Veterinary Technician Internship

It’s a jungle out there...Why not prepare for it with an internship at the zoo?

Job Description: Veterinary Technician Interns will come to the zoo one day per week for a 3-month period to assist the veterinarians and technicians in a variety of technical duties including: laboratory specimen testing and handling, general hospital upkeep, surgical preparation, nursing care, health records maintenance, observation and medical treatment of animals, and daily care of the hospitalized and quarantined animals. Will be under continuous supervision by the staff veterinarians and technicians while completing these duties.

Qualifications: (NOTE — Applicants who do not meet these requirements will not be considered for this position): Must either be licensed/registered/certified veterinary technician with two years' work experience OR have a minimum of four years' related experience in the veterinary, wildlife, or exotic animal field. Must have a current negative TB test upon acceptance and will be subject to a criminal background check.

What we offer:

Unfortunately, we cannot offer a salary, but we do offer the following benefits:

• The chance to develop your talents and skills.
• Experience that will look great on your resume.
• A progressive management style that allows interns to take on a great deal of responsibility and provides a supportive, stimulating and fun workplace.
• Letters of reference for future job opportunities.
• The zoo...you get to visit every day!

What you would do as an intern:

Veterinary Technician Internships can be physically demanding and interns may be subject to a variety of environmental factors. All applicants are advised to consider these factors when applying for these internships. Zoo work is a physically demanding profession that involves frequent bending, stretching, climbing into small spaces, and sometimes working in awkward positions. Tasks are occasionally strenuous, and interns must be able to lift a minimum of 50 pounds. Interns may also be required to work outdoors and must, therefore, be able to tolerate extreme weather conditions, including heat and cold, rain, snow, and humidity. Interns are also subjected to strong odors, dust, hay, and animal hair/fur/dander/bodily fluids/excrement.

Responsibilities:

Veterinary Technician Interns may be asked to perform any of the following duties. However, these examples do not include all the specific tasks which an intern may be asked to perform.

1. Performs routine tests of medical laboratory samples including animal blood, urine, and feces.
2. Assists with data entry in animal health records relating to laboratory tests and analysis, medical treatments, births, etc.
3. Prepares and feeds prescribed diets to each assigned animal, noting and recording food- consumption, stool consistency, injury progress, and any other relevant events, observations or changes.
4. Cleans instruments and work areas following medical procedures, cleans and sterilizes surgical instruments and darts. Sets up instruments prior to procedures.
5. Assists veterinarian in animal immobilizations including monitoring anesthesia, restraining animals, and moving awake and anesthetized animals.
6. Prepares surgery room, ensures that necessary equipment is present for surgery. Works as surgical nurse, monitoring vital signs and providing veterinarian with required equipment.
7. Prepares and administers medical treatments prescribed by the veterinarian.
8. Observes zoo animals for possible signs of illness, analyzes stool samples for presence of parasites. Refers detected signs of animal health problems to veterinarian for diagnosis.
9. Performs daily husbandry duties for animals hospitalized for quarantine or treatments.
10. Cleans and disinfects animal cages regularly; sweeps and mops floors, washes and cleans dishes and other equipment in the hospital and quarantine areas.
11. Performs other related duties as assigned.

How to apply:

Send your resume, application form, and a cover letter that answers the following questions: (all materials must be included for an applicant to be considered.)

• What are your career goals, and how would this internship help you achieve them?
• What kind of experience do you have that would make you a valuable intern?
• In what areas are you most interested in attaining experience through this internship?

From the applications, we will select interns to be interviewed. A total of two (2) interns will be accepted for each term. Deadline for applications is:

• Fall term (September/October/November): Apply by June 16
• Winter term (December/January/February): Apply by September 16
• Spring term (March/April/May): Apply by December 16
• Summer term (June/July/August): Apply by February 16

Applications for specified terms received after the term deadline will be declined.

Email applications to:
Margot Monti

Please put "Veterinary Technician Internship" in the subject of your email.

OR

Mail applications to:
Margot Monti, CVT
Veterinary Hospital
Oregon Zoo
4001 SW Canyon Road
Portland, OR 97221

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