Internship Programme

The Hong Kong Biodiversity Museum (HKBM) is the first museum in Hong Kong dedicated to biodiversity. As a natural history museum, we aim to increase knowledge, education and preservation on biodiversity in Hong Kong and Asia.

The HKBM welcomes tertiary students to apply for our internship programme. In this program, successful applicants will have the opportunities to develop their knowledge within the fields of ecology and biodiversity, interact with the public, develop their communication skills and learn and practice different skills valuable for environmental education and research, and also to develop leadership, creativity and independence skills which ultimately will prepare you for your future professional career.

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The activities developed by the HKBM are diverse, and as a result, our museum is structured into two enthusiastic teams: the Curation and the Education teams, which are complementary but require different skills and responsibilities. You can indicate in your application if you are more interested in working with one of them or both. Let us briefly introduce the duties of both teams so this can fit your expectations.

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Curation Team

Museum collections are specimens-rich and the daily care of those is a major task for the curation team. The work in this team includes anything from the specimen preparation, fixing, identification, display within the exhibition to imaging, databasing or describing it. It also entails to present a coherent framework for the collection to allow visitors to appreciate the diversity of our collection while learning various aspects of their biology.

We are particularly interested in applicants who like us have a passion for biology, and at this point especially for botany and entomology, and are interested in acquiring hands-on experience in the field.

As an intern, you will be working with our team on databasing specimens from our herbarium, taking pictures of them using professional cameras and scientific photography setup. You will also work taking high magnification pictures of insects using both a professional camera and a microscope imaging system for high-resolution photos of tiny specimens.

You will be responsible for maintaining accurate records of the specimens and ensure that those are properly labeled and stored. You will also be responsible for assisting with other tasks as needed.

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The ideal candidate will have excellent attention to details, be meticulous with strong organizational skills, and the ability to work independently. You should be comfortable with and have some experience using Google Sheets or related software. You should also be able to work well in a team environment and have availability to work at least 4 hours weekly.

Education Team​

Sharing knowledge about biodiversity is at the core of the Hong Kong Biodiversity Museum and to do so our team needs to excel in sharing their passion but also in providing scientific and accurate knowledge to most visitors.

As a result, we are looking for applicants with great communication skills and with a passion for sharing their knowledge of biodiversity and educating the public about nature. During museum opening hours, you will be delivering professional tours introducing the background of the museum and of the exceptional specimen collection hosted in its walls. You will also engage with the public through small workshops presenting new aspects of the ecology, beauty and functions of microfauna. Additionally, you will be preparing education material introducing unique species to the public through our social media platform and reaching thousands of followers.

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The ideal candidate should have excellent communication skills, enthusiasm and strong motivation in presenting and educating public audiences, scientific rigor and a will to learn about biodiversity and species biology. Video and graphic editing skills are a bonus to this application.

Eligibility

• Tertiary students (majoring in ecology, biology, environmental science are preferred) or adults keen on gaining knowledge on specimen preparations or environmental education

• Passionate in ecological education and/or biology

• Good communication skills in English (Chinese is required for Education Team)

• Independent and also a good team player

• Familiarity with local ecology is preferred

• Priority will be given to whom has digital marketing experience, photography or graphic design skills, but those skills are not mandatory.

Period

Each intern needs to complete a minimum 200 service hours from Jan 2024 to May 2024 or a year starting from Jan 2024. Working hours are flexible, and could be completed in half-day or full-day shifts. 

Stipend

It’s an unpaid internship. As a token of thanks, HKBM could assist the interns to apply for credit-bearing internship courses in their institutions, and provide reference letters and a certificate of participation to interns with satisfying performance. A certificate of outstanding achievements will be provided for interns who exceed expectations. Further employment possibility may exist later on based on performance and resources available.

Application

To apply, please prepare a CV and a cover letter, and fill up this form. [CLICK HERE]

Deadline: 12 December 2023 (11:59pm)

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for interviews.

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