Animal Trainer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Classification: Seasonal, Unpaid Internship

Dates of Internship: Fall, September 2026 - December 2026

Application Deadline: July 14, 2026

Job Description 

MSAQ Terrestrial Animals interns will have the opportunity to take part in all aspects of daily husbandry of our diverse animal species residing in our many habitats. Interns will be under the supervision and guidance of the Curator, Managers, and Animal Care staff of the Bird and Ambassador Team. This internship will help those aspiring to enter the field develop skills in time management, communication, guest presentations, and teamwork. 

The position will be responsible for adhering to all aquarium safety protocols, standard operating procedures, Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), US Department of Agriculture(USDA), and International Marine Animal Trainer Association (IMATA) accreditation standards. The goal is to help interns succeed professionally in any chosen field. 

Internship Layout

This unpaid internship is progressive and is 16 weeks in length, requiring a commitment of 2-3 consistent days per week.Due to the nature of a progressive internship, a commitment of 16 weeks is required. This will ensure the best experience and career preparation. 

Our internship is divided into 5 tiers, each concentrating on different aspects of care while continuing to build on the intern's responsibilities: 

• Tier 1: Introduction to Animal Husbandry and our animals 
• Tier 2: Guest Interactions and Presentations 
• Tier 3: Animal Behavior and Enrichment 
• Tier 4: Animal Learning and Training 
• Tier 5: Career Development and Intern Project/ Focus 

Advancement and duration of each tier is based on each individual intern's motivation and assessment by animal care staff.  

Intern responsibilities encompass the skills needed to provide exceptional care for ambassador animals. These skills include diet preparation, kitchen/facility cleaning that exceeds USDA standards, daily guest interactions, assist with habitat maintenance, implement daily enrichment schedules, create behavioral based enrichment, and assist with animal training projects alongside staff. There is no guarantee of physical animal interaction, and any interaction will be at the discretion of animal care staff. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist team in the overall daily care of our animal habitats and other species under the team's care 
• Perform proper animal diet preparation 
• Keep support areas clean, organized, and safe 
• Build knowledge of operant conditioning and observe training sessions with animals under our care 
• Design, implement, and evaluate enrichment under guidance of staff 
• Support interactive programs and educational presentations through formal and informal public speaking opportunities 
• Ensure guest satisfaction by delivering exceptional customer service 
• Comply with all standard operating procedures (SOPs) pertaining to daily operations and safety 
• Promote conservation, animal welfare, and good stewardship in daily tasks 
• Undertake special projects as assigned by curator and staff 

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the candidate for this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice. 

Qualifications

•  18 years of age or older 
• Currently enrolled in or a recent graduate of a secondary education program in biology, zoology, animal science, psychology, or another related field 
• Previous animal care experience, such as volunteering at an animal shelter, preferred 
• Applicants should consider themselves hardworking, motivated, and reliable

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to work consistent 2-3 days per week minimum, for 16 weeks 
• Ability to accept internship position as an unpaid position 
• Understanding that completion of this internship program does not lead to a permanent position with the Mississippi Aquarium. 
• Ability to perform physically demanding job duties regularly 
• Daily interaction with fellow team members and the public 
• Excellent observation and communication skills 
• Strong interpersonal skills and ethics that sustain a positive and professional environment 
• Ability to reliably travel to and from work 
• Ability to work weekends, holidays, and days closed due to inclement weather 
• Ability to find and secure housing for the duration of the 16-week internship 
• Public speaking experience preferred, or the willingness to learn 

Team Requirements

• Safety & Security - All Team Members are required to adhere to all Mississippi Aquarium safety and security standards. 
• Attendance & Appearance - To maximize the guest's experience, all Team Members are required to adhere to Mississippi Aquarium standard operating procedures regarding attendance and dress code policies as it relates to individual job functionality. Tattoos and piercings must be appropriate and in keeping with a professional image. Depending on the work area, management reserves the right to determine that tattoos will need to be covered during your shift. 
• Sales & Guest Services - Our forward-thinking business model requires listening to and understanding the needs of our guests both internal and external. To that end, we must always be focused on the guest experience, which is the key driver for return guest visitation and increased sales. 
• Team Partnership - All Team Members are focused on supporting each other to complete the guest experience. Therefore, supporting, facilitating, and participating in activities that promote team effectiveness is vital to our organization.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an intern to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the intern is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The intern must occasionally lift and/or move up to 60 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the position include close vision, distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this position, the intern is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.