Animal Care Associate Internships
Animal care associate internships give university students, recent graduates, and early-career switchers hands-on project experience working directly with animals and facilities teams, mentorship from working animal care associates, and, at many employers, a path toward a full-time offer. Openings are concentrated across {{top_industries_phrase}}, with Butterball, Nashville Zoo, and Wisconsin Humane Society among the employers posting roles now.
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Central Park Zoo
Interns
CPZ- ANIMAL EXHIBITS
Job Description
Animal Care Intern - Spring 2027
Location: Central Park Zoo
Department: Animal
Duration: Spring 2027- February- early May; 12 weeks
Schedule: Approx 12 weeks; 16-24 hours per week
Stipend: $800-$1200 (depending on duration and schedule) total stipend to be paid as one lump sum upon the completion of the position, less applicable taxes.
Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis but must be received by December 15th, 2026; the position may be filled before the deadline. Candidates are encouraged to apply early.
The Animal Care Internship at the Central Park Zoo (CPZ) offers an immersive, hands-on learning experience designed for individuals pursuing careers in zoology, biology, veterinary medicine, or conservation. The goal of this internship is to provide hands-on education and training in animal husbandry. CPZ interns will learn many aspects of animal care including exhibit and enclosure maintenance, diet preparation, animal observation, animal handling (based on experience), and enrichment. CPZ interns will be assigned to a specific area: the Tisch Children’s Zoo, Tropics and Polar areas. Interns will also be invited to join in professional lectures and training sessions and also have the opportunity to learn about other career opportunities at the zoo.
Learning Outcomes:
- Interns will develop a comprehensive understanding of daily animal husbandry practices, including diet preparation, species identification, and the natural history of collection animals
- Interns will gain hands-on experience maintaining and evaluating animal habitats to support optimal health and welfare
- Interns will build skills in behavioral observation, data collection, and record-keeping, contributing to ongoing animal management and welfare assessments
- Interns will learn and strengthen communication skills by engaging with zoo visitors and effectively interpreting animal care, conservation messaging, and zoo operations for the public
- Interns will acquire exposure to veterinary care through occasional observation of veterinary rounds (availability dependent), enhancing understanding of animal health management
Qualification Requirements
Eligibility Requirements:
- Must be 18 years of age or older
- Current college or graduate student enrolled in a degree granting program
- Previous animal experience is preferred but not required.
- Be able to lift 50lbs and perform physically demanding tasks (for example: moving hoses, lifting large bags, bales of hay etc.)
- Be able to work in all weather conditions (rain, snow, heat, cold, etc.)
- Applicants must be mature, reliable and able to work well in a busy and fast-paced team environment.
- Provide own housing and transportation
- Must be eligible to work in the United States
Important Information about the Application:
To be fully considered for this role, applicants must upload both a resume AND cover letter
Salary Range
$800-$1200
Animal Care Intern | Wildlife Conservation Society
Animal Care Intern
Central Park Zoo
Interns
CPZ- ANIMAL EXHIBITS
Job Description
Animal Care Intern - Spring 2027
Location: Central Park Zoo
Department: Animal
Duration: Spring 2027- February- early May; 12 weeks
Schedule: Approx 12 weeks; 16-24 hours per week
Stipend: $800-$1200 (depending on duration and schedule) total stipend to be paid as one lump sum upon the completion of the position, less applicable taxes.
Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis but must be received by December 15th, 2026; the position may be filled before the deadline. Candidates are encouraged to apply early.
The Animal Care Internship at the Central Park Zoo (CPZ) offers an immersive, hands-on learning experience designed for individuals pursuing careers in zoology, biology, veterinary medicine, or conservation. The goal of this internship is to provide hands-on education and training in animal husbandry. CPZ interns will learn many aspects of animal care including exhibit and enclosure maintenance, diet preparation, animal observation, animal handling (based on experience), and enrichment. CPZ interns will be assigned to a specific area: the Tisch Children’s Zoo, Tropics and Polar areas. Interns will also be invited to join in professional lectures and training sessions and also have the opportunity to learn about other career opportunities at the zoo.
