Undergraduate Internships
Explore opportunities at The Raptor Center to expand your experience and education in raptor and wildlife care through the following internship opportunities.
Clinic Assistant Student Internship
Purpose of Internship
The Clinic Assistant Student Internship provides students with hands-on experience in a raptor rehabilitation center, focusing on patient intake records, clinical workflow, communication within a team, and fundamental clinical support skills. Student interns will learn safe and effective practices for supporting medical care in our patient intake areas, assisting with handling wild raptors and assisting with diagnostic samples. Students will complete self-study modules ahead of advancing in clinic core skill training.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the internship, Clinic Assistant Student Interns will be able to:
- Support patient admissions and treatments during intake exams.
- Accurately complete medical record entries, data logs, and documentation related to patient care.
- Assist with safe capture, restraint, feeding, and medication administration for raptor patients in triage.
- Correctly apply and take off personal protective equipment (PPE) and follow biosecurity protocols in patient care areas.
- Navigate clinical workflow efficiently, understanding patient movement through the hospital, including the details of admitting patients in a biosecure manner and housing patients in a quarantine space.
- Contribute to general clinic upkeep by preparing cages, cleaning instruments, restocking, and supporting hospital sanitation.
- Be able to correctly prepare diets and medication for raptor rehabilitation patients.
- Assist with communicating effectively with the public, including assessing information provided during phone calls regarding injured, orphaned, or ill raptors.
- Assist with coordinating intake logistics, including arranging for rescue/transport through TRC’s volunteer network.
Hours of work
- Available shifts: 2 PM- 8 PM, 7 days a week, including holidays (winter hours may be reduced to 2 PM- 5- 6 PM depending on daily work needs.)
- Mid-shifts: 10 AM-1 PM, 7 days a week, including holidays June 15—Aug 31.
- A minimum commitment of one shift per week is required; applicants available for multiple shifts are preferred.
- Must be able to work routinely on the same shift throughout the semester. A maximum of two abrupt absences due to illness or emergency are acceptable. All other absences must be agreed upon at the start of the internship.
- Start and end dates, as well as weekly shift assignments, may vary depending on the number of applicants and individual availability.
- Students will be able to review self-study modules remotely.
What to Expect
85% Clinical Support & Patient Care
Interns provide essential support in daily patient care and clinical workflow, including assisting with admission exams, assisting with performing basic treatments, preparing enclosures, restocking supplies, and helping with sanitation tasks. Work will occur in main clinic spaces, treatment areas, and quarantine zones.
15% Public Communication & Skill Modules
Interns may assist in answering phone calls from the public reporting an injured or orphaned bird, assess urgency, provide guidance, and coordinate rescue/transport. Structured skill modules will build progressively, covering topics such as handling and restraint, medical record management, communication strategies, and technical clinical skills.
Qualification
Minimum Qualifications:
- Must meet the physical requirements of the position or be able to meet the physical requirements with a reasonable accommodation.
- Ability to stand and move for prolonged periods of time throughout the shift
- Ability to lift up to 40 pounds
- Ability to bend over and kneel throughout the shift
- Ability to grip and hold tools and raptor patients with assistance
- Willingness to work in various weather and environments, including indoors, outdoors, and within our quarantine space.
- Willingness to wear mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE) in certain spaces within TRC, including isolation gowns, Tyvek suits, N95 respirators and/orvsurgical masks, eye protection, shoe covers or boots, and nitrile gloves.
- Able to work in environments with potential exposure to zoonotic diseases.
- Willingness and ability to perform manual labor tasks
- Proof of tetanus vaccination, N95 fit testing, and health insurance
- Enrollment in an animal science major or related field is required.
- Ability to be trained to use medical software and Google Suite.
