Zoological Intern, Unpaid - Zoo Keeper, Birds Department (Minnesota Zoo

           Apply for Job ID 37025 – Summer 2020 Unpaid Zoo Keeper Internship

The Minnesota Zoo’s Birds Department is responsible for the daily management and care of all of the Zoo’s exhibit birds. This collection includes approximately 300 birds representing 66 species. Most of the Zoo’s birds are on exhibit in the three-acre indoor Tropics Trail. The Birds Department also manages the Zoo’s collection of African penguins, exhibited in the 3M Penguins of the African Coast display.

Interns learn how to maintain and enrich bird exhibits, support and monitor the health of the bird species in the Minnesota Zoo’s collections, and interpret these collections for visitors through demonstrations and presentations.

All interns complete an individual project developed in consultation with Zoo aquarist staff.

·        Schedule: 

o  Eight hours scheduled between 6:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

o  40 hours/week; 5 days/week; 8 hours/day; 13 weeks

o  Schedule may include one weekend day

·        Location:

o  Primarily indoors in the main Zoo building

·        Activity Level:

o  Medium level of physical activity required, including extensive walking indoors, standing to prepare diets; crouching, bending, stretching, etc. to maintain sanitary and safe bird enclosures

·        Animal Husbandry-Collection Interpretation work task distribution:

o  Interns in this work areaperform more tasks associated with animal care than with public engagement