Columbian Park Zoo Summer 2021 Internships (Lafayette Indiana)
Summer internships at Columbian Park Zoo include the following areas of specialty: Animal Care (focus areas include Animal Ambassadors, Australia/Americas exhibits, or Family Farm exhibit); Education and Communication (focus areas include Animal Ambassador and Interpretive Programs, Zoo Camp Counselor, and Social Media); Landscaping/Horticulture. Interns focus on mastering a basic skill set in their assigned area with some opportunities for cross-training and shadowing in other areas. Animal care responsibilities include daily husbandry tasks such as diet preparation, enclosure cleaning/disinfection and light maintenance, record-keeping, and assisting with medications/veterinary procedures, operant conditioning, and behavioral enrichments. Education interns focus on public engagement, interpretive talks, and assist with a variety of education programs, which include the handling of live animals. All interns interact with visitors and may make public speaking presentations, provide customer service, serve as exhibit monitors, supervise youth and adult volunteers, and participate in general housekeeping tasks. Internships are competitive and participation is limited. Summer internships are full-time or part-time with a minimum commitment of 20 hours per week. A minimum of 13 weeks and 240 total hours is required.
Education and Pre-requisites
Must be at least 18 years of age.
Must be a current college student or recent college graduate with a minimum 2.5 GPA.
Basic biological knowledge required.
Must be capable of the physical requirements to work in a zoo setting (i.e. lift 50 pounds, stand for prolonged times, work outside in various weather conditions, tolerate hay/dust/dander/other allergens, climb, lift, grasp, bend, and operate a variety of hand-held tools and equipment, etc.)
Must be able to work with and without direct supervision, and follow oral and written instructions.
Must possess strong verbal and written communication skills.
Must be able to work days, evenings, weekends and holidays, as required.
Must be able and willing to engage with audiences of diverse backgrounds in a courteous and professional manner.
Compensation and benefits
Internships are unpaid. Housing and transportation are the responsibility of the intern.
Course credit may available to current college students.
Participation in the internship program is not a guarantee of future employment.
Application instructions
Application materials are available at www.columbianparkzoo.org. Application packet, including cover letter, resume, transcripts, application form, and two letters of recommendation must be received in a single packet, no later than 5:00pm on March 5, 2021. Please direct questions to Jennifer Spence, Internship Coordinator at jspence@lafayette.in.gov.
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic the internship program may be altered or suspended at any given time.