The registrar intern/extern assists the registrar with ongoing animal records management projects. Most, if not all, projects are focused on quality control and data cleanup. Some routine work is required and includes prepping animal transaction files for microfilming, completing data entry functions in several databases and cross-checking documents for accuracy. The above-referenced intern/externship provides a bird’s-eye view of the Animal Division’s administrative functions. The registrar intern/extern must be computer literate with a proficiency in Windows, Internet and CD-Rom technology.

The Conservation Audience Research and Evaluation (CARE) Department supports the Saint Louis Zoo in making data-driven decisions involving a wide spectrum of audiences including guests, employees, communities within the St. Louis area, and global conservation partners. Using a variety of methodologies to answer a diverse range of evaluation and research questions about the human dimension of the Saint Louis Zoo’s work, CARE frequently collaborates with nearly every department within the Zoo, especially Education, Marketing, Human Resources, and Exhibit Design teams. The CARE intern/extern will conduct at least one complete evaluation/research study, which may include interviewing Zoo visitors, data entry, data analysis and report generation. As CARE is involved with multiple projects at the same time, interns/externs will also be exposed to a variety of other aspects and duties in the visitor studies field.

The Development intern/extern assists the Development office staff with ongoing fundraising and data management. Projects may include data entry, assisting with mailings and filing. Occasional assistance with donor-related events may be needed. The above-referenced intern/externship provides a bird’s-eye view of the Development office’s administrative functions. The Development intern/extern must be computer literate with a proficiency in Microsoft Office and have filing experience.

The Early Childhood Education intern or extern will assist in the research and design of activities and materials for our early childhood unit. They will also assist in the preparation of our early childhood classes and be trained as a facilitator in our Discovery Room. Interns and externs will interact with children and caregivers in the classroom and assist in the Zoo’s early childhood camp program. Some college coursework in education and science is required. Early childhood experience preferred. Good communication and customer service skills are a must. Creativity and flexibility are key.

The Saint Louis Zoo possesses an extensive collection of biological artifacts (biofacts), which are preserved animal remains such as bones, skulls, skins, feathers and other such objects. Biofacts are used for Zoo education activities. The biofact intern/extern assists the biofact curator and biofact committee in completing ongoing projects to better organize and maintain the collection. Duties include, but are not limited to, the following: biofact identification/inventory, database management, general biofact repair and processing and a study of skull measurements. The biofact intern/extern is also given the opportunity to shadow educational programs in other areas of the Education Department so that he or she can acquire a full understanding of the department. Interns and externs are also given their own projects to complete based on their interests. Interns/externs must have some biology/ taxonomy experience and an interest in skeletal anatomy.

Camp KangaZoo interns/externs will be immersed in the excitement of summer camp while helping the Zoo meet the needs of the campers and provide them an enriching educational experience. Interns/externs will give extra attention to children who need it; assist with setting up, taking down and leading activities with campers; model conservation behaviors; and help with other projects as assigned. Minimum of one year of college and a strong interest in animals preferred. Experience working with children and good communication and customer service skills required. Must possess energy, enthusiasm, a positive and caring attitude, and a team approach.

Camp KangaZoo Inclusion interns/externs will help to provide extra assistance to campers with special needs. Interns/externs may assist in many ways, depending on the child’s needs. Examples include: playing a quiet game with a camper who needs a break away from the group, helping a camper to understand instructions or helping with a craft, walking with campers on tours around the Zoo, helping with transitions, and helping campers to interact and make friends with others. Minimum of one year of college and experience working with children required. Experience with children with special needs preferred. Must possess a positive and caring attitude, willingness to learn, patience, and a desire to see every children succeed.

Interns/externs help with diet and food preparation and aid and engage Zoo visitors at Stingrays at Caribbean Cove. They will also support the Interpretive Program and team through other tasks as assigned by the Education Department, including time working with interpreters on grounds and helping with the Day with the Rays program and other programs throughout the Zoo. As an opportunity for growth and learning we will help in developing goals and outcomes for each intern/extern as part of their experience. The interpretation internship/externship requires much of the day spent outdoors in all weather, lifting, walking, spending long periods of time in and out of salt water environments, and engaging our guests in positive and entertaining ways.

The Specialty Camp intern or extern will assist the educators in preparing for and delivering 4-day long camp programs for our summer campers.

Interns/externs will interact with children generally ranging in age from 6 to 16 years old. The campers will come from a variety of backgrounds and have a variety of needs (physical, cognitive, and/or behavioral); interns/externs will need to be comfortable with all ages and abilities.

Interns/externs will help provide large group assistance in a classroom setting, on Zoo grounds, and in the field, plus potential one-on-one guidance as needed in a supervised setting. At no time will an intern/extern be alone with a camper.

Interns/externs will need to be comfortable working and walking in various weather conditions (heat, rain, etc.) as well as be comfortable with scientific exploration such as dissections, live animal interactions and outdoor activities such as hiking. Camps take place June through early August.

The WildCare Park Education intern/extern will assist Education staff in the development, preparation and implementation of community, family, school and youth programs delivered at WildCare Park, and in the surrounding community. The successful candidate will have the ability to interact with diverse audiences of multiple ages, have a basic knowledge of native flora and fauna, and will be comfortable guiding participants in safe outdoor exploration activities.

