Jobs & Internships
Love animals? Love the outdoors? Come work with us at Northwest Trek!
Jobs and internships here go from grounds and operation to animal care, from education to marketing to visitor services.
As part of Metro Parks Tacoma, we offer some of the best benefits packages around. And we’re a great team – humans and animals alike.
Would you like to be a Seasonal Animal Keeper or Visitor Service Cashier? We are currently hiring for these positions and more!
All of our jobs are listed on the Metro Parks Tacoma website. You’ll be redirected from the Northwest Trek site. Keep scrolling for internship information.
Looking for something wild to do? The internship program at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park is designed to provide you with practical experience as you gain valuable knowledge related to your career goals.
An internship is an intense, concentrated, unpaid volunteer position that allows an individual to assist his or her assigned department in performing both routine and special activities.
A Northwest Trek internship requires a commitment of a 24-40 hours/week for a period of 10-16 weeks. Some internships require a longer commitment (see individual descriptions for hourly and weekly requirements). An applicant must be at least 18 years of age, a college student or recent graduate, and flexible with his or her schedule – having the ability to work weekdays, weekends and holidays. All positions are unpaid. On-site housing is available. Although Northwest Trek’s intern program is not affiliated with an academic institution, Trek staff will work with interns to accommodate school requirements for those who are eligible to earn credit.
See below for internship descriptions.
Under the direction of a Lead Naturalist, interns will be responsible for staffing a variety of education programs for the general public on a daily basis. Programs are nontraditional in format and include information/education carts, roving interpretation opportunities and staffing the Cheney Discovery Center. Cart program topics include but are not limited to Backyard Habitats, Healthy Watersheds, and Raingardens.
Additional education opportunities include participating in Special Events and staffing the Kid’s Trek play area.
This internship is available April-September.
Housing: Provided free on-site. Amenities include utilities paid, full bath, kitchen, washer &
dryer, Netflix and Hulu subscription, internet access, bikes to use to travel to and from work area
Minimum Requirements
- At least 18 years of age
- Available to work both weekdays and weekends
- Available 40 hours a week for 12 weeks
- Subject to a Washington State criminal background check
Additional Requirements:
- Currently enrolled in an accredited four-year college or university with course work in Education, Interpretation or a related field
- Ability to communicate clearly and concisely orally and in writing
- Ability to stand and walk for long periods of time
- Must have completed at least one year of college
The internship can be extended if approved by the applicant and staff.
The Zoological Internship program at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park is designed to provide interns with hands-on learning opportunities in animal husbandry. This is a unique opportunity for interns to work alongside zookeepers and gain valuable on the job training.
The Northwest Trek Wildlife Park provides the opportunity for interns to gain experience in the zoo keeping field by participating in daily animal keeper activities including animal husbandry, nutrition, record keeping, habitat modification, behavioral studies, public speaking, enrichment and training.
Daily tasks include some strenuous activity so candidates must be in good physical condition, able to lift up to 50lbs, and able to apply safe working practices. Interns will be trained in all areas: cats, bears, canids, small carnivores, raptors and hoof stock.
Housing: Provided free on-site. Amenities include utilities paid, full bath, kitchen, washer &
dryer, Netflix and Hulu subscription, internet access, bikes to use to travel to and from work area
Working Hours: 40 hours per week- 5 days per week total
Internship Length: 12 weeks
Minimum Requirements:
- Have a minimum of two years of course work in a major field of study to be applied during the internship
- Currently a Junior or Senior in college or a graduate with degree related to the internship
- Be capable of the physical requirements required to work with animals. This includes lifting heavy objects (50 lbs. +), climbing, kneeling, and working in an outdoor environment under any weather condition
- Ability to commit to a minimum of 480 hours (40 hours a week) for 12 weeks
- Have your own health insurance
- Have a valid driver’s license. Must be able to provide a driving abstract prior to start date.
- Must be up to date on tetanus vaccination
- Interns are subject to a Washington State criminal background check
This internship is available year round and can be extended if approved by staff.
Under the direction of the Horticulturist/Arborist Lead, interns will conduct a wide variety of activities that may include but are not limited to native habitat restoration, native garden design, planting and upkeep, zoological (animal) exhibit plant design and renovation, invasive species removal, native plant propagation, arborist work in pruning and hazard tree removal, floristic field surveys, wetland mitigation work and other horticulture related projects. Interns may also have opportunities to lead volunteer groups on restoration and horticulture activities.
This internship is available year round.
Housing: Provided free on-site. Amenities include utilities paid, full bath, kitchen, washer &
dryer, Netflix and Hulu subscription, internet access, bikes to use to travel to and from work area
Working Hours: 40 hours per week- 5 days per week total
Internship Length: 12 weeks
Minimum Requirements:
- At least 18 years of age
- Available to work both weekdays and weekends
- Available a minimum of 24 hours a week for 10 weeks
- Subject to a Washington State criminal background check
- The internship can be extended if approved.
Additional Requirements:
- Must be currently enrolled in, or have recently graduated from a college or university
- Have at a minimum some course work in a major field of study (ex. horticulture, forestry, restoration ecology and/or botany)
- Be capable of the physical abilities required to work in the outdoors. This includes lifting heavy objects (50 lbs. +), climbing, kneeling, and working in outdoor environment under any weather condition
- Have a valid driver’s license
- Complete an online application form
- Attach a cover letter including your career goals
- Attach a resume
- Submit answers to the supplemental questions
- Recommend attaching two letters of recommendation from an advisor or supervisor
- Participate in a phone, online or in person interview