Internships :: Riverbanks Zoo & Garden

An opportunity and experience you’ll never forget.

The internship program at Riverbanks is an opportunity for college students to acquire experience and knowledge by working along side our professional staff. The experience will in no doubt benefit any future endeavors in the zoological field or related area of interest. Internships and other opportunities are available to college students in animal care, summer camp, education programs, ZooTeen program, horticulture, and other areas of request.

Individuals participating in Animal Care or Horticulture internships will be eligible to apply for The Weinkle Family Internship Scholarship. This scholarship at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden will be awarded annually to one or more students participating in a zookeeping or horticulture internship at Riverbanks. Scholarship opportunities will be needs-based and made available to future zookeepers specifically but may also be awarded to future horticulturists. Participation in either of these areas will expose students to the zoo industry as well as the field of conservation and horticulture. Interested students should submit an up-to-500-word essay describing the reason for participating in Riverbanks’ internship program and the nature of financial need.

Upon receiving the completed application, selected students will be contacted to schedule an interview. Efforts are made to place students in their area of interest.

For questions or more information, please contact the Director of Human Resources, Tracy Hughes.

Current Internship Positions (last updated on December 19, 2024)

Bird Department (Summer Internship) (Temporary 12-Week 40-Hours/Week Internship (Tentative: May-August 2025))

Posted: 12/19/2024
Salary: $8.50/hr

Application Deadline: February 6th, 2025

Ambassador Commitment: Create meaningful connections and inspire actions that will have a lasting impact on wildlife and wild places.

Responsibilities: Under the supervision of the Bird Department Keepers, interns will learn the fundamentals of bird keeping. Alongside keepers, interns will be responsible for the proper care of the avian collection and will be expected to perform the following:

Essential Duties:

Distribute and prepare diets
Clean, scrub, and disinfect exhibits and enclosures
Maintain exhibits and public areas
Construct, distribute, observe, and record enrichment interactions
Become familiar with the indicators of observing animals for illness, injury, or abnormal behavior
Observe and participate (if applicable) in the proper methods of avian capture and safe restraint
Learn the basics of artificial incubation and hand-rearing
Become familiar with AZA and SSP® policies and practice
Assist in record keeping
Provide positive interaction with guests around the park
Participate in behind-the-scenes tours
Complete various projects and academic curriculum as assigned

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden Internships offers a diverse avicultural experience. The Bird Department collection is comprised of about 300 individuals representing approximately 60 species. Birds are housed in an indoor tropical birdhouse, a sub-Antarctic exhibit, outdoor aviaries, and off-exhibit enclosures. The collection is managed for exhibit, education experiences, and propagation.

Scholarship Opportunity: The Weinkle Family Internship Scholarship at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden will be awarded annually to one or more students participating in a zookeeping or horticulture internship at Riverbanks. Scholarship opportunities will be needs-based and made available to future zookeepers specifically but may also be awarded to future horticulturists. Participation in either of these areas will expose students to the zoo industry as well as the field of conservation and horticulture. Interested students should submit an up-to-500-word essay describing the reason for participating in Riverbanks’ internship program and the nature of financial need.

Education and Experience: This position requires work in all weather conditions including heat, humidity, rain, and cold. Candidates must be able to be on their feet for long periods of time. This position involves considerable physical activity such as repetitive bending, pushing, pulling, and lifting/carrying heavy loads up to 50lbs.

This is a full-time internship open to undergraduates or recent graduates seeking degrees in Biology or related fields. The term of appointment is 12 weeks of uninterrupted work from May to August. Interns are required to work 40 hours per week in 5 consecutive days. This includes weekends and holidays. Vacation time is not a benefit of this internship.

Apply today! Submit an online internship application.

Internship Requirements

Review and consider if interested in an internship:

Major must be related to internship area.
Must be a hard worker, enthusiastic, and willing to learn.
Animal Care Interns must be at least 18 years old.
There are two levels of time commitment for college internships, but we are willing to accept students for non-credit. Level 1 college credit assigned project for 40 hours per week (minimal of 3 months.) Level 2 college credit assigned project for 20–40 hours per week (minimal of 2 months.) Non-college project for 20–40 hours per week (minimal of 2 months.)
A current tuberculin skin test prior to interning.
Must follow Riverbanks Appearance Policy. Riverbanks supplies interns with T-shirts and a nametag. Interns have the option of purchasing additional uniform items at their own expense. Interns are responsible for purchasing khaki pants/shorts and closed-toe shoes.