The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s intern program offers a wide range of experiences in the areas of animal care, business, development, environmental education, group sales, horticulture, information technology, veterinary technology and wildlife research.
Animal Care (Unpaid) - Available during the summer session only
Interns working in the Animal Care departments have the opportunity to work under the supervision of experienced animal keepers. Interns help to maintain the animal collection by preparing diets, cleaning exhibits, shifting animals, and monitoring the health of the collection.
- Manatee Springs (Manatees and other Floridian wildlife)
- African Veldt/ Rhino Reserve (Indian and black rhinoceros and various hoof stock)
- Amphibian Collection
- Night Hunters
- Children’s Zoo (rare barnyard livestock and small eastern woodland animals)
- Commissary
- Vanishing Giants (elephants, giraffe and okapi)
- Insectarium
- Jungle Trails (primates and small nocturnal animals)
- Primate Center (lowland gorillas, colobus monkeys and guenons)
- Reptile House
- Wildlife Canyon (Sumatran rhinoceros and various hoof stock)
- Wings of the World (birds)
Business (Unpaid)
The intern assists the business manager with operations, purchasing, and maintaining supply inventory, as well as coordinating maintenance and construction/renovation projects, development and implementation of safety programs, plus scheduling and overseeing seasonal personnel.
Development Fundraising Internship (Unpaid)
This is a great opportunity for students seeking to work in the Development field as a fundraising professional. Intern will gain first-hand experience with written and phone solicitation and donor cultivation and stewardship. Intern will have the opportunity to work alongside the Chief Development Officer, Director of Development, Director of Planned and Major Gifts, Grants Manager and Sponsorship and Marketing Manager as he/she is introduced to a multi-faceted development department.
Under the direction of the Development team, intern will assist with the editing and writing end-year solicitation letters, grant research and development, sponsorship solicitation, donor cultivation events and visits, development research, and various other tasks.
Intern should have schedule flexibility, be able to commit to three 8-hour shifts per week in the office, and be available to assist with some evening/weekend events.
Qualifications:
• Strong interpersonal, verbal (including phone work) and written communication skills. Due to the nature of this position, we recommend submitting two writing samples with your application.
• Positive attitude
• Basic computer processing skills including Microsoft Office and Internet
• Interest in a career in fundraising/development for a non-profit organization – it is preferable but not necessary that you have successfully completed one internship (in any field) upon application.
• Highly organized with attention to detail
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Extremely professional in manner and dress
• Completion of Sophomore year of college
Development Event Intern (Unpaid)
This position plays an integral role in assisting with the coordination and implementation of donor appreciation and fundraising events. It is a great opportunity for students seeking to work in the fundraising field as an event planner. Under the supervision of the Stewardship and Special Events Manager, intern will be responsible for assisting in various phases of event planning and administration.
Intern will gain hands-on experience with events including: the Zoo Golf Tournament, Wild about Wine, Zoo La La, donor appreciation and cultivation events, and an Exhibit Opening. In addition, he/she will assist in the planning phases of Zoofari. Information regarding our fundraising events can be found on the Zoo’s website.
The internship program is designed to provide an opportunity to learn about all aspects of event planning and a basic introduction to the day-to-day operations of a Development Department. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Respond to phone and email inquiries
- Managing event reservations
- Working with event timelines
- Communicating with sponsors, donors, vendors and zoo staff
- Event set-up and implementation
- Post Event evaluation and follow-up
- Securing items for Silent Auction
- Opportunity to work with other Development Interns on special project(s)
- Assisting Development staff with various projects
Intern should have a flexible schedule, be able to commit to three 8-hour shifts per week in the office, be able to lift 25 pounds, and be available to assist with evening/weekend events (approximately five events) outside of regularly scheduled office hours.
Qualifications:
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal (including phone work) and written communication skills
• Positive attitude and eagerness to learn
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Interest in a career in event planning/fundraising for a non-profit organization
• Highly organized and self-motivated with attention to detail
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Extremely professional in manner and dress
• Completion of sophomore year of college
Environmental Education (Unpaid)
Working in the Education Department provides interns with an opportunity to convey an appreciation and understanding of the natural world to others. Professional educators offer support, training, and guidance in presenting live animal demonstrations, along with assisting you in the coordination and instruction of various educational programs.
Opportunities include: Discovery Center presentations: Summer only Conservation programs: Year round Outreach programs to schools: Sept. – May Zoo classes for all ages: Year round Animal presentations: Summer only; one position each for "Wings of Wonder" bird show and Cat Ambassador "Cheetah Encounter" Program. Prior experience in handling and training exotic animals is required.
