Adult Volunteers
Join the team of amazing Zoo volunteers who contribute their time and help make the Zoo a great place to visit.
What can Volunteers do at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo?
A variety of volunteer jobs are available to fit almost everyone's time and interests. Volunteers will rotate through a variety of jobs and see what it takes to keep the Zoo going!
Some of the opportunities for adults to volunteer include:
- Keeper Aide – Assist zookeepers to keep animals happy and healthy. Duties include cleaning exhibits, preparing animal diets and other duties as assigned. Please note zookeeper aides rarely work directly with animals. The primary objective of this position is to help zookeepers maintain a successful environment for the animals.
- Education Program Assistant – Assist staff in preparing and teaching classes for the Zoo's camp program. Classes include tours, games, crafts, live animal demonstrations and special enrichment activities.
- Administration – Assist administrative staff with all aspects of the Zoo office. Duties include marketing, filing, organizing, assisting visitors, taking photos and videos and other duties as assigned.
- Facilities – Assist staff with cleaning up litter and debris, laying mulch, cleaning walkways and other assigned duties.
- Special Events –Event volunteers assist as tour guides, party hosts, survey takers, people counters, exhibit assistance, children’s activity leaders, and much more. Good public relations and communication skills are required.
- Horticulture – Assist the Horticulture staff with projects around the zoo, from pruning and weeding to mulching and exhibit maintenance.
- Train – No trip to the zoo would be complete without a ride on the ZO&O Railroad. Train engineers and conductors drive the train around the zoo grounds while providing a safe and enjoyable ride for passengers. Strong customer service skills are needed for this position. Engineers must be at least 21 years old and possess a valid driver’s license.
Getting Started
Requirements for becoming an Adult Volunteer:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Not currently enrolled in high school
- Submit an application
- Complete a phone screening
- Attend an orientation session
- Covid-19 Vaccine Policy
Volunteer Orientation
All adult volunteers must participate in a Zoo orientation session. At this orientation you receive an introduction to the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, its mission, and activities you will be able to participate in as a zoo volunteer.
