RRFB offers multiple internship programs designed to give you hands-on experience in the non-profit world of coral restoration. Whether you join us for 10 weeks or 6 months, you’ll be trained and certified as a coral restoration diver and will gain experience in every aspect of our daily operations. Your work will include maintaining coral nurseries, outplanting corals onto the reef, assisting with education and community outreach, collecting data, and supporting long-term reef monitoring.
Want to know what it’s like to be an RRFB intern? Read first-hand experiences from past participants here
Which internship is right for you?
Reef Renewal Bonaire offers three different internships:
• 10-week Coral Restoration Internship
• 6-month Coral Restoration Internship
• 6-month Communication & Education Internship
All internships are full-time, immersive experiences that contribute directly to our mission of reef restoration and conservation.
The Coral Restoration Internships focusses on hands-on fieldwork and diving activities. Interns are involved in coral nursery maintenance, outplanting, monitoring, data collection, and supporting daily field operations. All coral restoration interns begin with the same foundational training and earn their coral restoration diver certification, before progressing toward more independent responsibilities over time.
The Communication & Education Internship is designed for those interested in outreach and engagement. This role focuses on creating content for social media and communications, supporting and developing educational programs, assisting with events, and helping connect the local community and visitors to reef restoration efforts. While this position is less dive-focused, it remains closely integrated with the restoration team and overall program and also begins with the same foundational training as the coral restoration internships. Find more information about this program here.
As you progress through your internship, your responsibilities and level of independence will grow, particularly within the 6-month programs, where interns take on a more active role within the team.
The table to the right outlines the key differences between the internship durations, helping you choose the program that best fits your availability, skills, and goals.
Due to legal reasons and visa restrictions interns not from the Netherlands / United States cannot receive a stipend.
Our 10 week internships follow a set schedule, with fixed start and end dates that align with quarterly periods. The 6 month internships offer more flexibility in start dates, depending on the number of interns we currently host. We accommodate up to three interns at a time, which can include a mix of 10 week and 6-month participants.
1st Quarter 2026
10-week internship CLOSED
Start date: January 12th
End date: March 27th
2nd Quarter 2026
10-week internship CLOSED
Start date: April 13th
End date: June 26th
Spawning season; Night diving experience preferred
3rd Quarter 2026
10-week internship CLOSED
Start date: July 13th
End date: September 26th
Spawning season; Night diving experience preferred
4th Quarter 2026
10-week internship OPEN
Start date: October 5th
End date: December 18th
January – June 2026
(Start and end dates are somewhat flexible)
6 mo. Coral restoration internship CLOSED
July – December 2026
(Start and end dates are somewhat flexible)
6 mo. Coral restoration internship OPEN
Qualifications & Requirements
- Applicants must be 18 years or older.
- Applicants must be enrolled in an (under)graduate program OR be a recent graduate from a college or university.
- Applicants must have an Open Water SCUBA diver certification and at least 30 logged dives.
- Applicants must be able to lift 20 kg/45 lbs.
- Applicants need to be physically fit and able to work in the water and sun. Selected candidates are required to fill in a Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire.
You will participate in a range of tasks including:
- Participating in community outreach programs
- Assisting with maintenance in coral nurseries
- Assisting with the outplanting of corals
- Assisting staff in coral reef restoration dive programs
- Assisting staff in leading volunteer activities
- Promoting the Foundation and communicating the achievements
What our interns say
Our Interns
