What are the responsibilities and job description for the Applied Animal Welfare Programs Internship position at Detroit Zoological Society?
General Description The Detroit Zoological Society's Center for Zoo Animal Welfare (CZAW) is accepting applications for an Applied Animal Welfare Programs Intern. This paid internship is funded through the Ron Kagan Endowment for Animal Welfare, which honors the former Executive Director/CEO of the Detroit Zoological Society, who founded CZAW. The purpose of CZAW is to advance and support the well-being of animals living in zoos and aquariums through scientific investigation and holistic behavior programs. CZAW assesses and monitors animal welfare through evidence-based programs and integrates enrichment and training into animal well-being and husbandry with rigorous evaluation of behavioral outcomes.
The CZAW applied animal welfare programs internship is a paid internship opportunity. Interns are expected to commit to 40 hours per week (Monday-Friday) for 12 weeks between May 18 and September 18, totaling 480 hours of work. The start date can be flexible within the parameters listed above. The intern will be paid at a rate of $15/hour. For interns residing outside of Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair, or Wayne counties (i.e., the Detroit Metro area) – onsite housing may be available at no additional cost to the applicant.
This intern will gain experience in the process and facilitation of essential behavioral husbandry and applied welfare programs, including the welfare assessment process, environmental monitoring, enrichment, positive reinforcement training, and monitoring significant events in the lives of animals (e.g., quality of life, habitat modification, quarantine). Although this internship focuses on applied animal welfare programs, interns will receive opportunities for education in all areas of CZAW.
The Applied Animal Welfare Program Intern will be supervised by the Animal Welfare Programs Manager and will have the opportunity for mentorship from various departmental staff, including the Manager of Applied Animal Welfare Science and the Senior Director of Animal Welfare and Research.
Responsibilities
Please be sure to complete the online DZS application found at https://detroitzoo.org/careers/.
In addition to the online DZS application, you will need to submit a resume; a cover letter outlining your interest in the program, how it will contribute to your career goals and the unique skills you would bring to this program; a copy of your transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable); and two letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation may come from academic sources (advisors or professors), professional sources (current or previous employers), or community sources (religious leaders or community members). The supplemental materials should be submitted via email. Recommendation letters may be submitted by the applicant or emailed directly to us from the recommenders. Only complete application submissions will be considered, and CZAW staff are not responsible for ensuring applicants submit all materials. Offers of positions are contingent upon the applicant passing a background check. If you would need to take advantage of onsite housing, please indicate this somewhere in your application materials (this will not be used as a factor to evaluate candidates or their eligibility for the internship).
Please email supplementary application materials to czaw@dzs.org with “CZAW Applied Welfare Internship” in the subject line.
All application materials are due by 5:00 pm EST on January 16, 2026. All applicants will be informed of a decision no later than April 3, 2026.
Just as we value and celebrate biodiversity, the DZS celebrates the diversity of our human community. We are committed to ensuring that our programs and facilities are fully accessible to create a welcoming and inclusive workplace for all.
The CZAW applied animal welfare programs internship is a paid internship opportunity. Interns are expected to commit to 40 hours per week (Monday-Friday) for 12 weeks between May 18 and September 18, totaling 480 hours of work. The start date can be flexible within the parameters listed above. The intern will be paid at a rate of $15/hour. For interns residing outside of Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair, or Wayne counties (i.e., the Detroit Metro area) – onsite housing may be available at no additional cost to the applicant.
This intern will gain experience in the process and facilitation of essential behavioral husbandry and applied welfare programs, including the welfare assessment process, environmental monitoring, enrichment, positive reinforcement training, and monitoring significant events in the lives of animals (e.g., quality of life, habitat modification, quarantine). Although this internship focuses on applied animal welfare programs, interns will receive opportunities for education in all areas of CZAW.
The Applied Animal Welfare Program Intern will be supervised by the Animal Welfare Programs Manager and will have the opportunity for mentorship from various departmental staff, including the Manager of Applied Animal Welfare Science and the Senior Director of Animal Welfare and Research.
Responsibilities
- Observe positive reinforcement training sessions and support the training program.
- Assist the enrichment program by updating enrichment databases, conducting natural history research, and creating behavioral goal-based enrichment.
- Format welfare assessment reports and attend monthly discussions.
- Aid in environmental monitoring of animal habitats, including recording light and sound measurements.
- Utilize observational research techniques with a variety of animal species for monitoring animal well-being.
- Assist with literature searches, data entry, basic descriptive analyses, and generating reports for monitoring projects.
- Applicants should have a background in zoology, biology, animal science, psychology, anthropology or animal behavior. Preference will be given to applicants who have demonstrated experience in animal care and welfare.
- Applicants should be in the process of completing or have completed an undergraduate degree within the last two years, and should not be currently enrolled in or have completed a graduate degree program.
- Transcripts should demonstrate coursework in research methods, biology, animal behavior or related fields as well as a GPA of 3.2/4.0 or higher.
- Applicants should be a minimum of 18 years of age.
- Self-motivated and strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Experience with Microsoft Office products and good organizational skills
- Timeliness and ability to adhere to a schedule
- Minimum commitment of 40 hours per week for 12 weeks, totaling 480 hours of work
- Proof of a negative TB test on or before start date
Please be sure to complete the online DZS application found at https://detroitzoo.org/careers/.
In addition to the online DZS application, you will need to submit a resume; a cover letter outlining your interest in the program, how it will contribute to your career goals and the unique skills you would bring to this program; a copy of your transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable); and two letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation may come from academic sources (advisors or professors), professional sources (current or previous employers), or community sources (religious leaders or community members). The supplemental materials should be submitted via email. Recommendation letters may be submitted by the applicant or emailed directly to us from the recommenders. Only complete application submissions will be considered, and CZAW staff are not responsible for ensuring applicants submit all materials. Offers of positions are contingent upon the applicant passing a background check. If you would need to take advantage of onsite housing, please indicate this somewhere in your application materials (this will not be used as a factor to evaluate candidates or their eligibility for the internship).
Please email supplementary application materials to czaw@dzs.org with “CZAW Applied Welfare Internship” in the subject line.
All application materials are due by 5:00 pm EST on January 16, 2026. All applicants will be informed of a decision no later than April 3, 2026.
Just as we value and celebrate biodiversity, the DZS celebrates the diversity of our human community. We are committed to ensuring that our programs and facilities are fully accessible to create a welcoming and inclusive workplace for all.
Salary : $15