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Home > Volunteer > Career Internships > Environmental Education & Animal Behavior Internship

Duties

The Environmental Education & Animal Behavior Internship is designed to provide practical experience in animal observation, education, and conservation. This program also includes the opportunity to gain a broad insight to the Zoo community and how it operates. You will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the Zoo everyday while providing an educational experience to our guests.

• Animal Observation and Monitoring. Under the supervision of the intern manager and working with members of our animal staff, interns are responsible for the monitoring and observation of the animals in various locations in the Zoo. Each intern is also responsible for the development and execution of an individual observation project designed to assist the Zoo in gathering information on the behaviors of a specific in-house species.
• Zoo-wide Interpretation. Through formal presentations, informal conversations and research activities, interns will interpret many of the daily activities that take place in the Zoo. Interns participate in daily talks and interpretation of animal feeding and training demonstrations throughout the Zoo. Interns also staff “Exploration Stations” strategically located throughout the Zoo. Each station is equipped with interactive activities or biofacts (skins, skulls, teeth, etc.) relating to a specific animal and its conservation. Interns encourage visitors to participate, touch, and ask questions that will increase their knowledge of the animals in the Zoo.
• Meet Zoo Professionals - This internship will provide the opportunity to meet professionals in the Zoo field from Keepers to Veterinarians to Conservationists in order to learn how the Zoo works and how they achieved their careers.

Requirements

Availability

The internship lasts at least 10-12 weeks and interns must be available 8 hours a week during the fall, winter and spring season, and 24 hours a week during the summer season.

Apply to

Download the Intern Application in PDF format.

To apply for this internship, please submit a letter of interest stating which internship you are applying for and why, a detailed resume, a reference letter or letter of recommendation and a copy of your college transcripts. Please compile all the required documents and submit them as a complete packet to:    

Philadelphia Zoo
Human Resources Department, Internships
3400 West Girard Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19104-1196

**ONLY COMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED**

All interns are required to complete a PA Child Abuse Clearance Form and State Criminal Background Check prior to beginning work at the Philadelphia Zoo.

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All applications received by human resources will receive an acknowledgement. However, only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted directly.