Animal Hospital Internship

Title: Animal Hospital Internship

Reports to: Hospital Animal Care Specialist(s) and Animal Health Manager

Overview:

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens seeks interns who are ready to learn and support our mission of connecting communities with wildlife and wild places. We embrace an inclusive culture of collaboration to make progress in five Strategic Plan pillars: Conservation, Animal and Plant Wellbeing, Relevancy, Financial Sustainability, and being an Employer of Choice.

The Animal Hospital internship is suited for those interested in pursuing careers in zoo-keeping, animal husbandry, and/or the general animal care field. Interns will receive valuable experience in an animal health setting with opportunities to learn quarantine protocols for incoming animals and caring for all hospitalized animals, which can include nearly any species in the zoo’s collection. The internship will also provide the chance to learn nutrition and diet preparation in the Animal Nutrition Center.

NOTE: This is neither a veterinarian nor a veterinary technician internship and will primarily focus on animal husbandry tasks.

Qualifications:

• Enrollment in or graduation from an associate or bachelor’s degree program in any animal science or related field.
• Prior animal care or rehabilitation experience is beneficial.
• Ability to work 20- 40 hours weekly for twelve consecutive weeks (term start dates dependent upon orientation date and intern availability).
• Schedule is negotiable and flexible around education and employment commitments.
• Proof of negative TB test and tetanus vaccination.
• Valid driver's license and ability to operate motor vehicles safely.
• Ability to lift 50 pounds, crawl, climb, jump, rake, stoop, sweep, bend, lift, reach and lift overhead, kneel, and carry objects for short distance without difficulty.
• Ability to work in adverse weather conditions including rain, heat, and cold.
• Ability to traverse Zoo grounds on foot and stand/walk for extended periods of time.
• Visual and auditory acuity appropriate for animal care and general safety practices.
• Housing is the responsibility of the intern.
  
  
  

Responsibilities:

• Ensuring safety is always the top priority.
• Support Hospital Animal Care Specialist(s) in meeting and exceeding modern and progressive animal care regulations and standards.
• Contribute to a positive and inclusive workplace culture.
• Enhance guest experiences.
  
  
  

Internship Duties:

Assist hospital animal care specialists with basic animal husbandry duties. Special projects may be arranged or designed to meet qualifications for school credit. Emphasis for interns is on general zoo keeping skills in a hospital setting, enrichment, and working as a member of a team. Projects may include literature searches, facility organization/cleaning or researching husbandry requirements. The Animal Health Department consists of many positions including veterinarian, veterinary nurse, animal care specialists, administration, and animal nutrition center. Interns will have the opportunity to shadow or be rotated through all these areas on an “as needed” basis.

Assisting animal care specialists with daily tasks typically includes:

• cleaning animal enclosures, crates, buildings and/or grounds
• feeding/lifting hay, bags of grain, and other supplies
• preparing animal diets and enrichment
• animal observation/ monitoring in a medical setting
• other duties as assigned
• diet preparation and cleaning in the Animal Nutrition Center
  
  
  

Please note that this is not meant to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities and that the requirements of the internship are subject to change as required.

Skills Required:

• Ability to prioritize human and animal safety during all job functions.
• An inclusive mindset with strong collaboration and teamwork skills
• Strong work ethic: dependable, timely, responsive, productive, organized.
• Effective communication including respectful interpersonal skills.
• Keen observation skills and attention to detail
• Safe operation of hand tools, vehicles, and other equipment
• Ability to work individually and in a team setting.
• Basic computer literacy, including Microsoft Office
• Ability and openness to learn new tasks, skills, and technologies.
• Effective time management including prioritization.
• Sound judgment and critical thinking skills.
• Ability to remain focused and manage stress to perform the job effectively.
• Acceptance and application of constructive feedback
• Self-motivation and ambition
  
  
  

Physical Requirements:

• Proof of negative TB test and tetanus vaccination
• Ability to lift fifty pounds without difficulty.
• Ability to work in adverse weather conditions including rain, heat, and cold.
• Ability to traverse zoo grounds on foot and operate motorized vehicles safely.
• Visual and auditory acuity appropriate for animal care and general safety practices.
• Ability to remain on feet for extended periods of time.
• Ability to crawl, climb, jump, rake, stoop, sweep, bend, lift, reach and lift overhead, kneel, and carry objects for short distance without difficulty.
  
  
  

Inclusion, diversity, and equity as a value

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens embraces diversity in a meaningful way and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment regardless of a person's actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, sex, age, religion, creed, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, weight, or height.