to engage an Academic Intern in the Animal Care Department. Animal Care Interns assist and support Animal Care Staff in a professional, state of the art animal care environment, as is provided in Association of Zoo and Aquarium accredited institutions throughout the US, for native fish and reptiles as well as native and exotic amphibians. After initial hands-on training, interns will be required to accomplish husbandry tasks independently and must complete assigned individual project work.

Responsibilities may include:

Preparing diets and feeding animals.
Cleaning and maintaining animal enclosures both on exhibit and in the back of house.
Administering medications to animals.
Creating and installing naturalistic habitats.
Animal handling.
Keeping daily records of husbandry tasks and animal wellbeing.
Researching natural history and captive husbandry practices.
Creating and delivering 20-30 minute educational programs on species natural history, conservation needs, and/or captive care.

Essential Skills/Training:

Applicants should be enthusiastic, detail-oriented, reliable, and willing to get wet and/or dirty!
Occasional raising or relocation of up to 60 pounds may be required.
Capable of independently completing responsibilities listed in the previous section.
Majors in animal science, wildlife biology, pre-vet, aquaculture, environmental science, or related fields preferred.

Time Commitment:

3 month commitment
4 hours per week minimum required by ECHO, however additional hours can be accommodated by ECHO if additional hours are required for academic credit. Any scheduling requirements must be presented by the intern to ECHO Animal Care Staff during the internship interview and must be agreed upon with all parties before the start of the internship.

Work Conditions
This position typically works indoors in the guest space or in ‘back of house’ animal care areas. Occasional outdoor collection trips may occur, which may involve hiking, wading or entering or traversing streams. The position works directly with reptiles, amphibians, fish and various invertebrate food items. The position may occasionally require relocating or raising up to 60lbs. Typical responsibilities involve stooping, balancing, climbing ladders, and being in close proximity to Animal Care staff (especially during the initial training period). Typical work involves water; floors are typically wet and care is required when moving through work areas.

Instructions for Applying:

Click here to apply. Applications require an updated resume and cover letter, which should explain your interest in the role and what you hope to gain through this internship.

If you require assistance with the application process, or need a different form of application, please contact Katelyn Olson (she/her/hers) by email or phone (kolson@echovermont.org / 802-864-1848 Ext.116).

ECHO is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state or Federal law.

About ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain

ECHO is a dynamic, nationally acclaimed, science and nature center committed to engaging diverse public audiences and providing experiential, relevant and lifelong educational experiences for all our guests. Founded in 2003, ECHO houses more than 70 species of live animal ambassadors in Vermont’s first LEED certified building. This innovative science center and aquarium displays life in the Champlain Basin and inspires visitors to positively impact the world around them. ECHO is the public face of the Patrick and Marcelle Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, a 2.7 acre environmental campus on the Burlington Waterfront.

Animal Care Paid Internship—CLOSED

Reports to: Animal Care Manager

Pay Rate: $15.00/hour

Start Date: January (Flexible)

End Date: May (Flexible)

Accepting Applications: 10/21/24 – 11/1/24

Location: ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, 1 College St., Burlington, VT 05401 and 703 Pine Street, Burlington, VT 05401

Description: Animal Care Interns assist and support Animal Care Staff in a professional, state of the art animal care environment, as is provided in Association of Zoo and Aquarium accredited institutions throughout the US, for native fish and reptiles as well as native and exotic amphibians. After initial hands-on training, interns will be required to accomplish husbandry tasks independently and must complete assigned individual project work. A unique feature of this fall’s internship is being able to witness, learn about and assist with large-scale aquarium renovations and installations. There are two (2) positions available for spring.

Responsibilities may include:

Preparing diets and feeding animals.
Cleaning and maintaining animal enclosures both on exhibit and in the back of house.
Administering medications to animals.
Creating and installing naturalistic habitats.
Animal handling.
Keeping daily records of husbandry tasks and animal wellbeing.
Researching natural history and captive husbandry practices.
Creating and delivering 20-30 minute educational programs on species natural history, conservation needs, and/or captive care.

