Primate Zookeeper

This position is primarily responsible for daily husbandry of the animals in primate canyon as it relates to their physiological and psychological well-being as well as providing general maintenance of enclosures and habitats within an assigned exhibit. The ideal candidate would be proficient in all aspects of zoo animal care including husbandry, enrichment, training, exhibit maintenance, record keeping, keeper chats, and conservation. Candidates for this position should be self-motivated, hard-working, positive, dependable, who can work independently, but also thrive in a team setting.

• The Zoo Keeper is also responsible for ensuring a positive guest experience when interacting with guests and facilitating keeper chats.
• The collection encompasses: gorillas, bonobo, orangutans, siamang, white-cheeked gibbons, lemurs, spot-nosed guenons, Asian small-clawed otters, patas monkeys and colobus monkeys.

Essential Job Functions

• Daily husbandry of assigned animals.
• Facilitates formal and informal public presentations to engage guests and provide a positive guest experience.
• Actively observes animals’ behavior, checking for any signs of illness or disorder; reports irregularities and abnormal behavior to supervisor; works with vet staff to address medical needs.
• Prepares and administers appropriate daily diets and maintain accurate records of assigned animals.
• Appropriately cleans and disinfects assigned animal enclosures/habitats according to written protocols and ensures a sanitary and safe environment.
• Exercise good judgement when making decisions that affect our collection.
• Assists hospital staff in all aspects of animal treatment within the assigned section.
• May incorporate modern behavioral husbandry techniques such as operant conditioning and environmental enrichment into animal care.

Salary:

• $16-17.50/hour (commensurate with experience).

Minimum Requirements:

• A high school diploma.
• Some college-level coursework in the fields of Zoology, Biology, Psychology, or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience with animal care and handling.

Competencies:

• Written and oral communication Proficiency
• Proficient in MS Office, current technology and applications for communication, research and record keeping.
• Records and reports creation and management
• Problem Solving/Analysis.
• Stress Management/Composure.
• Flexibility.
• Teamwork Orientation.

Supervisory Responsibility:

• None

Reporting Structure:

• Reports to Team Lead.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

• This is a full time position that regularly requires weekend work.

Work Environment:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions.
• The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, chemicals and vibration.

Physical Demands:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, talk and hear.
• The employee is constantly required to use hands and fingers to feel, handle or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.
• The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl and walk.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Other Duties:

• Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.
• Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Salary

• 16-17.5