Facility

Utica Zoo

Closing Date

[jobclosingdate]

Description

The Utica Zoo offers full-time (40 hrs /week) Animal Care Department Summer Internships each year. The internship begins at the end of May and lasts for approximately 9 weeks (generally May 30th-August 1st). Interns will work under the direct supervision of the animal care staff and assist in all aspects of their daily activities.

This is a hands on internship. Duties will include cleaning, feeding, record keeping, enrichment, diet preparation, exhibit maintenance/construction, as well as assisting during veterinary procedures and education programming as instructed. This work is physically demanding. Direct physical contact with animals is often limited. Interns will be required to do some public speaking and will have direct contact with visitors.

Intern positions are available in all animal areas and the animal commissary. Interns will be assigned to only one area for the duration of their internship, but may have brief opportunities to experience different aspects of all areas through veterinary procedures or as other situations arise.

All interns are required to attend onsite classes conducted by Zoo Staff on various aspects of animal care including animal and keeper health, capture and restraint, enrichment, animal training, and other topics.

Education and Pre-requisites

Must be enrolled in or have graduated from a college level zoology, wildlife, environmental science, ecology, or any science education or interpretation program

Proof of negative tuberculin test required (must be within 6 months of start date). Tetanus vaccination recommended.

Interns must be able to lift and carry a minimum of 50lbs as well as be prepared to work in various weather and environmental conditions.

Compensation and benefits

The internship is unpaid but interns will gain a wealth of hands-on experience with varied taxa.

A housing option is available for a fee from a local university.

Application instructions

Resumes with appropriate cover letters should be sent via email to Pearl Yusuf, Director of Animal Operations, pearl.yusuf@uticazoo.org. The cover letter should include your areas of interest, goals and what you can offer the zoo. Please visit: http://uticazoo.org/animal-care-internships/ for information on area concentrations.
Statement of area interest does not guarantee placement in that area. Interns will be placed in accordance with the needs of the zoo animal collection.