• Volunteers & Research Assistants

    Volunteers & Research Assistants

    Conservation Training
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The Amphibian Foundation has worked with and trained many amazing Volunteers and Research Assistants over the years. Our programs and initiatives are dependent upon these important relationships. Whether you are interested in husbandry and helping us take care of the over 500 reptiles and amphibians in our education collection, rearing endangered species of amphibian for conservation programs, teaching Critter Camp or helping us post amphibian conservation advancements on social media, there are many opportunities to get involved with the Amphibian Foundation and saving amphibians! Volunteer engagement that inspires conservation action.

Our two main mechanisms for getting involved at AF are through a Volunteer position in our Collections Team (about 40 people, mostly Volunteers) and through our Conservation Research Bridge Program, which mentors students as Research Assistants in a 1-3 semester, immersive research training program.

If our volunteers and assistants are 1) taught work ethics such as teamwork and leadership skills; 2) provided with training in presentation and interpretive skills; 3) taught skills in working with animals and their environment; and 4) exposed to career options in education, conservation, and science fields, then they will develop core conservation values, be stewards of the environment, and possess job and presentation skills to become positive and productive members of society.


Available Volunteer Positions |

Conservation Research Bridge Program

Collections Team

Crystal Mandica

Crystal Mandica

Collections Manager
Jess Kemper

Jess Kemper

Laboratory Manager
Michaela Daniel

Michaela Daniel

Inventory Manager
Jeffrey Weiss

Jeffrey Weiss

Facilities Manager
Anthony Mandica

Anthony Mandica

Collections Assistant & Namer
Raquel Gonzalez

Raquel Gonzalez

Flatwoods Salamander Lab Volunteer
Becca Rodriguez

Becca Rodriguez

Striped Newt Lab Volunteer
Mireille Lofquist

Mireille Lofquist

Striped Newt Lab Volunteer
Barb Marston

Barb Marston

Blue-spotted & Pigeon Mountain Salamanders Volunteer
Vanessa Viviano-Perez

Vanessa Viviano-Perez

Blue-spotted & Pigeon Mountain Salamanders Volunteer
Cassie Ashby

Cassie Ashby

Amphibian Lab Volunteer
Brittany Szafran

Brittany Szafran

Amphibian Lab Volunteer
Amanda Ramsay

Amanda Ramsay

Amphibian Lab Volunteer
Nadine Contreras

Nadine Contreras

Amphibian Lab Volunteer
Thomas Geaslen

Thomas Geaslen

Amphibian Lab Volunteer
Elizabeth Gritzmacher

Elizabeth Gritzmacher

Amphibian Lab Volunteer
Nicholas Holmes

Nicholas Holmes

Squamate Lab Volunteer
Cheri Robinson

Cheri Robinson

Squamate Lab Volunteer
Abbie German

Abbie German

Squamate Lab Volunteer
Karl Guyton II

Karl Guyton II

Squamate Lab Volunteer
Taylor Cone

Taylor Cone

Squamate Lab Volunteer
Alexa Ponder

Alexa Ponder

Squamate Lab Volunteer
Isabella Challis

Isabella Challis

Squamate Lab Volunteer
Chelsea DesJardins

Chelsea DesJardins

Special Collections Volunteer
Helana Broome

Helana Broome

Special Collections Volunteer
Phoebe Offenberg

Phoebe Offenberg

Special Collections Volunteer
Shiloh Bauer

Shiloh Bauer

Special Collections Volunteer
Evan Holland

Evan Holland

Special Collections Volunteer
Abby Tharp

Abby Tharp

Special Collections Volunteer
Bella Kezios

Bella Kezios

Special Collections Volunteer
Brian Richards

Brian Richards

Special Collections Volunteer
You?
See available opportunities to get involved in Collections or other teams. get.amphibious.af

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Volunteer Networks

Volunteer Match

Volunteer Match

You can see our open volunteer positions on VolunteerMatch. A great way to get involved in your community.

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Handshake

Handshake

Are you a student at a local Atlanta college? See our openings through Handshake and you may be able to get credit through your school.

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Can't commit to a weekly shift? Join our Special Projects Team!

Can't commit to a weekly shift? Join our Special Projects Team!

