Zoological Intern, Paid - Farm Keeper (Minnesota Zoo)

The Farm Intern assists staff Farm Keepers in providing animal and exhibit care as assigned on a daily basis so that healthy, well-adjusted aquatic animals and attractive, instructive exhibits are presented to visitors of the Minnesota Zoological Garden (MN Zoo). Activities include feeding domestic animals, monitoring animal health, cleaning domestic animal stalls and enclosures, maintaining grounds, and interacting with visitors to promote an understanding of the role of agriculture in Minnesota’s economy and the importance of farming in the state’s history. Interns participate in daily demonstration and explanation of farm tasks, such as milking cows.

Interns should be comfortable talking with the public about domestic animal health (e.g. giving birth) and animals farmed to produce food.

·        Schedule: 

o  6:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

o  30 hours/week, 10 hours/day, 13 weeks

o  Starts on Wednesday, May 20, 2020; ends in mid-to-late August with date TBD

·        Location:

o  Primarily outdoors or indoors in open barns, etc., at the Wells Fargo Family Farm

·        Activity Level:

o  High level of physical activity required, including walking outdoors; shoveling, raking, maintaining interior and exterior exhibit space, and bending, lifting, crouching and stretching

o  Interns who have had a valid driver’s license for at least 6 months may drive the Zoo’s golf carts and/or Trucksters

·        Animal Husbandry-Collection Interpretation work task distribution:

o  Interns in this work area perform more tasks associated with animal care than with public engagement, including demonstrations (e.g. milking)

o  Interns must be comfortable talking with the public about how animals are raised on farms to produce food