Application

A student intern MUST be receiving academic credit from, or fulfilling an academic requirement for an accredited educational institution. In most instances, student interns are upper division majors or minors in the areas of biological science, horticulture, pre-veterinary medicine, education, conservation biology or related disciplines.

Internships are unpaid and are 10 to 14 weeks in length and 30 to 40 hours per week.

Applications MUST Include:

• Completed application form
• Cover Letter including a paragraph explaining why you are interested in an internship at the Minnesota Zoo;
• Resume;
• Transcripts; and,
• Letter of recommendation from an advisor or supervisor

Application Deadlines:

All application materials must be received by the following deadlines unless otherwise noted in the internship descriptions.

The Aveda Butterfly Garden is an outdoor 3,000 square foot immersion butterfly hoop house that is heavily planted with annual and perennial flowers and stocked with farm-raised North American native and migrant tropical butterflies. It is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Father's Day weekend through Labor Day, weather permitting. It is free with Zoo admission and is located on the Tropics Trail.

Summer Internship:

Approximately 400 hours between Memorial Day and Labor Day (start and end dates somewhat flexible). College credit required.

Responsibilities for the Entomologist Internship include care and monitoring of butterflies and moths that are contained in the butterfly hoop house, interacting with visitors throughout an eight-hour day, and providing interpretive information about the hoop house exhibit as well as general information about the Zoo.

Duties to include:

• Daily maintenance of insect collection and butterfly hoop house
• Interact with Zoo volunteers and guests while supervising the Butterfly Garden
• Provide interpretive information to Zoo volunteers and guests
• Monitor the garden area to prevent damage, butterfly/moth escapees, pest problems, etc.
• Accurate record keeping
• Assist in developing and implementing a conservation message or project
• Reply to pertinent correspondence
• Assist with reference work or additional tasks as needed
• Provide daily care of caterpillars
• Inspect butterfly pupa shipments and hang pupa in emersion boxes

For more information, please contact:
Internship Coordinator, Human Resources
13000 Zoo Boulevard, Apple Valley, MN 55124
E-mail: Human.resources.mnzoo@state.mn.us
Fax: 952.431.9211
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