Kid Territory:Jobs: In the Laboratory

For safety, full quarantine attire is required when working with samples that may contain diseases that could be passed to humans.

On the left is a mite found in an African hedgehog. The sample on the right is blood from a leopard tortoise showing red and white cells.

A laboratory technician uses a chemistry analyzer to perform many chemical tests such as kidney and liver functions on the animals’ blood samples.

DNA is extracted from some animal cells to determine if a baby bird is male or female.

What we do

Those of us who work in the laboratories at the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park perform diagnostic tests on blood, feces, urine, and other fluid samples taken from the animals. Some of the things we check for are parasites or other organisms that might make an animal ill, and testing a blood sample from a newborn animal to make sure the baby is nursing properly and getting the nutrients it needs. Many of these tests are done while looking at the samples through very powerful microscopes. Some of us work on the molecular level on DNA samples, determining how animals are related to each other, or what the gender is of a newly hatched bird.

What's cool about this job

Each animal species is so unique, especially between mammals, birds, and reptiles, and you can really see that when looking at the different samples. Many times we peer through our microscopes and see a parasite that we've never seen before. When this happens we try to find out more about it, and often it is an organism that has not yet been reported. We never know what we'll see! It is also very rewarding to know that the work we do helps to ensure the survival of the animals in our care, and for many of the endangered animals the Zoo and Park are trying to help.

Job challenges

Unlike humans, animals can't use words to tell us when they aren't feeling well. It can be challenging to try to figure out what is making an animal sick based on what we see in its blood sample. And there are so many exotic animal species in the collection, with some so rare that there is often very little information about them available. When we look at their blood sample, it is sometimes hard to determine if an organism in the blood is disease causing or just normal for that particular animal.

How this job helps animals

The tests we perform help to screen animals for health. We report our findings to the veterinarians so they can make decisions regarding an animal's care or health treatment. The genetic information we get provides tools for making management decisions for animals both in zoo and in the wild.

How to get a job like this

Study biology, chemistry, and math. There are two-year degree programs at colleges for lab technicians, or you can get a four-year college degree in a science field, including taking courses with labs. Gain experience working in different lab settings and try different aspects of lab work to see what appeals to you. It helps to have an interest in science, especially biology, and to have a natural curiosity about living things.