Internship Program

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s intern program offers a wide range of experiences in the areas of animal care, business, development, environmental education, horticulture, information
technology, veterinary technology and wildlife research.

Animal Care

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. Working with the keeper staff, interns gain experience in providing for the needs of exotic animals in captivity and acquire better understanding of the requirements of these animals. Interns are assigned to a morning and afternoon animal area and are working from the hours of 8:00am to 3:30pm, generally Monday-
Friday. Animal care experience is available in the following areas:

• Manatee Springs (Manatees and other Floridian wildlife)
• African Veldt/ Rhino Reserve (Indian and black rhinoceros and various hoof stock)
• Amphibian Collection
• Cat House
• 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)
• Nocturnal House
• Primate Center (lowland gorillas, colobus monkeys and guenons)
• Reptile House
• Wildlife Canyon (Sumatran rhinoceros and various hoof stock)
• Wings of the World (birds)
  

Business

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 Event Intern

This is a great opportunity for students seeking to work in either Development or event planning fields. Intern will gain first-hand experience with a wide variety of special events, such as fundraisers and donor appreciation events. Intern will be exposed to all of aspects of working in Development including donor cultivation, securing sponsorships, and grant writing. Intern will also help secure items for our Zoofari Silent Auction – Cincinnati’s premiere social event and fundraiser.

Under the direction of the Development Team, intern will assist with the administrative details of our special events and Development projects. Projects will include supporting event logistics, event preparations, coordinating donations for silent auctions, 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
• Positive attitude
• Basic computer processing skills including Microsoft Office and Internet
• Interest in career in development or special event coordination preferred
• Highly organized with attention to detail
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Completion of Sophomore year of college

Development

Interns gain experience in all aspects of fundraising at one of the
area’s largest development offices. Work includes data entry, special
events coordination, and working with the major gift club.

Visitor Engagement Internship

Working with the Education Department, you will have the unique opportunity to have hands-on experience in several different visitor engagement areas.

Visitor Engagement 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 8am-6:30pm and you must be available for shifts that make up 40 hours each week

Internship available: Spring, summer, and fall

Environmental Education

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
• Graphic Design: 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.

Horticulture/Botany

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.

Information Technology

The Information Technology intern will assist department members in new and ongoing projects. This position will develop skills in network/workstation support, database applications, and many other facets of day to day Information Technology operations.

Lindner Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW)

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.

Security Department

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

Internships are available to veterinary technician students in their final year of training. Internships are 6-10 weeks in length and are available during the summer session only. The intern assists hospital staff with animal procedures, immobilizations, laboratory work, dispensing medication, maintaining supplies, and behavioral conditioning of the animals.