Zoology Internships are voluntary service learning positions for college students seeking hands-on training and experience. Interns work in all aspects of animal care including husbandry, diet prep, enclosure & facility cleaning, and working with the public in all weather conditions. 250 hour commitment over at least 10 weeks. This is hard work! Must be able to lift 50lbs, work with children, have extreme attention to detail, good memory and work outdoors in all weather conditions.

Wild Hearts African Farm is a nonprofit zoo and accredited arboretum looking for an outgoing, creative, animal-loving intern to help share our story online. If you love TikTok, IG, FB, & YouTube and enjoy taking photos and videos, and want real experience creating content for a meaningful organization, this internship is for you.

You don’t need to be an expert — we’re looking for someone excited to learn, create, and grow.

Social Media & Marketing Intern

Seasonal Internship | 12 Weeks | 200 Hours | Hybrid

Location: Lewisburg, Ohio

Seasons Available: Winter • Spring • Summer • Fall

Reports To: Zoo Director

About Wild Hearts

Wild Hearts African Farm is a nonprofit zoo and accredited arboretum dedicated to wildlife conservation, education, and community connection. Through immersive programs, on-site experiences, and offsite outreach, we use storytelling to inspire empathy for animals and the natural world.

About This Internship

Wild Hearts African Farm & Zoo is seeking a highly driven, future content-creator star who wants to use their social media powers for good and help advance wildlife conservation. This role is not entry-level and is best suited for someone who already loves social media, actively creates content in their personal time, and is eager to grow their skills in a real-world, mission-driven environment.

Former Wild Hearts interns are strongly encouraged to apply and will be given strong consideration, but prior internship experience with Wild Hearts is not required.

We are looking to place at least one intern per season (Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall). Start and end dates are slightly flexible to accommodate academic schedules while still meeting internship expectations.

Key Responsibilities

Content Creation & Storytelling

• Capture high-quality photos and videos of animals, arboretum spaces, staff, events, and behind-the-scenes moments
• Create engaging, educational short-form content for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Facebook
• Write clear, compelling captions and stories aligned with the Wild Hearts mission
• Pitch creative content ideas and trends, then refine them through feedback
• Submit all content for approval prior to posting

Planning, Growth & Impact

• Help shape weekly content plans across platforms
• Balance fun, educational, and mission-driven storytelling
• Observe which content resonates and apply lessons learned
• Develop and demonstrate excellent time management skills while juggling multiple projects
• Learn how social media can influence awareness, empathy, and support for wildlife conservation

Email & Newsletter Communications

• Provide a weekly email recap summarizing posts, ideas, and observations
• Assist in creating the monthly Wild Hearts email newsletter
• Collaborate on a special end-of-internship newsletter highlighting animals, programs, arboretum features, people, and impact as a capstone project

On-Site, Offsite & Remote Work

• Work onsite at the zoo and arboretum capturing content
• Independently travel to offsite locations (libraries, schools, corporate events, baseball games, and community programs) to film content
• Complete editing, planning, and writing both onsite and remotely
• Collaborate closely with the Director for mentorship, feedback, and growth

Schedule & Hours

• 200 total hours over approximately 12 weeks
• Roughly 15–18 hours per week
• 4–6 hours per week may be remote
• Prime working days are Thursday–Saturday
• Open availability is preferred; however, class schedules may be accommodated as long as internship responsibilities and deadlines are met

Who We’re Looking For

• Highly driven, creative individuals excited to grow as content creators
• Current degree-seeking students or recent graduates (within the last two years)
• Former Wild Hearts interns (strongly considered but not required)
• Passionate about social media and actively creating content outside of school/work
• Excellent writing, grammar, punctuality, and time management skills
• Positive, enthusiastic personality ready to share excitement for wildlife conservation with the world
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel independently to multiple locations
• Comfortable working outdoors, around animals, and in public settings
• Familiarity with TikTok, Instagram, CapCut, Canva, or similar tools expected

What You’ll Gain

• Advanced, real-world social media and storytelling experience
• Portfolio-ready content plus a published newsletter capstone project
• Mentorship and hands-on feedback from nonprofit leadership
• Insight into how digital media supports conservation, education, and community impact

Our Jr. Internship is for youth who are interested in animal sciences as a profession and would like to gain hands on experience. Must be a responsible teen with a driver's license that can come one day a week after school, and three Saturday's a month for 4 hours. 250 Hour Commitment.

Ideal for retired professionals and educators. Helps educate the public. Can commit to at least 2x month. We will train you on a few animal areas where you can explain animal facts and engage with the public. This can be indoors or outdoors. Must be able to communicate effectively and work with children.

Ideal for adults that have time to give back and want to contribute to our cause. Can volunteer at least 1 day/3 hours each week to help perform a variety of operational tasks. Additionally this could also be a remote position for those wishing to help with admin tasks such as grant writing, IT, marketing etc.

Volunteer to rake leaves, paint, weed, lay down mulch, crafts, spring clean up etc.