Internship

About the Animal Care Internship Program

Peaceable Primate Sanctuary provides an immersive UNPAID internship to current college students, recent graduates, and other interested individuals in the field of animal care. This program is not limited to college students!

The purpose of this program is to provide committed individuals with professional animal care experience and knowledge of proper primate husbandry. Interns work closely with our experienced care staff to learn many hands-on skills including daily care of primates, medication administration, safe capture techniques, suturing, operant conditioning, and much more! Interns will collaborate with a knowledgeable mentor to complete an enrichment or behavioral based project of their choosing throughout the duration of their internship.

College credit is currently available to undergraduate students through Purdue University Northwest. Other credit opportunities may be available at your institution - please contact your school’s advisor for further information and approval.

The Animal Care Internship Program is open YEAR-ROUND with flexible start and end dates that do not conform to a semester schedule. Interns are required to work a minimum of 8 hours per week for a minimum 8-week period to ensure a complete educational experience. Opportunities for alternative hours and internship duration may be available – email intern@peaceableprimates.org to discuss a schedule that fits your needs!

Internship Requirements:

Be at least 18 years of age
Provide proof of negative TB test (can be completed after acceptance to the program)
Be able to lift at least 50 pounds
Adhere to all PPS guidelines and policies
Demonstrate common sense, good work ethic, and respect for sanctuary residents and staff
Required to provide your own transportation, housing, and meals
Must be able to work in small team environment

Application Process:

Please complete the following application for consideration into the internship program. We highly encourage you to send additional information (i.e., resume, cover letter, unofficial transcripts) to intern@peaceableprimates.org to further your application.

Internship Testimonials

“I learned so many technical and practical skills working alongside the care staff and other interns at PPS and from the animals themselves, and there was always a new task or challenge for us to tackle, be it setting up new animal enclosures, learning to prepare diets and medication for the primates, researching my final project for a display on Hamadryas Baboons, or determining amongst ourselves which flavor of primate treat tasted the best (spoiler alert: it was none of them).” – Liam D. Intern 2025

“My role as a summer intern went beyond diet preparation and cleaning enclosures. While important, my experience was also about learning to read subtle body language, understanding complex social hierarchies in real time, sparking curiosity and play with enrichments, and earning the trust of retirees I spent my time with.” – Charlie C. 2025 Intern

From preparing enrichments and maintaining sanitary protocols to celebrating birthdays and even painting pictures, every day brought something new. I am incredibly grateful to Peaceable Primate Sanctuary for this amazing opportunity that allowed me to expand my horizons and gain a new insight into the primate way of life!” – Brynn S. 2025 Intern

“I particularly enjoyed the aspects of animal care and establishing relationships with the animals, as well as the various wet labs, especially learning about fecal sampling and how to use a dart gun. One of my favorite parts of the internship was the independent research project, through which I was really able to expand my knowledge and understanding of animal behavior and the process of creating a study.” – 2024 Intern