2026 Summer Internship Animal Care

Chattanooga, TN - USA

Monthly Salary: Not Disclosed

Posted on: 15 hours ago

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

The Chattanooga Zoo Animal Care Internship program is a husbandry-based experience that will provide foundational knowledge and skill set needed to enter the animal care field. This experience-based opportunity gives interns hands-on skills assisting staff in the daily care of animals and exhibits record keeping and interacting with zoo guests. This is a paid internship position that offers college credit based on your college or institutions requirements and provides an opportunity for learning and experience in the following focus areas:

Hoofstook - Giraffe Highland cattle warthog and more

Primate - chimp mangabey spider monkey gibbon tamarin and more

Ambassador Animal - African serval Cape porcupine parrots birds of prey reptiles and more

Small Mammal - fennec fox spotted genet meerkat sand cat and more

Large Carnivore - jaguar cougar snow leopard coyote and more

Herpetology - Komodo dragons Chinese alligators Burmese python hellbender Aldabra tortoise and more

Position Roles & Responsibilities

Performs outdoor tasks including daily husbandry routines diet preparation and distribution enrichment distribution and evaluation behavioral observations
Observe operant conditioning sessions with a multitude of species
Participates in public education spotlights
Maintain accurate records
Comply with all Chattanooga Zoo policies and procedures

For a complete list of roles and responsibilities please see Full Job Description below.

Minimum Qualifications and Program Requirements

Minimum 18 years of age
Currently enrolled in a college or university or have graduated within the past 12 months
Completed at least 30 college credits with a 2.5 GPA or above
Available to work 24 hours per week (336 total hours)
Available for 14 weeks for one of the two sessions:

Session 1: May 11 - August 16 2026 OR Session 2: May 18 - August 23 2026

Ability to read speak and write English in order to successfully complete essential job functions
Willing and able to work outdoors in all types of weather
Passion for working with animals and serious about learning
Successfully complete a background check drug screen and TB skin test
Submission of a completed application on ApplicantPro which includes all of the following:
- Transcript of college coursework confirming 30 or more college hours with a 2.5 GPA or above
- Resume and cover letter which includes your area of interest
- Reference letter of a NON-family member on official company or school letterhead with a date and a signature
SEE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS BELOW

Physical Requirements

Medium: Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently. This position requires standing walking climbing bending stooping and lifting/holding a majority of the time.

Physical Environment:

This position requires constant movement across zoo grounds for the majority of the workday and is routinely exposed to external elements which include heat/cold wet/humid & dry/arid weather conditions.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Application and all documents must be submitted via ApplicantPro by March 2 2026

Submit a completed application which includes all of the following:
Upload resume AND cover letter which includes your area of interest
Upload transcript of college coursework confirming 30 or more college hours with a 2.5 GPA or above
Upload reference letter of a NON-family member on official company or school letterhead with a date and a signature. Reference letters which do not follow this requirement will NOT be accepted.

!!! Please submit ALL required documents in the RESUME SECTION - Submitted Documents

BEFORE you submit your application !!!

The Friends of the Zoo Inc (Chattanooga Zoo) is an Equal Opportunity compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act the Zoo will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

We are committed to an inclusive environment and value the diverse qualities perspectives and experience of all individuals.

Required Experience:

Intern

The Chattanooga Zoo Animal Care Internship program is a husbandry-based experience that will provide foundational knowledge and skill set needed to enter the animal care field. This experience-based opportunity gives interns hands-on skills assisting staff in the daily care of animals and exhibits r...