Join us for a semester as an intern!
The Maryland Zoo is committed to developing the next generation of wildlife, hospitality, and business professionals. Internships give students the opportunity to gain college credit for supervised work and learning experiences while introducing them to professional skills and responsibilities in a career field of interest.
SPRING Internship Applications ARE CLOSED
Internships Offered
Behavioral observation and management is a key component of animal health and well-being. Interns will observe a variety of species across the Zoo and collect data that will tell us what an animal is doing, and where the animal is doing it. The data collected can then be used by animal care professionals to better understand the animal’s well-being, and to aid them in making evidence-based decisions regarding their care.
Graphic Design interns will participate in the development, design and production of print and digital materials such as event materials, signage, newsletters, and brochures. Interns will gain insight into the field of graphic design through training, shadowing and hands-on experiences.
Our Horticulture Department works daily to keep invasive species at bay on our 160-acre campus, and to maintain the beauty, health, and authenticity of our exhibits and public areas. Interns will gain insight into the operations of horticulture and zoological landscaping through training, shadowing and hands-on experiences. Interns will participate in a plant record keeping, using an established gps/tagging system.
The Visitor Studies Intern will learn how to collect qualitative and quantitative data that could be used to inform the development and modification of Zoo interpretivist, programs, and experiences. This opportunity will provide insight into how social science research and evaluation can be applied in a zoo context to maximize positive impact on the guest experience and, ultimately, on conservation outcomes.
Our Guest Services department plays a vital role in providing positive, informative human interactions that enhance every guest experience, from first impressions at the Main Gate, to riding the shuttle into the heart of the zoo, it is the Guest Services Agents that are on hand to greet and assist our many guests. As an intern with our Guest Services department, various aspects of hospitality management will be explored, including but not limited to; guest relations, front gate management, problem solving, staffing, training, and scheduling. Interns will gain insight into the operations of Guest Services through training, observation, and shadowing experiences.
Mary Wilson Scholar Program
Mary Jeanette Wilson (1937–2020) was the first Black senior zookeeper at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. With a career spanning 38 years, Wilson worked with many of the most charismatic species at the Zoo, specializing in gorillas, large cats, and elephants. To honor her legacy, the Zoo created the Mary Wilson Scholar Program, a 6-week paid summer internship awarded annually to a local college student who is a Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color (BIPOC), has a passion for animals, and an interest in zoo keeping. The Zoo welcomed the first Mary Wilson Scholar in 2022.
The application for 2024 has closed.
The Mary Wilson Scholar Program is generously supported by T. Rowe Price and Verizon
Please note: Most internships are unpaid, and there is no reimbursement for transportation or housing.
For questions about internships, please contact the Volunteer Department at 443-552-5266 or internships@marylandzoo.