Bird Keeper

British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA); Greater London; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Permanent Contract

28 days holiday

In-house training budget

Free staff parking

Free zoo entrance

Uniform

Staff discounts

Job summary

Wingham Wildlife Park is seeking an ambitious individual to join our animal care team. The role covers day-to-day husbandry, diet prep, observations, enrichment, and training for birds and other species. You will work as part of a dedicated team, with weekend and bank holiday shifts expected.

The candidate should have bird experience, be self-motivated, and demonstrate initiative. A UK driving licence is desirable. Salary and benefits are as stated, with a closing date of 7 September 2026.

Qualifications

• Communicate one-to-one and lead public talks to large crowds.
• Experience in zoo settings preferred; bird experience required.
• Ability to work in a team and independently.
• Motivated to expand knowledge of our animal collection and take initiative.

Responsibilities

• Day-to-day husbandry of animals in the section, including diet prep, observations, enrichment, and training with positive reinforcement.
• Maintain excellent observation and note-keeping with the park's animals.
• Adhere strictly to safe working practices.
• Clean and maintain exhibits and designated areas.

Skills

Communication

Public talks

Team player

Pro-active

Time keeping

Animal husbandry

UK driving licence

Job description

Wingham Wildlife Park

South East Closing date for applications is: 7th Sep 2026

Contact: Mr Matthew Jay ([e-mail]) Sector: Animal Care Type: Paid Contract type: Full-time Salary: £27,476.80 per annum

We are looking for an ambitious individual to join our animal care team. If you want to be part of one of the UK's fastest growing zoos and are interested about the prospect of being part of something new, this position might be for you!

Wingham Wildlife Park is a family run wildlife park with big emphasis on animal husbandry, conservation, education and safety for our animals, staff, and visitors. We are looking for a likeminded “team player” who would fit in amongst our animal care team. This role will cover species on our bird section such as Humboldt Penguins, Tawny Frogmouths, Pink Backed Pelicans, Kookaburras, Rainbow Lorikeets, Chilean Flamingos, Vietnam Pheasant, Mountain Peacock Pheasant, Socorro Doves, Orange Headed Thrush, Scarlet Ibis, Emu, Rheas, Hyacinth Macaws, Palm Cockatoos, Parrots, Storks, Waterfowl and a variety of other species.

The Candidate Will

• Be able to communicate on a one-to-one basis as well as leading public talks to large crowds.
• Preferably have proven experience working in a zoo setting but must have previous bird experience.
• Be able to work as part of a team and on their own.
• Must be self-motivated and willing to expand their knowledge about our animal collection.
• Be able to demonstrate initiative and a pro-active approach to completing tasks beneficial to the sections without always waiting to be asked.
• Have exceptional time keeping skills.
• Show excellent practical animal husbandry skills.
• Have a valid UK driving licence or have good access to transport links.

The Role Involves

• Day to day husbandry of the animals covered by the section, including diet preparation, observations, enrichment, and positive reinforcement training.
• Excellent observational and note keeping skills when working with the animals at the park.
• Strict adherence to safe working practices.
• Cleaning and maintaining exhibits and other designated areas.

Benefits

• Permanent Contract
• 28 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays)
• In house training, plus access to an extensive training budget covering external workshops, conferences, symposia, and online courses
• Free staff parking
• Free entrance to the zoo on your days off
• Uniform
• 30% staff food discount
• 40% staff drinks & snacks discount
• 20% animal experiences discount
• 10% gift shop discount

This full-time position (40 hours per week) requires people to be comfortable working outdoors in all weather conditions. This position also requires people to be able to work on weekends, during school holidays and on bank holidays.

This position will start at the rate of £27,476.80 per annum with a performance-based wage review at 1 year.

You must be eligible to work in the UK.

Unfortunately, we are unable to give comment on unsuccessful applications.