- Strong attention to detail
- Comfortable working in close quarters with large birds of prey
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment
- Ability to communicate effectively in a fast-paced environment
Preferred Qualifications:
- Undergrad students within the UMN Pre-Vet or Fisheries and Wildlife tracks
- Current UMN veterinary students
- Experience working in a hands-on animal care setting
- Experience working in a veterinary clinic setting
- Experience with customer service
- Sincere interest in wildlife conservation, wildlife veterinary medicine, or wildlife rehabilitation
How to Apply
- Send a cover letter of interest and resume to Jamie Toste, Clinic Manager, [email protected], with the subject line: Clinic Assistant Student Internship
- Include available day(s) of the week
- Include preferred start and end dates to fulfill your university requirements (if applicable)
- Include Student advisor or professor and internship agreement form (if applicable)
Animal Husbandry Internship Program
Purpose of Internship
Provide foundational husbandry skills for caring for injured and orphaned raptors in a hospital and rehabilitation setting. Additionally, you will gain hands-on experience supporting hospital operations while learning proper biosecurity, welfare, and wild bird rehabilitation-centered decision-making.
Learning Outcomes
- Perform daily husbandry tasks independently and correctly.
- Identify early indicators of common health and welfare issues (illness, stress or injury).
- Set up and maintain appropriate enclosures for various age classes and species.
- Understand the wild raptor rehabilitation pathway from intake to release.
- Demonstrate safe and competent diet preparation and presentation and observe the basics of bird handling.
- Communicate effectively with staff, volunteers, and veterinary personnel.
Hours of work
- 8 AM- 1 PM, 7 days a week, holiday work weeks included
- Quarantine shifts: 1:30-4 PM Mondays and Thursdays Sept-June 15; Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays June 15-Aug 31.
- Students will complete the majority of their animal husbandry responsibilities in the morning, followed by time to use Raptor Center computers for training modules and other learning activities.
- On-the-job shadowing of animal exams will occur between 8:00 and noon.
- Start and end dates, as well as weekly shift assignments, may vary depending on the number of applicants and individual availability.
- A minimum commitment of one 4-hour shift per week is required; applicants available for multiple shifts are preferred.
- Must be able to work routinely on the same shift throughout the semester. A maximum of two abrupt absences due to illness or emergency are acceptable.
- All other absences must be agreed upon at the start of the internship.
What to Expect
75% Foundational Daily Husbandry
Interns will spend the majority of their time assisting with the essential daily husbandry tasks in all patient care areas. This includes cleaning and setting up enclosures, maintaining biosecurity standards, organizing clinic supplies and equipment, assisting with restocking supplies and medications, and supporting smooth hospital operations.
25% Skill Development Modules
As the internship progresses, interns will gradually add structured skill-building modules to their schedule. These include observing handling and restraint, juvenile raptor care (spring/summer/early fall), clinical observation opportunities, preparing diets, monitoring animals for changes in behavior or condition, species-specific housing practices, and advanced husbandry techniques. Modules build sequentially and are introduced as competency and readiness increase.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
- Must meet the physical requirements of the position or be able to meet the physical requirements with a reasonable accommodation.
- Ability to stand and move for prolonged periods of time throughout the shift
- Ability to lift up to 40 pounds
- Ability to bend over and kneel throughout the shift
- Ability to grip tools and hold a raptor with assistance
- Willingness to work in various weather and environments including indoors, outdoors, and within our quarantine space
- Willingness to wear mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE) in certain situations and spaces within TRC
- Willingness and ability to perform manual labor tasks
- Proof of tetanus vaccination and health insurance
- Enrollment in an animal science major or related field is required.
- Strong attention to detail
- Comfortable working in close quarters with large birds of prey
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment
- Ability to communicate effectively in a fast-paced environment
Preferred Qualifications:
- Work experience in an animal care role, janitorial role, or customer service/restaurant service is preferred
- Sincere interest in wildlife conservation, wildlife veterinary medicine, or wildlife rehabilitation
How to Apply
- Send a cover letter of interest and resume to Jamie Toste, Clinic Manager, [email protected], with the subject line: Animal Husbandry Internship
- Include preferred start and end dates to fulfill your University requirements
- Include available day(s) of the week
- Include your student advisor or professor and the internship agreement form