The finance intern/extern assists the Manager of Revenue Operation in maintaining and tracking Zoo seasonal activities and events in Excel. Projects include late-night reporting and calculating revenue and expenses that occur during the season. Assist with tagging and inventory fixed assets. The intern/extern also assists with some cash room functions such as making banks and checking cash room reports regularly. The finance intern/extern must be computer literate with a proficiency in Windows and Microsoft Outlook.

FrogWatch USA™ is a nationally recognized, long-term citizen science monitoring program for frogs and toads. As a volunteer-based monitoring program, it gives citizens across the country an opportunity to be directly involved in gathering information that can ultimately lead to practical ways to stop amphibian decline. The FrogWatch intern/extern will:

• Assist the Chapter Coordinator with volunteer training both on-site and off-site
• Maintain our social media presence (the FrogWatch Facebook page and through our Twitter feed)
• Monitor and review questionable volunteer data on FieldScope (the online mapping database for the FrogWatch USA program)
• And assist with maintaining our external communications with our volunteers and the general public.

Interns and externs are also given their own projects to complete based on their interests. Interns/externs must have some biology experience and be willing to attend a FrogWatch volunteer training.

The Palm Oil Task Force addresses the issue of palm oil, which can be found in everyday products. The Zoo is working to reduce its dependency on non-sustainable palm oil and educate both staff and visitors on how they can impact wildlife habitats around the world with their daily choices.

The Palm Oil Task Force intern/extern will assist with conducting an inventory of all products used on Zoo grounds, especially chemicals and non-food products, to determine if they contain palm oil and whether that palm oil is sustainable. The intern/extern will also research equivalent products that have no palm oil or sustainable palm oil in them. The intern will also be involved in public palm oil education through public outreach/tables/chats and assisting in events on Zoo grounds that feature palm oil education (Boo and the Zoo, Wild Lights, Jungle Boogie, etc.).

During the intern/externship, the individual will learn where palm oil comes from, common names for it, the difference between sustainable and non-sustainable palm oil, and how to determine if it is in a product. Throughout the internship/externship, the individual will learn how the Saint Louis Zoo Palm Oil Task Force is impacting conservation and how he/she can act locally and have a global impact on conservation.

This position is seasonal and only available during our fall and summer intern cycles; this timeframe is when most of our palm oil-related events and tabling opportunities are present.

Interns will develop an understanding of the Zoo's purchasing role, supply chain management in a decentralized environment, RFP/RFQ/quote processes, supplier diversity M/WBE goals and strategy. Duties may include attending pre-bid and bid opening meetings, outreach events, tier 1 & 2 record keeping including tracking vendor spend, confirming payments and reporting to enhance key performance indicators. This internship will provide students exposure to supplier diversity metrics through database management and collaboration with external departments and vendors.

The Saint Louis Zoo is like a small city with all of the challenges of a city of 3 million. Taking an internship/externship with the Safety & Risk Management Department will allow the student the opportunity for exposure to the field in a unique setting across multiple industries—construction, food service, retail, hospitality and, of course, the zoological setting. While it’s difficult to explain a “typical day,” each day brings new experiences, challenges, and opportunities to learn and connect with people, animals, and the environment. The successful candidate is expected to attend and participate in meetings and training classes, work Zoo events, perform inspections, and work with policies. Creating, leading and evaluating emergency drills is expected. Experience with Microsoft Office is important; some data entry is required. While not required, some education or workplace experience in safety and/or risk management is preferred.

The Sales & Catering department works to sell, plan, execute, and cater private events (such as company picnics, family reunions, weddings, etc.) at the Saint Louis Zoo. Intern duties will include administrative support, assisting event production and execution, business development, research, data entry, inventory, and other clerical duties as assigned. High school diploma or equivalent required. One to two years of marketing, hospitality management or communications studies preferred. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, customer service, ability to handle and prioritize tasks, and the capacity to work independently are desired. Computer literacy, general knowledge and use of Microsoft Excel and Word preferred. Candidates must be able to lift and carry up to 25 lbs for 50 yards, stand and walk for extended periods of time, and work outdoors in all weather conditions. Flexible schedule may require working some evenings, holidays and weekends.

The primary function of the Special Events intern/extern is to assist the Zoo’s Special Events office staff. Duties include assisting with pre-event planning, event production and execution, mailings, data entry, volunteer coordination, event promotions, phone coverage, inventory and other clerical duties as assigned. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, customer service experience, ability to handle and prioritize numerous tasks, and the capacity to work independently are important. Computer literacy, general knowledge, and use of Microsoft Excel and Word a must. This intern/externship will have a flexible schedule that may require working evenings and weekends.

The Sustainability intern/extern will focus on energy efficiency and waste reduction through several projects. Other tasks as assigned may include assistance with Green Dining Alliance certification, internal Green Team meetings and special events. Applicants must be enrolled in college-level courses in a sustainability-related field. The intern/extern should have a good, basic understanding of the principles of sustainability, including energy efficiency and waste reduction, recycling, and composting. Experience in energy modeling and greenhouse gas inventories is preferred. Great organizational and communication skills (written and verbal) are required.

Unique opportunity for a student to learn and practice skills connected with visual merchandising, graphic placement, fixture design, floor sets, plan-o-grams, product development and many other retail functions. Student must have an understanding of basic visual merchandising or soft skills in design. It is preferred that they understand basic functions of retail operations.