As a non-profit facility, Noah's Landing is fueled each week by the hard work and dedication of a fleet of volunteers. For students hoping to get a more intensive behind-the-scenes experience, we offer internships for high school and college students. In 2012, Noah's Landing is hoping to hire recent graduates for six-month animal education internships, current students for weekend animal education internships, and a variety of interns for our summer Junior Zookeeper program.
Why Noah's Landing?
- Interns at Noah's Landing have an opportunity to participate in every facet of animal care - from daily cleaning and feeding to habitat construction and educational programming.
- Noah's Landing is a small facility. Therefore, interns are expected to work with all animals at the farm, from small companion animals like opossums and hedgehogs to exotics such as porcupines, kinkajou, and coatimundi. The zoo currently houses more than 60 species.
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- As an educational facility, Noah's Landing is committed to educating the next generation about the world's biodiversity. Volunteers are trained as animals guides as well as animal keepers, with opportunitiesto give educational tours and programs.
- While weekly volunteer commitments are required, our staff understands the demands of a rigorous academic schedule. As much as possible, we try to be flexible with student schedules.
Current Opportunities
In 2012, Noah's Landing is happy to offer modest stipends to assist regular interns with travel and other expenses. All full-time and weekend internships are offered in six-month cycles. For 2012, our interns are expected to start the week of February 18.
- Full-Time Internships: Full time interns work six days each week and assist with daily animal care and guided tours. The first two weeks of the internship will be structured to learn animal care with additional weeks of training for tours. Full-time interns are paid a $75/week stipend to assist with food and travel costs and have the option for on-site housing. On-site housing includes a private bedroom in the main zoo house with work area and a shared bathroom with other interns. Open to recent graduates. Deadline: January 30
- Weekend Internships: Weekend interns commit to work each Saturday and Sunday to assist with daily animal care, weekend events, and weekend tours. The first two weeks of the internship will be structured to learn animal care with additional weeks of training for tours. Weekend interns are paid a $50/week stipend to assist with travel and food. Open to recent graduates and current college students. Deadline: January 30
- Credit Internships: For students who would like a more flexible experience, Noah's Landing can provide for-credit internships that fit around your class schedule. Interns must work with their campus department to receive course credit. All for-credit interns must complete 120 on-site hours. Deadline: Rolling
In addition, Noah's Landing is now accepting applications for interns for our summer Junior Zookeeper program. The Junior Zookeeper program is a five-week day camp experience for kids from 6-14 years of age. Interns will be expected to work each week during the summer. All camp staff are expected to participate in two training days on May 5 and June 7, 2012. The 2012 camp schedule will begin on June 18. All dates and details are online at: http://juniorzookeeper.com.
Application deadline is March 1, 2012.
- Summer Camp Lead: The lead intern acts as the day-to-day director of the program, helping enforce the daily schedule, operating check-in/check-out, ensuring supplies are ready and cleaned up, leading classes in "Zookeeping 101," and leading activities such as games and songs. Prior camp experience (church, 4-H, scouts, etc.) is strongly encouraged. Open to current college students or recent graduates. The summer camp lead will be paid $225/week.
- Summer Camp Assistant: The summer camp assistant will assit with daily camp supervision and oversee daily volunteer time. They will be expected to lead daily craft activities and assist the summer camp lead in all other activities. Open to current college students or recent graduates. The summer camp assistant will be paid $100/week.
- Summer Camp Instructor: For 2012, we are looking for two summer camp instructors who will lead classes and assist with daily volunteer time and other activities. Specifically, we hope to hire instructors to assist with classes focused on types of animals (mammals, birds, etc.) and animal survival. Camp instructors will be paid $100/week for each week of the summer. High school and current college students are encouraged to apply.
- Volunteers: We are always looking for former campers and other volunteers to assist with camp activities and lead camper groups. Open to current high school students. (15 years and older)
What should I expect?
- While no day is the same, each day at Noah's Landing typically breaks into three segments: morning cleanup and feeding; tours; and evening feeding.
- Morning cleanup and feeding includes cleaning out animal enclosures, clearing food bowls, and replacing water and "dry food" such as pellets and grain.
- On tour days, the zoo welcomes 20-120 students for a guided tour of the facility. Each guide is assigned to a class and leads the class on a 2-3 hour tour of the farm. (Stopping for lunch in the middle.) During the tour, kids feed hoofstock and the guide provides facts about animals in each location. "Kid-tested" animals are taken out for kids to touch.
- Evening feeding typically entails cutting up fruits, vegetables, and meats according to each animal's specific diet. Interns help prepare food bowls and deliver them to the animals.
- In addition to normal tasks, interns are often asked to assist with building projects and other projects to help enhance the zoo and the animal enclosures.
- Noah's Landing is a small, family-run zoo. Do not expect to work with large carnivores or large primates. Instead, come willing and ready to work with small, often rescued exotics that have been raised with human interaction.
- While we take pride in all that we do and our animal care, we are an informal facility and try to ensure interns become part of our extended zoo "family."
Questions?
For all questions related to Noah's Landing internships, please contact: Carie Page at info@noahslanding2x2.com.
1489 Live Oak Road | Coats, NC 27521 | 910.897.6624 | info@noahslanding2x2.com .
