POSITION SUMMARY
This position helps educate children ages 4-15 about science, animals and conservation in our summer Zoo Camps. Conservation Education Interns develop child management techniques, interactive teaching strategies, and are directly mentored and extensively trained through a self-reflective, experiential training program. This role works closely with an experienced team of educators and volunteers and is supervised by the Programs Operations Manager. Conservation Education Interns play a critical role in support of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee’s (ZSM) mission to educate people about the importance of wildlife and animals and support the Milwaukee County Zoo, and the Conservation Education department’s vision to inspire and empower all members of our community to take conservation action.
INTERNSHIP LEARNING OUTCOMES
This internship is an experiential learning program. Interns in this program will:
- Practice time management and prioritization skills by balancing day-to-day responsibilities with ongoing assignments.
- Practice giving and receiving constructive feedback.
- Learn how to communicate professionally with supervisors and mentors in the workplace.
- Learn how to complete a professional self-evaluation.
- Gain experience with mentoring and supervision, including training, goal setting, and evaluation.
- Gain exposure to multiple zoo and conservation career paths through career talks and/or alumni mentors.
- Learn how to present scientific content in an age-appropriate and engaging manner.
- Learn and employ strong child management and interpersonal skills to connect to and relate with a diverse group of participants, family members, and volunteers.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed below. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.
This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities, as deemed appropriate.
- Serve as Conservation Education intern for Zoological Society of Milwaukee’s summer education programs (Zoo Camps and Classes).
- Study and learn curricula, prepare classroom materials, and set-up and clean classroom spaces.
- Assist education instructors in classroom educational activities.
- Lead fun, safe and interactive Zoo tours daily.
- Implement policies and procedures to ensure a safe and engaging Zoo education experience for participants.
- Mentor and evaluate High School volunteers with supervision by the High School Coordinator.
- Act with integrity and professionalism in the workplace at all times, and in representation of ZSM on Zoo grounds.
- Assist with Conservation Education Department light housekeeping.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Must be at least 18 years of age.
- Open to any major of study for those passionate about education, conservation, wildlife, natural resources, and/or social sciences (e.g., informal or formal education, conservation, zoology, biological sciences, forestry, human dimensions, psychology, etc.)
- Must be First Aid/CPR/AED certified or be willing and able to become certified. Reimbursement is available for qualifying programs.
- Must be able to attend mandatory trainings Saturday, May 31st, Tuesday June 3rd – Friday, June 7th, and Monday, June 9th.
Please note that a cover letter and resume are required to apply. This is because this internship is a professional development opportunity, and we will develop these types of important job interviewing skills as part of the program. If you haven't written a cover letter before, this article could be helpful, but there are lots of examples on the internet. Remember to be authentic - we want to get to know you!