This position is limited with an intermittent fluctuating work schedule depending on the season and event needs, and may work up to 40 hours per week. The specific days and hours per week will vary and may include evenings, weekends, school breaks and holidays.
Estimated work timeframe: May 20 to September 30, 2026.
- This position provides field and routine veterinary technician assistance for the animal collection at the Minnesota Zoological Gardens.
- The incumbent must be able to drive fleet vehicles throughout the Zoo campus.
Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Perform cleaning, daily care, animal training and observations of hospitalized and quarantined animals.
- Prepare, deliver and/or feed animals according to established diet protocols and within daily deadlines so that the highest level of animal nutrition and animal health is maintained.
- Assist the Animal Health team in delivering the medical program to reduce suffering, morbidity, and mortality and promote a healthier animal collection.
- Provide general support to the animal health department ensuring all documentation and records are accurate, completed in a timely manner and accessible and all regulatory requirements are met.
Qualifications
- The following qualifications are required of all applicants seeking consideration for this position.
- Only applicants whose application materials clearly demonstrate fulfillment of each of these minimum qualifications will be considered for the position.
- To ensure accurate evaluation, your resume must clearly describe your experience in the required areas.
- For each job, include whether it was full-time, part-time, or intermittent/on-call; how many hours per week you worked; and the month and year you started and ended.
Minimum Qualifications
- To be eligible for appointment as a Student Worker you must be a student enrolled in an educational program or planning to enroll within three months.
- Students may be "off" for the summer or for one semester/quarter and remain employed as student workers, but such absences cannot exceed one semester/quarter in a year.
- As a student you must be enrolled in a post-secondary or graduate program.
- If a student is enrolled at a credit-granting institution he/she must carry at least six semester (nine quarter) credits.
- If enrolled at a non-credit granting institution or one that only offers one credit per class, a student must be taking two or more classes per semester/quarter.
- Any lesser credit (class) load shall be treated as a semester/quarter off. Graduate students must be enrolled in at least two courses or making progress on a dissertation.
- You will be asked to complete an Educational Verification form prior to appointment, and every (6) six months thereafter.
- Must be at least 16 years of age and a student enrolled in high school or a post-secondary or graduate program or planning on enrolling within three (3) months.
Other requirements:
- Must be a student enrolled in high school or a post-secondary or graduate program or planning on enrolling within three (3) months
- Educational background in education, environmental education, wildlife management, biology, natural resources, environmental studies, or related field
- Must be a student enrolled in high school or a post-secondary or graduate program or planning on enrolling within three months
- Ability to observe and accurately and completely report and record animal behaviors and activities
- Ability to understand and apply technical/scientific information that relates to the care and health of animals in human care
- Experience assisting with anesthesia, surgery, radiology, parasite control procedures, nutrition, medical therapy, and post-mortem procedures as applied to an extensive variety of exotic animals
- Computer skills with business applications, such as Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, etc., sufficient to enter data and create, edit, save, and send emails, reports, or other documents
- Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing sufficient to provide direction and training to staff and guests
- Ability to maintain a work environment that respects and values differences and diversity
Preferred Qualifications
- One (1) year post-secondary coursework in Biology, Zoology, Wildlife Management, Natural Resources, Ecology or closely related animal science field. Ability to learn and understand the basic biology of multiple exotic or wildlife animal species.
- One (1) year of professional level work experience as a veterinary technician assistant in exotic animal medicine at a zoological park, veterinary college affiliated with a zoo, or private practice affiliated with a zoo with large diverse exotic clientele (or aquarium).
- One year experience working with and caring for animals including preparing animal diets, feeding animals, maintaining sanitary animal living conditions, observing animal behavior, and maintaining animal records.
- Familiarity with regulatory matters and epidemiology of disease
Salary
- $17.84 hourly