Sign up for our Special Projects Team and get alerted when there are opportunities for field work, or projects at the Amphibian Foundation. We'll send out an email when opportunities arise, and if you are available to join us, please do!

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Education & Outreach

Education & Outreach

Through our Critter Camp and educational & outreach programs, there are many opportunities to work with children, teaching them about reptiles and amphibians, conservation, including how to perform scientific experiments and collect data. We have training and paid opportunities for ages 14 and up!

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Work Hands-On With Reptiles & Amphibians

Work Hands-On With Reptiles & Amphibians

Our volunteers help us care for a large living herpetological research and teaching collection, learning valuable husbandry skills from a team of experts in the field. We have about 250 frogs, salamanders, turtles, lizards and snakes and are fully licensed and permitted. Contact us if you are interested in volunteering at The Amphibian Foundation!
Captive Husbandry and Propagation

Captive Husbandry and Propagation

If you love working with animals, particularly reptiles and amphibians, then consider volunteering your time with The Amphibian Foundation. We are a positive bunch - enthusiastic about this fascinating group of animals.
Field Work

Field Work

Volunteers and Interns have opportunities to get in the field and contribute to research and conservation. After 3 months, volunteers can be added as sub-permittees and have supervised access to resticted areas in the southeast, as well as opportunities to work with state and federally listed species.
Artificial Ephemeral Wetland Design & Implementation

Artificial Ephemeral Wetland Design & Implementation

Ephemeral wetlands (or temporary, seasonal, vernal wetlands a.k.a. 'puddles') are a necessary component for 25% of Atlanta's amphibians, but are vital for 60% of them — and they are disapppearing. What might not look like more then a swampy depression in the woods could be valuable habitat for amphibian communities struggling to stay viable in our urban landscape. Our team identifies areas which can support ephemeral wetlands and work with land managers to develop these wetlands. We even 'stock' them with with our captive produced offspring.
Rearing Endangered Species of Amphibians

Rearing Endangered Species of Amphibians

Volunteers can also help with rearing state and federally listed amphibian species like Gopher Frogs (Lithobates capito) and Frosted Flatwoods Salamanders (Ambystoma cingulatum) as well as in assisted metamorphosis (head-starting) programs for endangered species.
Outreach — Bringing Reptiles & Amphibians to Schools

Outreach — Bringing Reptiles & Amphibians to Schools

We work with regional schools and programs to teach students about reptiles and amphibians, as well as the conservation issues surrounding these groups.
Scientific Illustration & Specimen Prep

Scientific Illustration & Specimen Prep

We also work with students on valuable research skills, and specimen preparation techniques such as: preservation in ethanol, fixing specimens, and preparing skeletal specimens with flesh-eating-beetles (dermestids).

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Field Studies for Children

Field Studies for Children

Nothing excites kids more about science than getting out in the field and finding animals! If you love engaging children and getting outdoors, then contact us about our Critter Camp, Atlanta Urban Ecologists, Amphibian Foundation Field Trips, In-School Programs, Home School Programs and Metro Atlanta Amphibian Monitoring Programs.
Scientific Illustration Interns

Scientific Illustration Interns

Our former Scientific Illustration Internship program is now part of a larger, career-building conservation training program at AF, the Conservation Research Bridge Program. Click here for more information on the Bridge @ AF.
We train Research Assistants in the scientific illustration of reptiles and amphibians — their anatomy, morphology, physiology and conservation. We train in both pen and ink as well as digital renderings using Adobe PhotoShop and Illustrator to create compelling graphics for scientific research. We produced an annual exhibit, starting in 2016, featuring the illustrations of our interns in a galleries in Decatur + Atlanta. The event is called The Ribbit Exhibit, which raises awareness for amphibian declines and conservation.

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Always Opportunities

Always Opportunities

We encourage further fascination with this remarkable group of critters. We do this by providing opportunities for volunteers, students and interns to work directly with the animals; teaching others, collecting data, caring for the animals and getting out into the field. In most cases, prior experience is not necessary — just an enthusiasm for conservation.
Critter Camp Counselors

Critter Camp Counselors

We are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help with teaching Critter Camp, our popular Reptile and Amphibian Summer and School-year Camp for ages 6 - 14. Volunteers work with the campers and animals, lead activities and help feed the animals. For more information about Critter Camp, see our website: critter-camp.org