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.
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.
As an AZA-accredited institution, the Maryland Zoo is committed to using evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of its programs for achieving mission-based outcomes. The opportunity provided to Program Evaluation Interns allows them to gain insight into conservation education in a zoo context through hands-on experience in carrying out evaluation with zoo audiences.
Vet Tech Interns will gain insight into the operations of a zoo veterinary hospital through training, shadowing and hands-on experiences.
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This internship is not currently accepting applications. Please check back for 2025.
Conservation Education Interns will support on-grounds and off-grounds educational experiences benefiting audiences of all ages and backgrounds and assist staff with the preparation of educational materials and the delivery of educational programs using artifacts and hands-on activities.
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This internship is not currently accepting applications. Please check back for 2025.
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.