Internships

A: The Minnesota Zoo is an agency of the State of Minnesota. Therefore, all applicants to the Minnesota Zoo internship program must meet the State’s statutory and procedure eligibility criteria to be considered.

1. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited institution.
2. Applicants must be seeking an internship for academic credit as part of their academic program OR
3. Applicants must be seeking an internship as a means of fulfilling an academic requirement as part of their academic program

A: No.  Applicants for internships at the Minnesota Zoo must be enrolled in an accredited educational institution AND be seeking an internship for academic credit as part of their academic program or as a means of fulfilling an academic requirement as part of their academic program.

A:  Priority given to applicants who have not interned at the MN Zoo in the past.

A:  Internships are available in the Animal Management & Health, Conservation, and Zoo Operations Divisions of the Minnesota Zoo.

Please note that not all internships are available at all times, and different internship opportunities may be developed and offered in the future.

1. Work areas in Animal Management & Health where internships may be available:
   1. Aquariums
   2. Behavioral Husbandry
   3. Birds Department
   4. Close Encounters
   5. Life Support Systems
   6. Marine Mammals
   7. Minnesota-Tropics Trail
   8. Northern Trail
   9. Veterinary Technician
   10. Wings Financial World of Birds Show
   11. Seasonal exhibits, such as the Wells Fargo Family Farm, Kangaroo Crossing, and the Butterfly Garden
2. Work Areas in Conservation where internships may be available:
   1. Minnesota Conservation: mussels and prairie skipper butterfly
3. Work areas in Zoo Operations where internships may be available:
   1. Early Childhood Education and Nature Play
   2. Evaluation & Research
   3. Education (K-12)
   4. Graphic Design
   5. Marketing & Sales
   6. Photography
   7. Zoomobile (outreach)

A:  Not at this time.  Check back for updates on the Zoo’s externship program.

A:  Internships are offered in accordance with traditional academic calendars:

1. Fall (for internships from September to December)
2. Winter/Spring (a limited number of January term internships may be available; most internships are semester-long and are scheduled between January and May)
3. Summer (for internships from May-August)

A:  Most internships are 10-14 weeks long.  Interns are expected to work 30-40 hours per week.

A:  Weekly schedules vary by work area, and may include Saturdays or Sundays. Hours, too, vary by work area, and may start as early as 6:00 a.m. and end as late as 6:30 p.m. Some intern work areas may require overnight commitments. Interns may work 4-ten hour days or 5-eight hour days.

A:  Position descriptions for the different internships offered at the Minnesota Zoo are available elsewhere on the Internships webpage.

All interns are required to complete a project as part of their internship experience.

A:  No.  Internships at the Minnesota Zoo are unpaid.

A:  No.  The Minnesota Zoo does not offer these services.

A:  The Minnesota Zoo uses the State of Minnesota’s online Recruiting Solutions to manage its internship application process.   Information about how to use this system is available on the Minnesota Careers webpage.

A:  Yes.  The Minnesota Zoo no longer accepts applications by email or postal mail.

A:  Once you have created a profile within the Minnesota Zoo’s online system, you will be able to use this to auto-complete parts of your application. Different screening questions are included in each internship’s application.  All applicants for internships at the Minnesota Zoo must submit a letter of interest in the position and a current resume.

A:  No, you will not need these documents when you apply.  Only those applicants selected for interviews will be asked to provide a copy of a current transcript (unofficial transcripts accepted) and two letters of recommendation.

In some internship work areas, samples of your past work and/or access to your online portfolio may be required before an interview.

A:  Applications for internships open seasonally, in advance of internship start dates.

1. Fall semester internships open to applicants in late June and early July; internships start in September
2. Winter and spring semester internships open to applicants in late September and early October; internships start in January
3. Summer internships open to applicants in mid-January and February; internships start in May

A:  No.  We accept applications only when internships are posted as “open.”

A:  Check the Minnesota Zoo Internship webpage regularly for updates.

A:  Yes.  However, each internship requires a separate application, a specific letter of interest, and a copy of your resume.

A:  The Minnesota Careers website has excellent information and tips for navigating the online application process.  The Minnesota Zoo’s Internship and Youth Development Coordinator can answer questions by email (preferred) at internships@mnzoo.org, or by phone (952-431-9607).

A:  After you submit your application, Recruiting Solutions will confirm that your submission was successful, and you also will receive an email notification.

At the Minnesota Zoo, work area intern coordinators and/or work area supervisors will review your on line application and answers to screening questions to determine if you meet the required qualifications.

If you meet the required qualifications, you will either:

1. Be contacted by phone or email to be invited to an interview. Interviews may be conducted in person, by phone, or using an online application that allows for video calls,

OR

2. Be notified that you are no longer being considered because the applicant pool was narrowed to a reasonable size based on applicant qualifications and rankings.

If you do not meet the required job qualifications, you will receive an email to let you know you are no longer being considered.

Information in this section has been adapted from the Minnesota Careers webpage.