Open Daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
520.791.3204Thank you for your interest in becoming a volunteer at Reid Park Zoo. Click on the bars below to explore currently available volunteer opportunities.
Please note: Reid Park Zoo does not offer shadowing opportunities, and volunteers and interns are not scheduled with the veterinarians or in the health center.
Docents are volunteer educators. They work on Zoo grounds with visitors of all ages, helping them to connect with wildlife and to learn about the Zoo. Docents must be 18 years of age or older and must attend an 8-week training course, offered once per year. Docents do not work with animal care staff, exhibit animals, or behind the scenes.
Interviews will be held in April, and if preliminarily accepted, there is mandatory orientation and docent shadowing, followed by the training in August & September. There is a $45.00 fee for the training.
Please call Carrie at 520-837-8083, or email carrie.dean@tucsonaz.gov, with questions about the docent program.
The application period to be considered for the 2018 class is now closed. The application for the 2019 class will be available in early January 2019.
Teen volunteers are volunteer educators. They work on Zoo grounds, helping to inspire visitors of all ages about the Zoo’s animals, and about protecting wildlife. Teen volunteers may be 13-17 years old and must attend an intensive training course, offered once per year at the end of May. Teen volunteers must be willing to commit to volunteering for at least 6 hours per month, for at least one year after training is completed. Teen volunteers do not work with Zoo Keepers or behind the scenes.
The application period to be considered for the 2018 class is now closed. Applications for the 2019 class will be available in early January 2019.
Questions? Please call Sierra at 837-8088, or email sierra.horsey@tucsonaz.gov.
Zoo Keeper College Intern
This position is for currently enrolled students, in good standing, at an accredited college or university only. College Interns work behind-the-scenes with a zoo keeper for one semester and can earn up to 3 credit units from their college. Juniors and seniors from an accredited college or university will be given priority over other applicants. The spring and fall internships consist of two workdays a week from 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Summer internships are from 6:30 a.m. -11:30 a.m. and require three workdays a week due to the shorter semester. Interns work on set days which may include weekend days. Interns do NOT work with primates or elephants.
The application period for the Fall 2018 semester is closed. Applications are currently being accepted for the Spring & Summer 2019 semesters. Applications are due by September 30, 2018 to be considered for the Spring & Summer 2019 semesters.
Education & Program Evaluation College Intern
Reid Park Zoo’s Education & Program Evaluation Intern position provides an opportunity to learn and experience working in informal education at a zoo. Interns work in the Zoo or behind-the-scenes for one semester and can earn up to 4 credit units from their college. Juniors and seniors from an accredited college or university will be given priority over other applicants.
Spring and fall internships consist of two workdays per week, 7:30am-2:30pm. Spring and fall Interns will develop unique projects based on their interests and the needs of the zoo. Projects will be overseen by a staff member with strong mentoring the first half of the internship and more independent work the second half. A paper describing the project’s goals, methods, evaluation technique, and discussion will be due at the end of the session. Projects might include evaluating guest interaction with zoo educational features, assisting to maintain features (carts, signage, etc), monitoring guest engagement throughout the zoo, assisting education staff with on-grounds informal programs, assisting zookeepers with presentations and evaluations of animal presentation to name a few.
Summer internships require five workdays per week, 8:30am-4:30pm. Summer interns work with summer camp education staff and are supervised by the Education Supervisor. Duties include working with students ranging from 1st-6th grades, learning class and time management skills, conducting and evaluating conservation activities, interpreting the natural history and conservation messages of the Zoo’s animal population, and can include some animal handling based on interest and need.
The application period for the Spring 2018 semester is closed. Applications are currently being accepted for the Summer 2018 semester. Applications are due by April 30, 2018 to be considered for the Summer 2018 semester.
Please call Carrie at 520-837-8083, or email carrie.dean@tucsonaz.gov, with questions about the College Intern program.
Volunteer Today!
Animal Care Volunteers work side-by-side with a zoo keeper and at times independently to help create a clean, safe and enriching habitat for our goat herd. Volunteers will be responsible for learning what a safe and clean habitat looks like and how to maintain it. Cleaning will happen around the goats and volunteers will learn how to safely clean around them. Volunteers will also learn to look for signs of goat wellness (observing animals themselves, food consumption, fecal output, water consumption, etc.). Volunteers will have opportunities to interact with goats and help maintain good goat manners. Volunteers will assist with feeding and providing enrichment for the goats, and may assist keepers with goat training as well.
Successful applicants will be able to work outdoors and be on their feet for several hours at a time. Must be able to work around hay and sand/dirt. Must be able to lift 20 pounds. Most important is the ability to communicate well and in a positive manner with keepers, other volunteers, and animal care staff. Shifts are available from 7:30am to noon October through May and 6:30am to 11:00am June through September. Applicants must be 18 years of age.
Please call Carrie at 520-837-8083, or email carrie.dean@tucsonaz.gov, with questions about the Animal Care Volunteer program.
The Elephant Care Center Volunteer position at Reid Park Zoo provides an opportunity for individuals to shadow and work side-by-side with an elephant keeper. Volunteering in the elephant care facility gives volunteers the opportunity to learn how zoos care for and enrich elephants. While helping, volunteers will learn about elephant natural history, anatomy, social hierarchies, positive reinforcement training, and about our individual animals. While cleaning and physical labor are the main functions of this volunteer position, volunteers will participate in many aspects of elephant care.
Volunteers can expect to do some or all of the following:
Volunteers will NOT work directly with the elephants. From a safe distance (no exceptions), volunteers will have the opportunity to observe keepers working with elephants.
Hours
Volunteers will track their hours. The work schedule is from 6:30am until 11:30am during summer months (June-September) and 7:30am until 12:30pm in the non-summer months (October-May). Ideally, volunteers will work 2 mornings a week, with a minimum of 1 day a week. The Zoo is a 7 day a week operation and therefore volunteers can work weekdays and/or weekends. The commitment is for a minimum of 6 months.
Qualifications
The Elephant Volunteer position is a physically and mentally demanding job. Applicants must be able to do the following to be considered for the position:
Please call Carrie at 520-837-8083, or email carrie.dean@tucsonaz.gov, with questions about this position. We are not accepting applications at this time.
RPZS holds several events throughout the year including Summer Safari, I Do at the Zoo, ZOOcson, Woo at the Zoo, Mother’s Day, etc. In addition, we also host weddings, corporate parties and meetings. We need assistance in the following areas:
Information Booth Volunteers work in the information booth in the front plaza of the Zoo, selling coloring posters and answering guests’ questions. Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older, and if accepted into the program, volunteers must attend a four-hour training course, and commit to volunteer two, four-hour sessions or one, eight-hour session per week. Information Booth Volunteers do not work with any Zoo animals.
If you have questions about this position, please contact Carrie at 520-837-8083 or carrie.dean@tucsonaz.gov.