Essential Skills/Training:

Applicants should be enthusiastic, detail-oriented, reliable, and willing to get wet and/or dirty!
Occasional raising or relocation of up to 60 pounds may be required.
Capable of independently completing responsibilities listed in the previous section.
Majors in animal science, wildlife biology, pre-vet, aquaculture, environmental science, or related fields preferred.

Time Commitment:

3 month commitment
12 – 16 hours per week required

Work Conditions
This position typically works indoors in the guest space or in ‘back of house’ animal care areas. Due to an ongoing renovation, many of our animals will be located offsite for the duration of this internship; animal husbandry will also happen at that location as part of the internship. Occasional outdoor collection trips may occur, which may involve hiking, wading, or entering or traversing streams. The position works directly with reptiles, amphibians, fish and various invertebrate food items. The position may occasionally require relocating or raising up to 60lbs. Typical responsibilities involve stooping, balancing, climbing ladders, and being in close proximity to Animal Care staff (especially during the initial training period). Typical work involves water; floors are typically wet and care is required when moving through work areas.

If seeking academic credit: Intern is responsible for arranging this through their university. Any requirements (paperwork, contracts, etc.) must be presented before the start of internship to ensure Intern and ECHO staff can and will meet all requirements. If invited for an interview, come prepared with knowledge of requirements from your institution.

Instructions for Applying:

Click here to apply. Applications require an updated resume and cover letter, which should explain your interest in the role and what you hope to gain through this internship.

If you require assistance with the application process, or need a different form of application, please contact Katelyn Olson (she/her/hers) by email or phone (kolson@echovermont.org / 802-864-1848 Ext.116).

About ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain

ECHO is a dynamic, nationally acclaimed, science and nature museum committed to engaging diverse public audiences and providing experiential, relevant and lifelong educational experiences for all our guests. Founded in 2003, ECHO houses more than 70 species of live animal ambassadors in Vermont’s first LEED certified building. This innovative science center and aquarium displays life in the Champlain Basin and inspires visitors to positively impact the world around them. ECHO is the public face of the Patrick and Marcelle Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, a 2.7 acre environmental campus on the Burlington Waterfront.

Development (Fundraising) Paid Internship—CLOSED

Reports to: Director of Development
Pay Rate: $15/hour
Start Date: June 2024
End Date: August 2024
Accepting Applications: Until position is filled. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis.
Location: ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, 1 College St., Burlington, VT 05401

Description: ECHO is looking to hire one (1) Development (Fundraising) Intern. This internship offers a challenging and highly rewarding experience for anyone considering a career in communications, or fundraising for nonprofit management. Interns work with ECHO’s development staff to broaden community understanding of ECHO’s charitable mission, particularly via non-traditional and multimedia platforms; evaluate and build understanding of ECHO’s Open Door community access program; and provide outreach support to ECHO’s donor and member constituents.

Responsibilities Include:

Research and prepare grant proposals to support ECHO’s programming
Support mission marketing and fundraising efforts via direct mail and e-mail
Assist with creating and writing fundraising and communications materials to engage existing donors, members, and prospects
Research local businesses to sponsor ECHO exhibits and programming
Work with Open Door program partners to increase availability to underserved communities
Assist with maintaining ECHO’s social media presence on multiple platforms
Support community outreach efforts
Support departmental record keeping and database management
Additional duties as assigned

Essential Skills/Training:

Strong communication skills, including strong persuasive writing skills
Experience with or desire to learn about non-profit business
Experience with or desire to learn interactive/social web platforms and databases

Time Commitment:

30 hours a week
Regular business hours
Occasional evening shifts may be required

If seeking Academic Credit: Intern is responsible for arranging this through their university. Any requirements (paperwork, contracts, etc.) must be presented before the start of internship to ensure Intern and ECHO staff can and will meet all requirements.

Instructions for Applying:

Click here to apply. Applications require an updated resume and cover letter, which should explain your interest in the role and what you hope to gain through this internship.

ECHO is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state or Federal law.

About ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain
ECHO is a dynamic, nationally acclaimed, science and nature museum committed to engaging diverse public audiences and providing experiential, relevant and lifelong educational experiences for all our guests. Founded in 2003, ECHO houses more than 70 species of live animal ambassadors in Vermont’s first LEED certified building. This innovative science center and aquarium displays life in the Champlain Basin and inspires visitors to positively impact the world around them. ECHO is the public face of the Patrick and Marcelle Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, a 2.7 acre environmental campus on the Burlington Waterfront.

Early Childhood Education Paid Internship—CLOSED

Reports to: Early Education Coordinator, Stacia Judd. Email at sjudd@echovermont.org for further information about the program.

Pay Rate: $15/hr

Academic Credit: Intern is responsible for arranging this through their school. Any requirements (paperwork, contracts, etc.) must be presented before the start of internship to ensure Intern and ECHO staff can and will meet all requirements.

Start Date: January

End Date: May

Scheduling Note: EEL is held at 2 different locations each week. 1 intern will work Monday and Friday, 8:30am-12pm at The Family Room (20 Allen Street, Burlington); 1 intern will work Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30am-12pm at ECHO (1 College Street, Burlington).

Accepting Applications: Open until filled.

Instructions for Applying:

To apply for the EEL session on Mondays and Fridays, click here.
To apply for the EEL session on Tuesdays and Thursdays, click here.

Applications require an updated resume and cover letter, which should explain your interest in the role and what you hope to gain through this internship.

Description: ECHO is seeking to hire two (2) Early Childhood Education Intern for the spring season. This internship provides undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to gain practical experience through informal teaching opportunities with young visitors ages 0-5 and their caregivers through supporting the ECHO Early Learning (EEL) program. ECHO’s Early Childhood Education Internship offers a challenging and highly rewarding experience for anyone considering a career in early education. ECHO is a fast paced environment which requires both team and independent work, the ability to work with visitors of various backgrounds and ages, and an interest in ECHO’s mission to inspire and engage families in the joy of scientific discovery, wonder of nature, and care of Lake Champlain.

What will ECHO Early Education Interns Learn and Experience?

Early Childhood Development (including becoming familiar with and how to design curriculum around the Vermont Early Learning Standards).
Being part of a team that delivers a play based, school readiness program for children ages 1-5 years with an emphasis on S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math).
Working with economically and culturally diverse families in our community: 17 languages were spoken in the home of EEL families last year.
Mentorship from ECHO’s experienced staff of Early Childhood educators.

Responsibilities May Include:

Assist lead instructors with engaging young children in daily learning activities and crafts with an emphasis on STEAM (Science. Technology. Engineering. Art. Math).
Set up and clean up for the EEL program.
Work with an advisor on ECHO-related early childhood educational projects.

Essential Skills/Training:

Understanding of early childhood development.
Experience working with young children.
Experience working independently and in diverse teams.
Self motivated to complete projects in a timely fashion.
Flexibility and adaptability to complete a wide variety of tasks, including light cleaning.
Eagerness to engage young children in daily learning activities and crafts.

Time Commitment:

9 hours per week
Intern will have one of two possible schedules (or may apply for all 4 days if schedule allows).
- Monday and Friday mornings 8:30 am – 12:00 pm at the Family Room, 20 Allen St, Burlington
- Tuesday and Thursday mornings 8:30 am- 12:00pm at ECHO, 1 College Street, Burlington

About ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain

Events & Operations Paid Internship—CLOSED

ECHO is looking to hire a Guest Service/Event Intern that will assist in event and front desk operations. This internship includes minor set up for events; decorations and signage, greeting guests upon arrival for events, setting up AV equipment, communicating with vendors, and setting up birthday parties. Other aspects for events would be learning and then assisting the Event Manager with contracts and pricing as well as providing client tours of the rental spaces. To support the front desk, the GS & Events Intern would learn all operations for the front desk to assist when needed; checking in guests, selling memberships, stocking the gift shop, opening and closing procedures.This internship will gain experience in hospitality, customer service and events, specifically strengthening communication and logistics planning, as well as playing a critical role in supporting the busy event/wedding season. The schedule for this position includes weekend evenings (Friday/Saturday).

