Research Placement Students - Ecology / Behaviour and Welfare

Applications are now open for our 2026/27 Research Placements! 

Our research and applied husbandry placement programme has been tailor-made to enable students to gain experience in a wide range of techniques. The 10-month voluntary placements have been designed to work within university undergraduate industrial year ('sandwich year') programmes and to provide students with the opportunity to put theory into practice.

As part of our research placements, you will be based with Wild Planet Trust’s Research or Projects and Partnerships Department, at either Paignton Zoo or Newquay Zoo. You’ll spend the majority of your time collecting, analysing and interpreting data as part of high-quality research projects. You’ll be trained in a variety of research techniques and gain a range of transferable skills such as conference speaking, taking meeting minutes and making a practical contribution towards behavioural management.

We offer placements focusing on ecology or behaviour and welfare.