Facility

Animal Park at the Conservators Center

Closing Date

Description

This internship position requires a highly motivated personality who is eager to learn and perform duties associated with the husbandry and maintenance of exotic animals on exhibit in a working, education-focused facility. Interns work alongside and are supervised by professional zookeeper staff who will mentor and coach them during their internship, at a minimum of 240 hours. Interns who successfully complete the program are provided with a certificate of completion and letters of reference upon request. For more information and to complete an application, please visit our website at https://www.animalparknc.org.

RESPONSIBILITIES & ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Services and cleans animal habitats, holding areas, and general grounds
Prepares (according to precise instructions) and delivers animal diets
Creates and provides enrichment for animals
Observes and reports animal behaviors
Learns and strictly adheres to safety protocols and other procedures
Assists with projects that may include habitat and enrichment construction and maintenance, operant conditioning animal training, and supporting veterinary procedures
Learns procedures for capture and restraint, animal training, and medication administration
Performs additional tasks as requested by animal husbandry staff

APPLICATION:
For additional information and to complete an application, please visit our website at https://animalparknc.org/connect/internships/. The selection process will include traditional interviews that may take place over the phone for individuals who are not local.

Education and Pre-requisites

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS:
Attention to detail
Strong focus
Ability to follow direction precisely
Ability to receive constructive criticism and take corrective action
Ability to work closely and communicate clearly with keeper staff and support volunteers, and to communicate occasionally if needed with members of the public visiting for tours or events

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:
Minimum age of 18 required
High school diploma or equivalent
Enrolled in or recently graduated from a college or university program with a related focus
Preference given to students closer to their graduation date
Previous experience at a zoo, working with wildlife in rehabilitation, or in a veterinary clinic is preferred

LICENSING, CERTIFICATION, and/or REGISTRATION:
Valid US driver’s license required
Covid vaccination required
Rabies pre-exposure vaccination preferred, but not required

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Requires 40 hour work weeks, with 2 days off, though they may not be consecutive
Requires prolonged standing, significant walking, and bending, stooping, stretching, and other intensive physical labor
Requires the ability to move safely over uneven ground while carrying items
Requires lifting up to 50 pounds
Rural location requires reliable transportation
Requires working outdoors in most weather conditions, in temperatures from 0 to 105℉
Requires handling predictable and controllable hazards associated with animals, including exposure to dust and allergens as well as chemicals used for husbandry purposes
Requires handling deceased whole prey and raw meat
Requires some exposure to strong odors

Compensation and benefits

Subsidized housing is available.

Application instructions

APPLICATION:
For additional information and to complete an application, please visit our website at https://animalparknc.org/connect/internships/. The selection process will include traditional interviews that may take place over the phone for individuals who are not local.