Keeper II - HIIZ (Aquatics)

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Life and LTD insurance

FSA/HRA, paid holidays, sick leave, &

vacation

Job summary

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is seeking an experienced Keeper II to provide hands-on care for aquatic animals across public exhibits and conservation programs. The role involves animal husbandry, health monitoring, enrichment, and managing life-support systems while engaging guests and supporting volunteers at the stingray exhibit.

The ideal candidate has aquatic husbandry experience, with preference for AZA-accredited facility background; strong initiative and ability to work with little

Qualifications

• Requires a two-year degree with one to two years’ related experience and/or training.
• Ability to read and interpret safety rules and manuals; ability to write routine reports.
• AZA-accredited facility experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Prepares food for charges per department practices.
• Cleans and fills water containers and provides food per protocols.
• Adds vitamins or medications to food or water as prescribed.
• Observes animals and reports illnesses or injuries to veterinarians.
• Assists veterinarians and veterinary technicians in treatments.
• Performs injections after training.
• Cleans and disinfects animal quarters.
• Develops animal behaviors per department practices.
• Trains and coordinates volunteers.
• Transfers collection animals as needed under curatorial direction.
• Sets environmental controls per department practices.
• Answers visitor questions about animals and conservation.
• