Basic Sea Lion Intern

The Basic Sea Lion Internship at Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana is designed for college students or recent college graduates who are interested in a career in marine mammal training.

Internship Overview:

The Basic Sea Lion Internship at Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana is designed for college students or recent college graduates who are interested in a career in marine mammal training. Our interns work side-by-side with experienced marine mammal trainers and educators. Interns will be exposed to all aspects of the daily care and training of California sea lions. We are currently accepting applications on a rolling basis.

Responsibilities:

• Assist in diet preparation, exhibit maintenance, cleaning, water quality testing and other section responsibilities.
• Observe and assist trainers in training and husbandry sessions.
• Implement enrichment for sea lions and design original enrichment.
• Complete weekly study guides and quizzes about animal care and training.
• Participate in lecture series given by the training staff.
• Learn how to complete record entry.
• Complete public speaking chats and guest engagement on and off a microphone.
• Can receive the opportunity to feed and ask for basic behaviors during training sessions.

Requirements:

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Must have successfully completed one semester of college.
• Must be able to afford housing, food, and transportation to and from the zoo as this is a full time (40 hours per week) unpaid internship.
• Must be available for the full 13-week internship period.
• Must be able to lift 50lbs and work in all weather environments (extreme heat and humidity, rain, and freezing temperatures).
• Must provide a current negative TB test prior to start date.
• Must be able to acquire housing on own.
• Must be a self-motivated, upbeat, and hard-working individual.
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To Apply:

Send cover letter and one page resume via e-mail to sealions@auduboninstitute.org, Attn: Internship Coordinator. Please write "Basic Internship" in the subject line. Applications are received on a rolling basis with the following deadlines by semester:

Summer: April/May-July/August with application deadline of February 15
Fall: July/August-October/November with application deadline of May 15
Winter: October/November-January/February with application deadline of August 15
Spring: January/February-April/May with application deadline of November 15.

In the event their preferred placement has been filled, qualified applicants may be referred to other Audubon departments. By submitting application materials, the candidate agrees to release their information to our internship staff.