Animal Care Internship

Animal Care Internship

This position is on-site at The Great Plains Zoo located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The Great Plains Zoo is offering an opportunity for education and experience for tomorrow’s workforce. The Zoo has internship opportunities available to those interested in pursuing a career in Animal Care and Zoo Management. The intern program is designed to help applicants determine if a career with animals is right for you. It also offers valuable experience to those who are planning to apply to vet school or looking to pursue a job in the Animal Care field. You will learn, hands on, all the husbandry techniques that it takes to care for the animals at the zoo. You will be given the opportunity to gain valuable skills, on-the-job training and experience that will be a great asset to you in the future as you continue to pursue your career. Some of the areas interns will get instruction include but are not limited to: cleaning, feeding, making diets, basic maintenance of areas, safety, and record keeping as well as the basics of Operant Conditioning Animal Training, and enrichment. Interns will have the opportunity to do an enrichment based project to increase their knowledge of one of the species that they work. Interns will also attend several classes during the program to further increase their knowledge about all aspects of zoo keeping and Animal Care.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Must be 18 or older.
• Requires a high school diploma or GED certificate. Prefer candidates that are pursuing a degree in a zoological related field.
• Schedule is generally 30-40 hours for 10-12 weeks. Maximum of 400 hours.
• All interns should have a passion for animals and a genuine interest in a zoo career and an ability to have a good relationship with others.
• Interns must take directions well and pay careful attention to procedures and established protocols.
• They should follow instructions and carry out their responsibilities in a safe and careful manner in order to avoid injury to themselves, to employees, to visitors, and to the animals.
• They must be physically able to perform cleaning, feeding, and general husbandry tasks for animals in various weather conditions.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds regularly.
• Weekend, evening, and holiday work may be required.
• Interns are required to work as a team and with minimal supervision.
• Participants must be able to adjust to changes in the daily routines.
• Must also maintain a valid driver’s license.
• We encourage applications from people who hold historically under-resourced and underrepresented identities who have lived experiences that can be brought into this work. If this position resonates with you and you believe you could bring passion and commitment to this role, please do not hesitate to apply. Although certain skills and prior experience may be preferred, we are committed to providing the necessary training for successful applicants to be able to succeed and thrive as part of a dynamic, diverse staff.

INTERNSHIP TIMETABLE

We are currently accepting applications to begin the summer internship at the end of May. Start dates may be flexible depending on your availability. We are hiring a total of 6 Animal Care Interns. Pay is $11.20 per hour.

*****Please indicate in your cover letter your interest in the zoo field, along with any experiences you've had that you feel demonstrate this interest. *****

The Great Plains Zoo is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Great Plains Zoo cares for animals from around the world and offers up-close views of animals often not found in larger zoos, including giraffes, tigers, black rhinos and a national award-winning Snow Monkey exhibit.