Animal Department Internship

INTERNSHIP POSITION OVERVIEW

Interns will be able to work alongside keepers in the day-to-day care of these species and interact with guests. Interns will learn about animal husbandry, behavior, dietary requirements, operant conditioning training, enrichment, animal restraint, and species management.

Duties:

Interns are supervised by animal care staff within the department; however, with some specific projects, interns are expected to have the ability to work autonomously following directions. In addition to assisting with cleaning, interns will have the opportunity to be involved with public presentations, diet preparation, animal feeding, and special projects, including the creation of enrichment items and participation in research programs. Interns will be exposed to various animals ranging from invertebrates to mammals. Assignments and opportunities that are available to animal department interns are based on individual progress during the internship.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

Animal Department Internship encompasses a wide variety of species and is dependent on the department selected. Interns will be able to work alongside keepers in the day-to-day care of these species and interact with guests. Interns will be able to learn about animal husbandry, behavior, dietary requirements, operant conditioning training, enrichment, animal restraint, and species management.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:

Provide support to the Animal Department staff in daily animal care duties. Allow qualified individuals the opportunity to gain professional hands-on experience. Promote an opportunity to gain a strong understanding of potential careers in animal husbandry, research, and conservation.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Animal Department interns are supervised by animal care staff within the department; however, with some specific projects, interns are expected to have the ability to work autonomously following directions. In addition to assisting with cleaning, interns will have the opportunity to be involved with public presentations, diet preparation, animal feeding, and special projects, including the creation of enrichment items and participation in research programs. Interns will be exposed to a wide variety of species. Assignments and opportunities that are available to an intern are based on individual progress during the internship.

Qualifications:

• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• Upperclassmen and recent college graduates are preferred.
• Must be able to work 16-24 hours/week.
• Must be able to work approximately 8 hours per day on assigned days.
• Must provide proof of negative TB test and submit to drug testing prior to the start of the internship.
• Must be able to work efficiently and safely around live animals.

Physical and Environmental:

This position involves a lot of walking and lifting. Time outdoors is expected in all different weather conditions, including heat, humidity, rain, or dust. It may also involve considerable physical exertion such as climbing, reaching, assuming awkward positions, repetitive motions, and lifting and/or moving heavy objects (up to 50 pounds) on a regular basis. Due to the nature of this environment, interns will have some public contact requiring considerable communication skills.

To Apply:

• Complete Online Internship Application
• Eligible applicants will be contacted for a phone interview by the Animal Department shortly after the application deadline.

Internship Dates and Deadline to Apply:

• Fall Term – (September – December with a deadline of  July 15th)
• Spring Term – (January – April with a deadline to apply of November 15th)
• Summer Term – (May – August with a deadline to apply of March 15th)

The start date is normally within the first 2 weeks of that month and it is a 3-month, 16 hours per week internship (unpaid).

For questions about our internship programs please email Interns@centralfloridazoo.org

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