Veterinary Technician Student Externship (Jan - May 2027)

Take your career to new depths and put your skills to work in a one-of-a-kind setting by becoming a part of the premiere aquarium showcasing the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. The Texas State Aquarium provides high quality, entertaining programming through education, conservation, and wildlife rehabilitation. We strive to provide our guests with an exciting, educational, and memorable experience.

The Texas State Aquarium provides an exciting opportunity for veterinary technician students to work in our Animal Health Department. Veterinary tech externs will work closely with the Texas State Aquarium’s veterinary staff, which includes a Director of Animal Health, an Associate Veterinarian, and two licensed veterinary technicians. The Texas State Aquarium, located on the Corpus Christi waterfront, is an AZA-accredited facility that focuses on species found in the Gulf and Caribbean Sea. The animal collection consists largely of aquatic species but also includes terrestrial birds, reptiles, amphibians, and a few terrestrial mammals. The Wildlife Rescue Center operated by the aquarium serves to rehabilitate mostly sea turtles and on occasion marine mammals.

Program Description

The technician externship program at Texas State Aquarium is designed to introduce veterinary technician students to all aspects of aquatic animal medicine. Externships are offered from January to May of each year. Students should plan to spend 3-6 weeks at the Texas State Aquarium. The number of available positions will depend on the externship length for each student that year. Externship applications are accepted on a rolling basis for each year until slots are filled, and qualified applicants are scheduled based on the extern’s schedule as well as staff availability. The extern’s schedule will generally be Monday through Friday, 8a-5p, but there may be times when procedures will be scheduled outside of these hours. Students spending 4+ weeks will be allowed to shadow other husbandry d