Jobs and Internships

Nature Camp Educator

Deadline: Open Until Filled

Hourly Rate: $16.00/hour

Schedule: Part-Time, Seasonal Position

Job Location: Briar Bush Nature Center, 1212 Edge Hill Road, Abington, PA 19001

For additional information contact Melissa Eldridge, Program and Summer Camp Director,

at 215-887-6603 or melissa@briarbush.org.

Abington Township is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Read the complete job description here.

Click here to apply online.

Animal Care Internship

Deadline: Open Until Filled

Start Date: Immediate (May at the latest)

End Date: Minimum of a 3-month commitment

Hours: Flexible schedule between Monday through Friday, 9:00 am-5:00 pm (minimum of 10 hours per week)

Pay: $600 Stipend. (Housing is unavailable.)

Job Location: Briar Bush Nature Center, 1212 Edge Hill Road, Abington, PA 19001

Briar Bush Nature Center in Abington is home to twenty different species of exotic former pets and non-releasable wildlife used for educational programming, including lizards, snakes, Virginia opossum, turtles, rats, hissing cockroaches, and birds of prey. We are seeking a highly motivated intern to assist the Animal Curator with the daily care of these animals. This is a great opportunity to gain real, one-on-one, hands-on experience beyond the scope of basic husbandry. The intern will have the opportunity to apply the skills they are learning in their veterinary, pre-vet, or other animal-related degree to design diets, habitats, and care regimens for the Briar Bush collection.

Job Description and Responsibilities:

Assist in the routine feeding, cleaning, and enrichment of the ambassador animal collection.
Monitor and manage animal health through regular weighing, nail trims, and other preventative health measures.
Work with the Animal Curator to ensure that all animal diets, enclosure environments, and operating procedures are optimized for each species through independent online research and application of knowledge acquired through education.
Assist the Animal Curator with other animal care tasks as needed.

Requirements:

Previous experience working with captive animals, exotic experience preferred.
Must be comfortable handling all animals in collection, including cockroaches, reptiles, birds of prey, and tarantula.
Strong communication skills.
Strong attention to detail.
Ability to keep detailed records.
Ability to conduct online research and distinguish reliable information and sources through cross referencing.
Self-motivated; able to set and meet deadlines.

Send a cover letter and resume to Katie Fisk, Animal Curator, at katie@briarbush.org.

Natural Lands Management Intern

Deadline: Open Until Filled

Hours: Part-time, seasonal internship; requires a minimum commitment of six hours per week for a minimum of three months.

Schedule: Flexible.

Job Location: Briar Bush Nature Center, 1212 Edge Hill Road, Abington, PA 19001

The internship is unpaid; housing is unavailable.

Educational Enrichments: Interns will receive experience in natural land management techniques including training and practice in:

Native and non-native invasive plant identification
Manual control practices for non-native plants
Pruning and/or planting (depending on the season) for restoration settings

A few suggested reading titles may be borrowed from the Center's holdings. Interns learn about regional organizations, conferences, and other local networking opportunities and will be sent any related career information or opportunities of which the Briar Bush staff becomes aware.

Responsibilities:

Identification and manual removal of invasive exotic plants
Watering, weeding, planting, and/or mulching of native plantings
Trail maintenance (less than 1-mile trail system)
Working with youth and adult volunteers to perform grounds work
Occasional assistance with program setup and routine maintenance of buildings

Qualifications:

College coursework in horticulture, botany, environmental science, or related field
Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions
Ability to lift and carry up to 40lbs, walk on rough, uneven terrain, use vision to identify plants and safely use hand tools

Legal Requirements: Interns who have direct contact with minors must obtain PA Criminal History Background Check, PA Child Abuse History Clearance, and/or other background checks. This may not apply to all interns.

Send cover letter and resume to Mark Fallon, Director, at mark@briarbush.org.