Internships

Think Wild is excited to offer a selection of internships to students interested in wildlife rehabilitation, conservation, and education. Spring and Summer 2023 Internships are now open!

*Internship for 2023 is FULL*

Position Description

We are seeking one Wildlife Education Intern to join Think Wild’s outreach and education team for the summer! The intern will work alongside the Education and Volunteer Manager to facilitate group tours at the wildlife hospital, lead educational programs for school groups, conduct outreach and tabling activities, create social media and website content for Think Wild, and design and implement wildlife-themed educational curriculum for various ages. 

Schedule: The Wildlife Education Intern will report to their shifts at the Think Wild hospital (unless otherwise noted) for three scheduled 8-hour shifts per week. The intern will coordinate with the Education and Volunteer Manager to determine daily activities and events as they occur. Shifts are generally from 8am-4pm, but are subject to change slightly as different events are scheduled. 

Anticipated start date: June 19, 2023 (flexible)

Reports to: Education and Volunteer Manager

Compensation: This is an unpaid volunteer position. A $1,000 stipend will be awarded upon successful completion of the internship.

Interested in applying? See our full internship announcement, including instructions on how to apply, here.

*Internship for 2023 is FULL*

Position Description

We are seeking six Wildlife Hospital Interns to join our wildlife rehabilitation team for the spring/summer term. Our wildlife hospital operates on ~4 acres and admits more than 700 injured and orphaned wild animals each year from Deschutes County and the surrounding area. Interns work with our wildlife rehabilitation staff to provide care to patients in our clinic. Duties include many aspects of animal husbandry such as diet preparation, cleaning enclosures, assisting staff with patient treatments and procedures, and more.

Schedule: Interns will report to work at Think Wild for three scheduled 8-hour shifts per week and perform animal care activities onsite. Our morning shift is from 8 am – 5 pm (with a 1 hour lunch), and our afternoon shift is from 11am – 8 pm (with a 1 hour lunch). Internships last approximately 9 weeks and closely follow the trimester academic calendar.

Anticipated dates:

1st Session: April 1st-May 31st (end date flexible)
2nd Session: June 1st-July 31st (end date flexible)
3rd Session: August 1-September 30th (end date flexible)

Reports to: Wildlife Rehabilitation Staff

Compensation: These are unpaid volunteer positions. A $500 stipend will be awarded upon successful completion of the internship.

Interested in applying? See our full internship announcement, including instructions on how to apply, here.

"I started as a volunteer with Think Wild in August 2020, where I learned the basic routine of how things are done (how to care for certain species, make diets, log in patient charts, husbandry duties). I began my internship in the Spring of 2021, and that's where I really learned my knowledge of how to assess patients upon intake, create treatment plans, and all of the veterinary care that goes into caring for these animals. Once my internship was complete, I was offered a seasonal position, continuing to learn about and help with animal care, as well as handling the wildlife hotline.  Prior to volunteering, I had no experience in the field.  Thanks to this "pyramid" of opportunities, and being able to work alongside Pauline, I learned a vast array of knowledge about how wildlife rehab works. I now have a permanent position at Think Wild as a wildlife technician, and I'm super excited to get to call this my job!"

-Savanna Scheiner, Current Wildlife Technician, Former Summer 2021 Intern

"Interning at Think Wild was nothing short of amazing. Being able to be so hands-on and close to such extraordinary creatures is something few people can say, and even fewer can say that they assisted in the rescue and rehabilitation of such animals. I learned a great deal from this experience. Things I would have never learned if I had stayed a volunteer. The skills I learned from interning I use in everyday life are as I have many pets at home and am going into a career with wildlife. Not only did I learn about animals, proper care, and medical procedures, but I learned about communication, coordination, and leading. I miss the Think Wild team. Pauline was the best mentor anyone could ever ask for and all of the wonderful volunteers made the work we do easier and smoother plus they were always a joy to talk with. I hope to come back and visit, volunteer more in the summer, and in many years from now if end up back in Bend I would want to volunteer with my DVM. Think Wild made me realize what I wanted to do with my life, and I helped many lives along the way. Thank you so much for the wonderful opportunity, it truly was life-changing."

-Kylie Lanuza, Summer 2021 Intern