2026 Summer Elephants & Rhinos Intern - OKC Zoo

Bring your curiosity. Bring your drive. We’ll bring the experience. Join the OKC Zoo for our Summer 2026 Internship Program and get hands-on opportunities to learn, lead, and leave your mark while making a meaningful impact.

Employment Status: Full-time Temporary

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Duration: 12 weeks

Schedule: Summer 2026 40 hours per week - Beginning on May 16th

Compensation: $14.00/hr

Department: Animal Management – Elephants

Direct Supervisor: Assistant Curator of Elephants and/or Curator of Elephants

Primary Work Location: Zoo settings both indoors and outdoors

Certification: Valid Oklahoma driver’s license and pass drivers’ history check. Completion of assigned OKC Zoo HSI

training in the first two weeks of employment.

Other: This position is safety sensitive. It is subject to pre-employment and/or periodic background checks and drug

testing. This position works around animals susceptible to specific respiratory diseases, thus is subject to annual

tuberculosis testing.

Internship Summary: This internship is designed to be an entry point for someone who is seeking a career working with animals. Interns will receive hands-on training to aid in the development of the knowledge, skills, and abilities typically required of entry-level Animal Caretakers. Interns will work closely with regular animal care staff to support the wellbeing of the Zoo’s elephant and rhinoceros collection and their environment through habitat maintenance, area projects, and assisting Animal Caretakers throughout the daily routine. This position will learn to interact with the public to enhance visitor experiences and to perform a variety of skilled/semi-skilled work required for the care and safety of animals, staff, and the public.

Knowledge

• Intern will develop a deep understanding of the natural behaviors and life histories of area species by researching species, observing animals, and discussing observations with regular staff.
• Intern will develop an understanding of the responsibilities of Qualified Elephant Caretakers and standards of animal husbandry through reviewing husbandry guidelines and observing, assisting, and discussing husbandry standards with regular staff members.
• Intern will develop an understanding of the processes and standards of operant conditioning by observing, discussing, and participating in feedback after training sessions with regular staff members.
• Intern will develop an understanding of medical care by observing regular staff members medicating and treating animals, and assisting veterinary staff during medical procedures. Medical care standards and processes will be discussed with regular staff.
• Intern will develop an understanding of elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) by reviewing the area’s EEHV PowerPoint, learning viremia symptoms, and discussing the Zoo’s history of EEHV with elephant and veterinary staff.
• Intern will gain an understanding of the purpose, planning, and execution of animal transfers by reviewing area protocols.
• Intern will become familiar with the Zoo’s strategic plan and institutional goals by reviewing the Zoo’s strategic plan, employee handbook, and attending Town Hall Meetings.
• Intern will develop an understanding of the AZA Accreditation Standards for elephant management and care by reviewing the Standards for Elephant Management and Care and discussing their implementation with regular staff.

Skills

• Intern will develop an understanding of the area safety protocols and procedures by reading area protocols and procedures and touring/navigating the elephant and rhino areas with regular staff members.
• Intern will learn to work effectively in a team environment, including volunteers, by participating in or observing all aspects of the daily routine, as well as giving and receiving feedback regarding all aspects of the day.
• Intern will develop an understanding of the team’s core values by reviewing the core values, participating in conversations where regular staff exhibit vulnerability, accountability, and grace, and exhibiting those qualities themselves.
• Intern will develop an understanding of team decision making processes, effective group feedback, and effective group-based information gathering by attending and participating in regular team meetings.
• Intern will develop an understanding of normal and abnormal elephant and rhino behavior through reviewing natural histories, observing regular staff members shifting and training animals, and discussing observations with regular staff members.
• Intern will learn to plan and organize work projects by assisting regular staff in identifying, planning, and completing area projects.
• Intern will gain an understanding of zoo-wide priorities, goals, and responsibilities by shadowing staff in other areas/departments.
• Intern will develop an understanding of breeding protocols by reviewing area protocols, observing breeding opportunities, and assisting and discussing set up and observations with regular staff.

Abilities

• Intern will learn to properly clean indoor and outdoor habitats by shadowing and assisting regular staff members through the cleaning processes.
• Intern will learn to measure, prepare, and distribute elephant and rhino diets by shadowing and assisting regular staff members through the diet processes.
• Intern will develop an understanding of the area’s enrichment protocols and the skills needed to develop, offer, and evaluate enrichment by reviewing the area’s enrichment policy, shadowing and assisting regular staff in enrichment preparation and distribution, and evaluating animals’ response to enrichment with regular staff members.
• Intern will learn the weather parameters of each area species by reviewing area protocol and procedures and discussing weather and housing choices with regular staff.
• Intern will develop an understanding of the area’s emergency response procedures by reviewing department protocols and participating in any tabletop and practical drills that may occur.
• Intern will develop skills needed for basic barn and habitat maintenance, such as repairing hotwire and maintaining wallows, by shadowing and assisting regular staff members through maintenance activities.
• Intern will become familiar with the Zoo’s conservation activities by reading the Zoo’s mission, researching current and past activities, and participating in conservation activities.
• Intern will learn to educate and positively interact with guests in formal and informal settings by reviewing the employee handbook, shadowing regular staff members, and speaking to guests during Keeper Chats, Wild Encounters, and Training/Enrichment Demonstrations.
• Intern will learn to use various computer programs such as Microsoft Office, ZIMS, and internet browsers through shadowing and assisting regular staff in computer-based projects.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Commitment of 40 hours weekly, for the duration of the internship, by working a flexible schedule that may include evenings and/or weekends and holidays and during emergency situations such as dictated by weather.
• Current college or graduate student pursuing an applicable degree, recent graduate of an applicable degree, or relevant education with interest in transitioning into an applicable career
• Interest in pursuing career in animal care
• Have the ability to work well in a busy and fast paced environment
• Provide own housing and transportation