Responsibilities include:

Checking in guests, both for daily operations and during events
Communication with clients and vendors both written and verbal
Assist ECHO’s Event Managers with event coordination
Coordinate vendor setup and breakdown
Ensure a seamless event for the clients and guests
Work with exclusive catering team to ensure that the building is clean and secure at the end of the event
Assist in building content in for Rent ECHO social media pages
Understand other social media outlets such as Facebook, Instagram
Learn Front Desk and Gift Shop Operations
Cash handling
Provide top notch customer service skills when working with diverse guests of all ages, cultures, abilities

Essential Skills/Training:

Strong communication skills both written and verbal
Ability to work independently on tasks
Confident managing stressful situations
Knowledge and experience using social media is a plus
Experience with cash handling
Major or Minor in Hospitality or Event Management preferred but not required

Time Commitment:

Mid-May through end of September, however time could be extended through the fall season for the right applicant
15-20 hours per week, weekends and evenings will be required

Pay rate: $15/hr

Instructions for Applying:

Click here to apply. Applications require an updated resume and cover letter, which should explain your interest in the role and what you hope to gain through this internship.

Graphic Design Paid Internship—CLOSED

Reports to: Creative Director
Pay Rate: $15/hr
Start Date: September
End Date: December
Time Commitment: 10-15 hours per week
Posting Close Date: Open until filled. Applications will be considered as they are received. You will be notified of your application’s status by late August.

Location: ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, 1 College St., Burlington, VT 05401
Please note: ECHO will be closed Monday – Friday during the month of September. Internship hours will be available mostly remotely. Beginning in October, internship work will be primarily on-site at ECHO.

Description: ECHO’s graphic design intern helps to tell the story of this innovative science and nature museum dedicated to inspiring and engaging families in the joy of scientific discovery, wonder of nature, and care of Lake Champlain. The graphic design intern role allows students to practice their creative skills in real-world applications and grow their portfolio.

Responsibilities include:

Assisting Creative Director and Graphic Designer with design projects such as marketing materials, flyers, advertisements, social media graphics, logos, exhibit signage, videos, animations within ECHO brand standards.
Contribute to strengthening ECHO’s brand by creating unique, thoughtful content using various media such as animation, illustration, photography, videography, writing as needed.
Work with the Creative Department and Development Department teams to research, create, share engaging content and information on social media.
Photographing or filming ECHO events and programs.

Essential Skills/Training:

Design & Typography classes/skills
Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign (Knowledge of After Effects, Premiere, editing skills a plus)
Photography
Writing
Videography and/or Animation
Understanding of social media platforms (FB, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok etc)
Using PC computer
A passion for museums, science education, early childhood learning, animals, and the environment and a desire to work with and grow the brand

Instructions for Applying:

Click here to apply. Applications require an updated resume and cover letter, which should explain your interest in the role and what you hope to gain through this internship.

Information Technology Paid Internship—CLOSED

Reports to: IT & AV Systems Manager

Pay Rate: $18.00 – $20.00 / hour, depending on experience

Start Date: May 15, 2025 (Flexible)

End Date: August 18, 2025 (Flexible)

Accepting Applications: Until position is filled

Location: ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, 1 College St., Burlington, VT 05401

Description: ECHO’s Summer IT internship allows a student to get an entire summer of hands-on experience in system and network administration in a SMB sized environment supporting a network of approximately 50 users and devices. The summer intern works closely with ECHO’s IT Manager and spends a significant amount of time working on larger IT projects, such as:

Use Group Policy, Powershell Scripting, and deployment tools such as MDT to customize Windows 11 installations and deploy/upgrade endpoints.
Work with Synology NAS products and Proxmox virtualization.
Work on a number of information security projects, ranging from peripheral firmware audits and upgrades, password management systems, certificate management and automation, and VPN hardening.
Upgrading servers hosting LAMP applications typically used for system administration functions and researching and deploying new applications to replace projects that are no longer supported.
Other projects based on student interests and ECHO needs.

