Volunteers play a vital role at Como assisting throughout the Zoo, Conservatory, Grounds, Education and Visitor Services. As a volunteer, you’ll experience first-hand the fascinating connections between people, plants and animals. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet interesting people and learn new things about plants, animals, gardens and their impact both locally and around the world.
(For our paid Apprenticeships in Zoo or Horticulture please click HERE. Otherwise, scroll down for volunteer and internship opportunities)
Volunteer Opportunities
We are grateful to have many of our current volunteer needs being addressed, but we do have openings. Our greatest need right now is for volunteers to partner with us in the following ways:
- Day Camp Assistants: Help us make Como camps fun this summer! Assistants help with activities, lunches, breaks, classroom set up and cleanup, and helping to keep kids feeling comfortable, safe and engaged in their camp. Volunteers will be needed mid-June through August. If you are 16 and older, really like working with children and have a minimum of three weeks to help this summer, contact us!
- Visitor Greeters: Join our Welcome team! Serve as the first point of contact as guests arrive to the campus and the last friendly face they see as they are leaving. Volunteers in this role will answer general questions, solicit the assistance of Visitor Services staff as needed, thank visitors for any donations and create a warm and welcoming environment as people arrive (17 and older). Volunteer shifts are approximately three hours. Additional Visitor Greeters are needed starting in April for our busy Spring and Summer seasons.
- Interpreter/Presenter: Share your love for plants and animals with our visitors of all ages! Interpreters serve as ambassadors in all areas throughout the campus. We currently have openings in the following locations:
– Fern room and Sunken Garden
– North Garden and Palm Dome
– Primates
– Aquatics
– Bird Yard
– North American Hoofstock
– African Hoofstock
– Tropical Encounters
– Cats and Wolves
– Japanese Garden interpreter
- Special Events Assistant– There are several ways to be involved if your schedule doesn’t allow for a regular, longer term commitment, but you are interested in helping 3 or 4 times a year. These volunteers help us with events like Party for the Planet, Obon Festival and others.(18 and older)
- Commissary Assistant– Assist zoo keepers with diet preparation and kitchen clean up, general housekeeping and other assigned tasks or projects. This position requires a weekly commitment of at least six months and will require an interview with a keeper. (18 and older).
- Horticulture Aide- Production: Assist Horticulturists with potting up seedlings, plugs and plants. They also do grooming, weeding and deadheading of plants as well as move plants as needed and help with keeping the greenhouse clean. All of these activities are conducted behind the scenes. (18 and older)
- Horticultural Aide- Conservatory: This position assists Horticulturists in maintaining the rooms of the conservatory by cleaning up fallen leaves and performing plant grooming tasks as instructed. Volunteers in this role could weed, trim or deadhead herbaceous plants, as well as assist with floral displays and disposal of compostable plant material. (18 and older)
- Small Animal Care Assistant: Assist with cage cleaning, feeding, water changes and providing enrichment for small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mouse colony. Dusting, sweeping and other cleaning and maintenance of the building as directed. Organize small and large kitchens including refrigerator and freezer. Assist with putting away food deliveries that arrive to the Animal Support Building. (18 and older)
- Education Assistants: Help our younger visitors have a great time! Assist Como Education staff with school and group stations involving animal and plant biofacts or other hands-on experiences. Volunteers who have an Educational background or love to work with children can help in a few different ways.
- Gardener Aides: This is an outdoor, seasonal role helping our gardener team to plant and maintain the Spring and Summer gardens/displays around the campus. This is a very physical role (lots of bending, kneeling, stooping, digging while weeding, raking, deadheading, trimming, etc.) and is available approximately May-September, depending on the weather. Volunteers commit to one morning a week, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday (18 and older)
- Teen Volunteer Opportunities – Nature Walk, a summer youth volunteer program for rising 8th – 12th graders. For more information and the application, click HERE.
- Free training
- Valuable experience
- Gift shop and café discounts
- Invitations to special volunteer recognition events
- Click here to complete our online volunteer application.
- Wait to hear from us. We respond to all volunteer application requests.
- You must be currently enrolled in a college or university degree program
- Preference is given to applicants currently enrolled in a related field of study
- Interns are required to follow policies and procedures of Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
- All internships are unpaid
- Summer: March 10TH
- Fall: August 10TH
- Spring: November 10TH
- Cover letter indicating reasons for interest in a Como internship
- Resume summarizing education and employment experiences
- Two letters of reference; at least one reference submitted by a college instructor with knowledge of your academic performance and commitment to your major
- Completed Internship Application form
You’ll see the volunteer opportunities above currently listed on our application. We are not currently looking for volunteers for any of the roles listed below, however we’d be glad to flag your profile if you are interested and can follow up with you should something open up. Just let us know in the notes section of your application.
Volunteer Benefits
How to Become a Volunteer
Join our volunteer team in just 2 easy steps:
Contact us by email at ComoVolunteers@ci.stpaul.mn.us or call 651-487-8252.
INTERNING AT COMO
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory features many fascinating connections between humans, plants and animals. Each year, dozens of interns and hundreds of volunteers work in partnership with staff throughout the campus to promote the mission of Como. Intern opportunities are offered year round in some areas and seasonally in others.
Before getting started, please note that:
Horticulture Internships
An internship placement with our Horticulture team will give students the opportunity to work alongside Horticulturists in the care and maintenance of Como’s plant collection. Interns can expect to gain knowledge and experience in the preparation of floral displays and the rotation of floriculture stock. Preference would be given to students enrolled in a related field of study, but it is not mandatory. In addition, it is not required that interns placed with our Horticulture team receive college credit, although the department can work with you if that is something you are pursuing. There is a physical aspect of an internship role with this team; applicants should be comfortable with standing, stooping, reaching throughout their shift and occasionally lift up to 50 pounds.
The following Horticulture internships are now available:
Zoo Internships
Our Zoo team is not currently accepting intern applications. Please check back here for any updates related to placements with our zoo team.
Marketing Internship
None at this time
Como Friends Internship
Education Department internships
None at this time
Application Deadline for this year’s Horticulture internships:
We will accept applications past the stated deadline if openings remain. Please email or call to find out if we have openings remaining past the application deadlines. comovolunteers@ci.stpaul.mn.us 651-487-8252
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD INTERN APPLICATION
A complete Como intern application must include the following:
Application materials can be submitted electronically or via regular mail.
If you have any questions about applying, contact Volunteer & Intern Services at: ComoVolunteers@ci.stpaul.mn.us 651-487-8252
