Zookeeper

Zookeeper

Animal Park at the Conservators Center

The Animal Park at the Conservators Center—a nonprofit wildlife park with a carnivore-based collection, including big cats, wolves, and small cats—is seeking a Zookeeper. The Zookeeper is part of a team responsible for performing all the operations associated with the husbandry of the animals on site. This is an all-weather outdoor position for an adventurous personality with a special interest in carnivores. This posting is abbreviated. Please see our website for more details.

RESPONSIBILITIES & ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Carries out all aspects of the daily care of assigned animals, including cleaning, diet prep and feeding, and applying operant conditioning training
• Maintains daily electronic record-keeping on diets, health, welfare, training, etc.
• Performs landscaping maintenance and eliminates toxic or harmful plants
• Interacts with donors and members of the public regularly, sharing an educational perspective and encouraging participation in Animal Park programs
• Participates in educational experiences including keeper chats, tours, animal presentations or demonstrations, and/or other public interactions
• Oversees work activities of and/or provides training for interns and volunteers

Qualifications:

 Below are highlights of requirements. Please see our website for full details.

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Two years of experience working with exotic or wild animals as a staff member/employee, and ability to work with potentially dangerous animals
• Experience with simple construction and maintenance
• Public speaking and educational presentation skills are preferred
• High adaptability and flexibility on the job

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s or Associate degree in Animal Science, Biology, or related field (comparable work experience considered)
• Basic skills with Microsoft Office software applications

LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION & REGISTRATION:

• Valid driver’s license
• COVID-19 vaccination required; booster vaccines may be required
• Pre-exposure vaccination for rabies will be required after a training period
• First Aid, CPR and AED use training required – training provided by employer

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Requires working weekends and holidays
• Requires prolonged standing, significant walking, and bending, stooping, and stretching
• Requires lifting up to 50 pounds
• Rural location requires reliable transportation
• Requires working outdoors in most weather conditions
• Requires handling predictable and controllable hazards associated with animals, including exposure to dust and allergens as well as chemicals used for husbandry purposes

COMPENSATION:

•  Benefits include PTO, continuing education opportunities, group discounts for dental, vision, and other coverage, and professional guidance for insurance plans available through the Marketplace. 
• The compensation for this position is commensurate with experience, with beginning pay for fully qualified individuals at $14/hour. Subsidized shared housing opportunities may be available during relocation.