Houston Zoo Paid Summer Internship

APPLICATION DEADLINE 1 DECEMBER 2023 !!

Click Here for more Information and to Apply!

Click Here for video of infosession on 15 November 2023

Commitment Statement:

The Zoo’s goal as a leading conservation organization is to provide a rich experience for undergraduate students to interact with animal science, care, and welfare prior to a career in animal sciences, animal health, conservation, or acceptance to a veterinary graduate school. Houston Zoo’s Paid Internship program directly aligns with their mission of connecting communities to animals and their vision of becoming a global leader in conservation. Their Core Values, particularly Inclusion and Integrity, will be imbedded in this internship opportunity through learning experiences and thoughtful assignments. They are committed to providing exceptional paid internship experiences for undergraduate students who are historically underrepresented in veterinary medicine and animal science professions.

Below are the goals of the internship program, the training it provides, and expectations are detailed.

Quick Look

• 10 week summer internship
• $15/h, 40h/week plus parking and public transit pass
• Built around training to make students more prepared for veterinarian or animal science careers
• Can earn up to 6 hours upper level elective or capstone credit at UH

For more information, contact:

Dr. Gilly Taylor (Houston Zoo; questions about the internship) TGilley@houstonzoo.org
Phillicea Thomas (Houston Zoo; questions about the application and technical support) PThomas@houstonzoo.org
Dr. W. Anthony Frankino (UH; questions about academic credit) frankino@uh.edu

Primary Program Goals:

• Provide a robust and rigorous 10-week intern experience for students
• Ensure interns leave with transferable skills sets necessary for future programs and careers, regardless of industry
• Instill a commitment to conservation and sustainability through hands-on, immersive experiences

Knowledge and Skills:

In addition to animal care experience, all interns will acquire transferable skills necessary for any future internship or career. These skills include but are not limited to effective communication for diverse audiences, initiative, accountability, creative problem solving, time management, teamwork, and authenticity. In addition to these transferable skills, interns should expect growing their abilities in the following areas: - Animal husbandry and habitat maintenance - Passion and interest in conservation and sustainability, both locally and globally - Guest engagement and enriching guest experiences - Stewardship and organizational goals

Duties and Responsibilities:

This supervised animal care position interacts directly with animals, guests, volunteers and a variety of other zoo staff. Interns are expected to: - experience and learn all aspects of animal husbandry including but not limited to food preparation, exhibit maintenance, daily and weekly cleaning tasks, public presentations, daily enrichment, operant conditioning techniques, veterinary procedures, animal behavior observation, and record-keeping - Work closely with other staff/volunteers to ensure a safe and healthy work environment - Make positive contributions to enhance the guest experience, interacting with the public in both an educational and professional manner - Complete all projects and assignments in a timely manner - Contribute to saving animals in the wild through reduction of waste, water, and energy use and inspiring guests and staff to take wildlife-saving actions

General Pacing Calendar:

Intern Requirements and Expectations:

• Must be available 40 hours per week for 10 weeks
• Flexible, self-motivated, and a team player
• Understand and follow oral and written instructions
• Must be able to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
• Establish and maintain an effective rapport with all levels of management, employees, and zoo guests
• Able to walk, stand, sit, kneel, stoop, crawl, twist, reach above head, pull, bend, climb stairs and ladders, carry up to 50lbs, and actively work in inclement weather
• Have reliable transportation to and from work (bus, train, or rideshare available)
• Must be otherwise eligible to work in the U.S. at the time of the internship
• Pass a background check and drug screening
• Will be expected to wear the approved uniform and observe the same personal appearance standards required of all Zoo staff
• Provide a current negative TB test prior to the internship start date
• Frequent exposure to the outside elements and summer heat can be expected.
• Have some computer knowledge

Academic Credit Option:

Interns can earn up to 6 hours of upper-level elective for the experience. To do so, they will register with Dr. Frankino for BIOL 3396 & 4396. Successful completion of these courses will satisfy the capstone requirement for the Biology major degree plan. Students will work with Drs. Frankino and Gilley to develop a short expectations agreement the outlines what the student needs to do to earn a grade of A for these courses. These expectations will align with the goals of the internship program, and will include a minimum of three meetings with Frankino during the course of the internship.