The Houston Zoo is seeking a passionate and motivated individual to join the Night Team as a Night Zookeeper. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience working with a variety of animal taxa and be confident responding to animal welfare concerns during after-hours operations. This role includes assisting with animal husbandry tasks, supporting department closing duties, and engaging with guests through education-focused interactions as needed. Night Zookeepers work closely with teams across all departments of the Zoo, making strong communication, professionalism, and collaborative skills essential.
- Typical work hours are 2:00 PM to 12:00 AM, though shifts may be adjusted based on operational needs.
- The successful candidate must also serve on the Zoo’s Firearms Response Team and maintain qualified firearms status; all required training will be provided by the Houston Zoo.
Our Mission:
- Houston Zoo connects communities with animals, inspiring action to save wildlife.
Our Vision:
- Houston Zoo will be a leader in the global movement to save wildlife.
Job Duties and Responsibilities
- Carries out all aspects of the daily care of assigned animals including cleaning, feeding, exhibit maintenance, general upkeep of support facilities.
- Maintains clean and organized exhibits, holding areas, service areas and equipment.
- Prepares and feeds appropriate diets as per established feeding practices and diet sheets.
- Administers prescribed medications, supplements, or treatments under the guidance of the veterinary and supervisory staff.
- Records and reports any abnormal animal health or behavioral issues to the Zoo Supervisor.
- Maintains daily reports, logs, training and enrichment records, research or veterinary records, as appropriate and according to established guidelines; requires basic skills with TRACKS and Microsoft Office software applications.
- Understands and applies a practical understanding of operant conditioning as it relates to the daily management of species under his/her care.
- Understands and applies the basic principles of animal enrichment as part of the daily management of species under his/her care.
- Maintains clean and organized exhibits, equipment, and keeper areas.
- As appropriate, maintains water quality through filtration, balance of chemical elements, and sanitation methods for aquatic or semi-aquatic animal species.
- As appropriate, maintains live exhibit plantings to enhance exhibit aesthetics; eliminates weeds and toxic plants from animal enclosures.
- In conjunction with the Zoo’s pest control officer, may assist in pest control through the use of exclusion or traps.
- Identifies potential maintenance or safety issues and reports them to the Zoo Supervisor.
- Participates in keeper chats, tours, animal presentations or demonstrations, and/or other public interactions as requested by the Zoo Supervisor.
- May assist with departmental research projects, conservation, AZA, or other industry activities as directed/approved by the Zoo Supervisor or Curator; provides support for Zoo projects.
- May oversee work activities and/or provide training for interns, seasonal workers, or volunteers.
- Exhibits good teamwork and communication skills both within the home team and when working with other teams or departments.
- May be required to safely operate a motor vehicle.
- Contributes to saving animals in the wild through: reduction of waste, water and energy use and inspiring guests and staff to take wildlife protecting actions. Performs other duties as assigned.
Education and Experience
- Associate’s degree or two years of college level education (60 semester credit hours) in zoology, biology, animal husbandry or a related field.
- A certificate of completion from an acceptable animal care program of not less than 30 semester hours may be substituted for 30 hours of college hours.
- One year of experience in animal care at an AZA or equivalent facility, gained through employment, internships, or volunteer experience.
- Experience with species in captivity, in a conservation setting.
- Experience with basic carpentry and mechanical skills.
- Must have or be able to obtain a valid Texas driver’s license.
About Houston Zoo
- The Houston Zoo is made up of many moving parts with over 6,000 permanent residents (our animals) for whom we provide housing, meals, medical care and, yes, even education!
- There are over 2 million guests each year who come to experience our incredible variety of animals and ecosystems, as well as attend special private and public events and entertainment.
- Our dedicated staff works around the clock to ensure that the Zoo is always running smoothly for the safety and well-being of our residents and guests.
- We strive to ensure the protection of all the counterparts of the animals we have at the Zoo and in the wild.
- Join the Houston Zoo and become a part of an organization that is focused on the preservation of wildlife and their habitats by combining conservation with education and promotion of sustainable livelihoods in the local communities.
- Houston Zoo is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
