Research Internship: Impact of Artificial Light on Seabird Distribution

About the role

This research internship focuses on analysing how artificial light at night and lunar phases influence the year‑round distribution and abundance of seabirds breeding on Madeira Island. The intern will work within the LIFE Natura@night project, gaining experience in field ecology and data analysis.

Key responsibilities

• Analyse the effect of artificial light at night and moon phase on seabird distribution and abundance.
• Participate in fieldwork, including deployment and maintenance of autonomous recording units (ARUs) at the 12 Natura 2000 sites.
• Collect and curate call‑rate and luminosity datasets (light pollution, moonlight, night‑sky brightness).
• Perform statistical analyses of the combined datasets and contribute to the preparation of scientific manuscripts.
• Present findings to the project team and at scientific meetings.

Required profile

• Enrolled in or recently graduated from a degree programme in ecology, environmental science, biology or a related field.
• Strong interest in marine or avian ecology and the impacts of light pollution.
• Ability to work outdoors in variable weather conditions and follow safety protocols.
• Good written and oral communication skills in English.

Required skills

What we offer

• Hands‑on experience in field ecology and acoustic monitoring.
• Access to a complete multi‑year dataset for independent analysis.
• Opportunity to co‑author a peer‑reviewed journal article.
• Mentorship from experienced researchers at SPEA Madeira.