Successful applicants will have some knowledge and experience working with Windows Server environments, including Group Policy, basic PowerShell, and domain user management. They should also be comfortable in Linux CLI environments, including knowledge of the typical Linux directory structure including where to find configuration files, logs, binaries, etc, use common commands, and write/edit basic bash scripts. They should also have an understanding of network design and the OSI model, and the roles of typical networking hardware and protocols.

This is an exciting opportunity to gain practical experience in many diverse areas of Information Technology and system administration, with an institution making a significant difference in the quality of life in the Lake Champlain Basin and beyond.

Responsibilities include:

Provide IT support, including trouble tickets, calls, and walk-in requests.
Audit and update documentation, including equipment inventorying and asset tracking.
Deploying software updates and installing system updates on servers and shared user systems.
Test and audit backups.
Image and setup new computers as needed.
Complete one or more projects based on organizational needs and intern interests.

Essential Skills/Training:

Computer Networking or Computer Science Majors (strong focus on Systems Administration is a plus).
Experience with Windows and Linux server system administration including Active Directory and GPO configuration.
Comfort working in a CLI Linux server environment.
Experience with Proxmox Virtual Environment, scripting (Bash & Powershell), Cisco enterprise routers and switches, and computer hardware is a plus.
Ability to work independently and as a part of a team.
Ideal candidates will have good communication skills and the ability to explain technology to non-technical staff.

Time Commitment:

12 weeks between May and August
32 hours weekly between Tuesday and Saturday
Start and end date flexibility to allow up to a week of unpaid time off mid-summer if desired.

Instructions for Applying: Click here to apply. Applications require an updated resume and cover letter, which should explain your interest in the role and what you hope to gain through this internship.

STEM Education Paid Internship—CLOSED

Reports to: Manager of Public Programs

Pay Rate: $15.00/hour (12-18 hrs / week)

Start Date: mid January

End Date: mid May (some flexibility is available)

Accepting Applications: Until position is filled. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

Location: ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, 1 College St., Burlington, VT 05401

Description: ECHO is looking to hire two (2) STEM Education Interns. These interns will join the ECHO Public Programs Team in supporting their work of executing STEM education programs tailored to diverse audiences. This internship will be predominantly indoor on-site work with guests at ECHO.

ECHO’s public programming education internship offers a highly rewarding experience for anyone considering a career in informal science education. The focus of this position will be facilitating hands-on STEM activities for families. ECHO’s educational activities focus on utilizing the Engineering Design Process and helping guests develop their science identity through hands-on experiments.

This is a fast-paced environment that requires strong teamwork skills, a high level of self-motivation, the passion to work with visitors of various backgrounds and ages, and a passion for our mission. Applicants should be comfortable with the idea of failure and willing to embrace failure as an opportunity for growth.

Responsibilities Include :

Facilitating interactive education experiences at the museum for visitors ages 0-100+
Educating guests about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts and the Engineering Design Process
Daily preparation and reset of exhibit spaces
Cleaning high contact surfaces and spaces as needed during operating hours.
Delivering high quality customer service
Working with full time staff to prepare materials and activities for public events

Essential Skills/Training:

Interest in informal STEM education
Seeking/completed a degree in a Science or Education field
Desire to work with a diverse range of guests in a museum setting
Effective communication skills
Ability to work in a fast-paced and quickly changing environment with many guests
Ability to work as part of a team
Strong organizational and time management skills

Instructions for Applying:

Click here to apply. Applications require an updated resume and cover letter, which should explain your interest in the role and what you hope to gain through this internship.

Applying for an ECHO Internship

Application: Fill out our online application using the link in the dropdown below your desired internship.
Interview: If you meet the qualifications for the position, you will be contacted for an interview by the internship supervisor.
Orientation and training: Orientations are held winter, summer and fall. When you have been selected as an intern, your supervisor will coordinate your orientation and training.

Questions?

Also check out: STAFF OPENINGS | VOLUNTEERING | E-TEAM