Learning Outcomes:
- Interns will develop a comprehensive understanding of daily animal husbandry practices, including diet preparation, species identification, and the natural history of collection animals
- Interns will gain hands-on experience maintaining and evaluating animal habitats to support optimal health and welfare
- Interns will build skills in behavioral observation, data collection, and record-keeping, contributing to ongoing animal management and welfare assessments
- Interns will learn and strengthen communication skills by engaging with zoo visitors and effectively interpreting animal care, conservation messaging, and zoo operations for the public
- Interns will acquire exposure to veterinary care through occasional observation of veterinary rounds (availability dependent), enhancing understanding of animal health management
Qualification Requirements
Eligibility Requirements:
- Must be 18 years of age or older
- Current college or graduate student enrolled in a degree granting program
- Previous animal experience is preferred but not required.
- Be able to lift 50lbs and perform physically demanding tasks (for example: moving hoses, lifting large bags, bales of hay etc.)
- Be able to work in all weather conditions (rain, snow, heat, cold, etc.)
- Applicants must be mature, reliable and able to work well in a busy and fast-paced team environment.
- Provide own housing and transportation
- Must be eligible to work in the United States
Important Information about the Application:
To be fully considered for this role, applicants must upload both a resume AND cover letter
Salary Range
$800-$1200
Animal Care Intern | Wildlife Conservation Society
Animal Care Associate Internship Market
Who's Hiring
Tips for Your Animal Care Associate Internship Search
Apply months before the start date
Large employers, including zoos, aquariums, and animal research facilities, open summer intern applications the preceding fall. If you wait until spring to start looking, the structured cohort programs are already closed. Set a calendar reminder and start your search well before the semester you want to intern.
Build a care portfolio before you apply
Hiring teams for animal care associate internships expect limited formal work history, so give them something concrete to review. Document any hands-on experience, a volunteer shift log with species and tasks noted, an enrichment project from a course, or a husbandry protocol you wrote. A specific artifact beats a vague bullet point every time.
Work your campus network alongside direct applications
Campus career fairs surface structured internship programs tied to your university, and professors or career center staff often know which animal care employers recruit from your school before roles post publicly. At the same time, apply directly to smaller wildlife centers and veterinary organizations running their own cohorts, since those rarely appear at campus events.
Practice the animal care associate intern screen out loud
Many animal care associate intern interviews include a scenario question, such as how you would respond to an animal showing abnormal behavior or a husbandry procedure going wrong. Practice answering out loud, walking through your reasoning step by step, because interviewers weigh how you think through a situation as much as your final answer.
Animal Care Associate Internships: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an animal care associate internship?
Lead with coursework and hands-on projects rather than work history, since hiring teams expect limited professional experience at the intern level. The concrete artifact that gives recruiters something to assess is a documented animal handling or care log, a species-specific husbandry protocol you developed, or a volunteer observation journal. Combine direct applications with campus career fairs, where recruiters often move faster for students they meet in person.
Can an animal care associate internship turn into a full-time job?
Many employers extend return offers to strong interns, but conversion is never guaranteed. What actually drives it for animal care associate interns is consistent performance on real animal care tasks, positive feedback from supervising staff, and available headcount when the internship ends. Position for a return offer by treating every shift like a working interview without counting on the outcome.
When should I apply for animal care associate internships?
Earlier than most expect. Large employers, including zoos, aquariums, and research facilities, recruit summer interns the preceding fall, so applications open months before the start date. Smaller organizations and co-op programs post closer to when the role begins, which means openings appear year-round. Checking listings regularly rather than waiting for a single season gives you the widest window.
Are animal care associate internships paid?
Most professional animal care associate internships in the U.S. are paid, though compensation varies by employer size, industry, and location. Nonprofit wildlife organizations and research institutions may offer stipends rather than hourly wages, while zoos and veterinary-adjacent employers tend to pay more competitively. Where the employer discloses pay, it appears in the listing.
What should an animal care associate internship resume include?
Lead with projects, not work history. Include two or three documented experiences, such as a species care rotation, an enrichment design project, or a volunteer shift log, naming the specific animals you worked with and any protocols or tools you followed. Add relevant coursework in animal science, biology, or veterinary technology, and keep the resume to one page.
Can international students get animal care associate internships?
Yes. F-1 students can intern through CPT while enrolled or through OPT work authorization after finishing a degree, and the employer does not have to file anything for either, so many companies are open to international interns. Confirm your eligibility and timing with your university's international student office before accepting an offer.
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