Group Sales (Unpaid)
• Assist in the organizing, execution, and clean up of social and corporate events.
• Provide administrative support with database entry, mass mailings, and a variety of other tasks. • Assist in managing and editing our website.
• Help the sales team with a variety of projects.
Qualifications: Need to be organized, outgoing, articulate - both in writing and in person - reliable, mature, and independent. A background in customer service would be a plus. Also need to be able to work evenings and weekends.
Horticulture/Botany (Unpaid)
Interns gain first-hand experience in the maintenance and expansion of the Zoo’s botanical collection. Work includes planting, pruning, watering, and weeding along with labeling, tracking new acquisitions, and transferring and maintaining computer records. Listed in the AABGA, Internship Opportunities.
Internship opportunities available only during the summer session.
Native Plant Program Intern
Interns gain first-hand experience in the maintenance and expansion of the Zoo’s Native Plant Program. Interns will also help with growing native federally endangered species, such as Short’s goldenrod, Cumberland sandwort, northern monkshood, running buffalo clover,
Interns get to work with native flora; work includes planting, pruning, watering, mulching, and weeding along with labeling established native gardens. Intern will also help evaluate flora on which species make good gardening plants.
Intern will also learn identification, cultural requirements, and various propagation techniques for native flora.
Internship opportunities are available beginning in March.
Lindner Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) (Unpaid)
CREW interns will experience high tech research at one of the most sophisticated centers for plant and animal research in the world. Only advanced graduate and veterinary students with strong research interests will be considered. Interns will assist professionals using research techniques on the cutting edge of science, including cryopreservation, embryo transfer and plant cloning. Interns also help with routine laboratory work and plant/animal care. This position is only available during the summer session.
Security Department (Unpaid)
Security interns will assist security management with scheduling (both for general and special events), first aid response, surveillance, access control, and safety assurance. Interns will also be given special academic research/proposal projects.
Veterinary Technology (Unpaid)
Internships are available to veterinary technician students in their final year of training. Internships are 6-10 weeks in length. The intern assists hospital staff with animal procedures, immobilizations, laboratory work, dispensing medication, maintaining supplies, and behavioral conditioning of the animals. Internship opportunities available only during the summer and fall sessions. This internship is only available during the summer session.
Wild Encounters Internship (Unpaid)
Working with the Education Department, you will have the unique opportunity to have hands-on experience in several different visitor engagement areas.
Wild Encounters Includes:
- Animal Encounters; bring education animal ambassadors out and around zoo grounds to meet visitors.
- Interpretive visitor feeding stations; engage with the guests and convey specific conservation messages and information about the animal as well as facilitate the feeding experience.
- Wild Research Discover Zones; interact with the public at multiple exhibits asking them questions, facilitating investigations and engaging in conservation stories.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Conduct on-grounds exhibit interpretation.
- Complete animal handling training and present live animal demonstrations.
- Complete interpretive training aligned with the National Association of Interpretation guidelines.
Qualifications:
Experience and/or strong interest in working with people, strong communication skills, willingness to learn to work with variety of animals, strong conservation values, successful completion of a background check.
Past animal handling, and/or interpretation experience is a plus.
We have shifts available 7 days a week from 9:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m. and you must be available for shifts that make up 40 hours each week
Internship available: spring, summer and fall.
Application Process
The cover letter should include the following:
- Why you are interested in an internship at the Cincinnati Zoo
- Where you heard about the intern program
- What intern opportunities interest you – if interested in animal care, please specify two areas of preference
- What you would like to gain from an internship
All components of the application should be sent in one packet, including the recommendation letter. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Please send complete application packet to:
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Volunteer Services/Intern Program
3400 Vine St.
Cincinnati, OH 45220
Phone 513-559-7736
| Internship Opportunities |
Application due dates
|
| Fall Internships |
Application packets due by July 20.
Placement will be completed by August 1. |
| Spring Internships |
Application packets due by January 15.
Placement will be completed by February 15. |
| Summer Internships | Application packets due by March 1. Placement will be completed by April 30. Summer internship usually begins the last week of May. |
Internship Dates for 2013:
Fall runs from Monday, August 19 – Thursday, October 31
Spring Monday, March 11 – Friday, May 10
Summer Monday, May 20 – Friday, August 9
For further questions call 513-559-7736 or email us at volunteers@cincinnatizoo.org
