Animal Keeper and Environmental Educator Intern for a mobile zoo needed! You will receive rare hands-on experience with small exotic animals! This is a great resume builder for a zookeeping, veterinary, or environmental education career.

Looking for a committed, reliable, independent, experienced person for a part time internship at a private zoo facility near Yelm. We house exotic and domestic animals that are part of an educational mobile zoo. Our cherished Animal Ambassadors include hedgehogs, goats, snakes, hissing cockroaches, stick insects, lizards, mini pigs, and many others that you will get to pet, hold, or even cuddle! You do not have to touch the snakes or insects if you have fears of them.

You can learn about all aspects of their husbandry, handling, veterinary care, enrichment, and biology. You can learn how to create, implement, and teach science-based outreach programs to all ages. You will travel with the Director in the company vehicle to various locations around Puget Sound for events, nursing homes, camps, birthday parties, fairs, schools, etc. Most locations are less than 2 hours away. No overnights are needed.

You will plan and create an independent project to complete during the internship that contributes to the zoo. It can be creating enrichment, building an enclosure, creating curriculum, marketing, etc.

Professional animal husbandry and handling experience is required. Environmental education experience preferred. Must be comfortable with and have experience with small children.

You will work an average of 24 hours/week for 10 weeks in the summer. We will schedule an average of three 8 hour days each week. The hours can vary depending on the length of travel days and weather.

You will be REQUIRED to work at least one traveling program day per week. The other 2 days per week can be flexible. Usually our programs are on Saturdays or Sundays, and sometimes during the week as well. You will be notified of the program schedule at least 2 weeks in advance. You must be available at least one day every weekend, on Saturdays and Sundays. You may get a weekend off, if requested in advance, and if we have no programs scheduled that weekend.

During traveling program days you will work 8-12 hours. If the day goes over 8 hours you will work fewer hours on other days that week. The day may start very early or end late. When we don’t have programs you can help with: animal care, enrichment, cleaning, social media posts, administrative tasks, enclosure construction, fence repair, painting, enclosure maintenance, gardening, weeding, groundskeeping, mucking stalls, etc.

The stipend of $1,200 is for the entire 10 week internship, to help offset your costs.

Ages 17 and up, must be responsible and able to work independently. Must be able to lift 50 pounds repeatedly, push/pull 200 pounds, bend, kneel, squat, use hands and arms, speak, hear, see, walk on very uneven ground, step over a 2 foot barrier while maintaining balance, work in all weather outdoors all day, work in dusty and dirty conditions, handle animal waste and dander. Must have reliable transportation to Roy, WA. There is no public transportation.

Opportunities for advancement if you have a mind for business or management. You will also be considered first when we hire for positions in the fall and next summer.