Facility

The Zoo at Chehaw

Closing Date

Description

Chehaw’s Zookeeper Internship is a paid, 6-month program providing an opportunity to learn about and perform daily husbandry, enrichment, training, and medical procedures. Participants will work alongside zookeepers and gain valuable on-the-job experience. The program is designed to prepare interns for a career in zookeeping or any other animal-care field. Housing and a stipend are provided for the duration of the program.
The zoo collection includes a variety of species, and interns will be assigned to areas as decided by staff. Some animals in our collection are: Black Rhinoceros, Cheetah, Bactrian Camels, Red Wolves, Straw-colored Fruit Bats, nonvenomous and venomous reptiles, raptors, Lesser Flamingos, Colobus Monkeys, and Lemurs.
WORKING HOURS:
40 hours (5 days) per week – ANY DAY Mon-Sun
Interns will be required to work weekends and holidays.
PROGRAM LENGTH:
6 months
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Enclosure cleaning and maintenance
• Diet preparation and feeding
• Participation in an animal training program
• Animal observation and proper record documentation
• Implementation of approved enrichment
• Animal handling during public presentations
• Development of public speaking skills through conservation-themed programs
• Work all major holidays if scheduled to do so
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
• This position requires interns to work in all weather conditions including heat, humidity, rain, cold, and dust
• Interns will spend 6 months working in/with all aspects of the Zoological Department
• This position involves considerable physical exertion such as repetitive bending, pushing/pulling/carrying heavy loads, and regular lifting of heavy objects (up to 80 pounds)

Education and Pre-requisites

• Must possess a High School Diploma or equivalent; a college degree is preferred
• Must possess a valid driver’s license
• Previous animal-care experience not required but is preferred

Compensation and benefits

Pay: $7.50 per hour; housing and utilities will be deducted from the total each pay period.
Housing and utilities: Provided on-site; cost deducted from pay.

Application instructions

Send resume and cover letter to Ssassone@chehaw.org, on or before listed closing date of January 15, 2020, with subject line: Spring 2020 Internships.
No telephone calls will be accepted.