Animal Care – Internship

~ The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) is a sanctuary dedicated to preserving Alaska’s wildlife through conservation, research, education and quality animal care. ~

AWCC takes in injured and orphaned animals year-round and provides them with spacious enclosures and quality animal care. Most of the animals that arrive at the AWCC become permanent residents and will always have a home here.

The Center maintains over 200 acres of spacious habitats for animals to feel at home and display their natural “wild” behavior. Visitors may see brown bears cooling off in the water, a bull moose strutting, wood bison roaming on pastures and more.

Position Overview

• Title:                 Animal Care Intern
• Category:         F/T, Seasonal; paid
• Start Date:        May 2021
• End Date:         August/September 2021
• Reports To:      Assistant Curator, Curator  
• FLSA Status:    Non-Exempt

General Function:

• Responsible for assisting the Animal Care Team by completing tasks, covering educational talks and helping with orphan care. This position is designed for the college student interested in working with wildlife, or for entry-level animal care professionals looking to gain more experience.

Major Activities (Typical Duties/Responsibilities)

• Works days and hours assigned by Animal Curator; a full 40-hour week. The intern position is for a minimum duration of 12 weeks; 480 working hours, up to a maximum of 16 weeks; 640 working hours.
• Assist keepers with husbandry tasks (diet prep, cleaning, feeding, watering, browsing)
• Assists with daily wildlife encounters.
• Helps cover daily programs and tours with the Education team; following program outlines and delivering meaningful presentations to connect with guests.
• Covers WOW tours if assistance is needed from the Education Department
• Acts as liaison with the public by courteously answering questions and enforcing feeding rules for the animals.
• Carries out the responsibilities of the position in a professional and appropriate manner
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Ability to work in a team environment to help achieve AWCC’s goals and objectives.
• Effective communication skills, both written and oral.
• Must possess a positive and respectful attitude.
• Excellent customer services skills.
• Exceptional work ethic, attention to detail and time management skills.
• Abilities to lift 80#, bend, reach, stand, crawl, and work in a drastically changing weather environment
• Ability to compromise, listen, learn, understand, and follow instructions/directions.
• Ability to work directly with the public, providing information and assistance as needed.

Area Specifics/Housing

• Employee housing is available. Employee’s utilizing the housing units must be willing to move easily between units to accommodate housing needs for the AWCC.
  • Bunkhouse: Each room offers a single bed, linens and towels. There are two shared bathrooms. A total of up to five employees may be living in the house at one time, there is a kitchen with kitchenware/utensils and a living room complete with lounge and TV/DVD capabilities. There is also Wi-Fi for the bunkhouse.
  • Farmhouse: multiple beds per room, these are larger more spacious rooms than at the Bunkhouse. Farmhouse is equipped with the same amenities as mentioned above, one single bathroom for residents living in this unit. This unit is a shared space with permanent year-round staff.
• With valid license/driving record; employees have access to AWCC vehicles for grocery trips
• Portage, AK is located 45 miles south of Anchorage; 10 miles south of the local ski-town known as Girdwood. There are beautiful scenic mountains surrounding the AWCC, as well as the ocean, rivers and glaciers.

Preferred Qualifications - Education, Experience & Skills:

• High School Diploma
• College coursework in related field: Biology, Wildlife/Zoological Sciences
• A positive attitude and strong work ethic.

To Apply

• Please click "Apply" below to email a cover letter, single page resume, and a list of three professional references to Sarah Howard. 
• Subject line should please read “2022 Animal Care Internship -[Applicant NAME]”
• If you have any further questions or would like to discuss the position further, please call the AWCC at 907-783-0058 x 8, ask to speak with Sarah in the Animal Care Department.