Title: Animal Ambassador Intern

Position Reports To: Senior Programs Manager

Direct Reports: None

Timeframe: Monday, August 19 - Friday, December 20, 2024

About Butterfly Pavilion: At Butterfly Pavilion, we transform the way people think about invertebrates. These small but mighty animals that surround us are so much more than people think. They are everywhere, because everything depends on them. They are the hidden heroes of the animal kingdom. As the leader in invertebrate knowledge, inspiration and connection, Butterfly Pavilion works to foster an appreciation of these critical animals by educating the public about the need to protect and care for threatened habitats globally, while conducting research for solutions in invertebrate conservation. Whether it is providing unique, hands-on learning experiences in our exhibits and educational programs, conducting new research that sets the standard for zoos across the country or building innovative solutions for species and habitat conservation in countries around the world, Butterfly Pavilion is leading the way in ensuring invertebrates are protected for the future.

Looking forward, we are committed to providing the most enriching experience for our audience, being recognized as a scientific and invertebrate research and conservation authority and being a leading educational resource on invertebrates. Butterfly Pavilion is currently engaged in a $55 million Capital Campaign to expand Butterfly Pavilion into a new global, state-of-the-art research, education, and conservation hub breaking ground in 2025.

Our Core Values are a large part of who we are as an organization:
 

• Make Science Cool
• Love What You Do
• Go Above and Beyond
• Lead Change
• Know Your Stuff
• Be Positive
• Welcome All
   

These aren't just words, but words for us to live by here at Butterfly Pavilion.

Commitment: 16 hours per week. This position runs from August 19th - December 20th, 2024.

Position Summary: Butterfly Pavilion is currently seeking a creative, highly motivated and energetic individual to assist in both the education and animal care sides of outreach education including invertebrate care and teaching educational programming at local schools. The primary goal of the Butterfly Pavilion Animal Ambassador Internship is for students to gain knowledge and hands-on training in environmental education and invertebrate animal husbandry.

Stipend: Unpaid; school credit can be earned for this internship in most cases

Key Skills Learned

Invertebrate animal care
 

• This position requires learning and understanding how to take care of and handle invertebrates that are used in outreach programs.
   

TRACKS animal care software experience
 

• This position requires learning and understanding the TRACKS animal care software and its importance.
   

Invertebrate animal or specimen handling and processing
 

• This position requires invertebrate animal or specimen handling and processing before, during, and after programming.
   

Communication
 

• This position will provide ample opportunity for learning to communicate with a variety of audiences, including children, adults, and other professionals.
   

Public Speaking
 

• This position requires giving classes/presentations to large and small groups of people and will allow for learning how to project their voice, speak clearly, and engage their audience.
   

Teamwork
 

• This position works closely with a variety of team members including members of other departments. This internship will provide opportunities to learn how to work cooperatively and collaboratively to achieve common goals.
   

Key Responsibilities
 

• Provide support to Curatorial team
• Maintain daily records on all animal care in Tracks database system
• Uphold AZA accreditation standards
• Comply with USDA containment standards
• Maintain a clean working environment
• Uphold animal welfare protocols while using live animals to demonstrate science-based concepts to guests.
• Lead outreach programs in local schools and community sites for large and small groups of guests (school aged children up to adults)
• Meet deadlines and expectations to complete a project over the duration of the internship. Professionally present this project to Butterfly Pavilion team members at the end of the internship.
   

Training: Successfully complete the following:
 

• New Volunteer and Intern Orientation and All Team Training.
• Department specific onboarding training.
• Complete USDA training and Quiz.
• Animal handling training as needed, including tarantula handling.
   

Qualifications & Skills
 

• Pursuing a degree in biology, environmental sciences, or related fields. Recent graduates also accepted.
• Interest in invertebrate animal husbandry and care
• Basic computer skills (word processing, spreadsheets)
• Willingness to handle animals (all training provided onsite)
• Experience or interest in customer service and communication skills
• Comfortable interacting with guests of all ages
• Enthusiastic and patient
• Organized and flexible
• Criminal background check
• Applicants must be at least 18 years of age
• Valid Driver's License
• Personal Vehicle
   

Minimum Age Requirement: Must be at least 18 years of age.

Physical Demands: These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an intern to successfully perform the essential functions within this position. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the Outreach Intern.
 

• While performing the responsibilities of the Outreach Intern, the intern is required to talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel. The employee is often required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The vision abilities required by this job include close vision.
• Ability to lift, carry and load not to exceed 50 lbs.
• Able to work in small spaces or awkward positions that require bending or stretching
• Able to tolerate strong odors such as dust, animal fecal matter, etc.
• Able to work in a hot, humid environment for extended periods of time
   

Sustainable Impacts: The Outreach Intern will gain valuable hands-on experience and training that can help them gauge their interest or advance their career in an environmental or animal care-based educational setting. Butterfly Pavilion appreciates this internship as an opportunity to provide fresh perspectives and new ways of thinking in our educational exhibit programs and interactions.
 

• Intern will acquire experience in an AZA-accredited facility
• Intern will complete a self-directed research project under the leadership of intern supervisor
• Internship will create new pathways into animal science and care
• Butterfly Pavilion will partner with local schools to provide learning opportunities for students via internship program
   

Evaluation
 

The Outreach Intern will meet with supervisor every other week to discuss progress on duties and their project as well as any challenges they are facing.
At the midpoint of the internship, the intern and supervisor will meet to conduct a formal review at which point the supervisor will provide feedback on the intern's performance and offer suggestions for improvement.
At the end of the internship, the intern and supervisor will meet to conduct a final review of the intern's performance and discuss their experiences.
 

Application Deadline
 

July 19th, 2024
 

How To Apply

Butterfly Pavilion encourages people of all backgrounds to apply for open positions and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty or veteran status.

Fill out the form to the right and click "Apply for this Position" to start the application process. Must submit a cover letter and resume.

Salary: $1.00 - $1.01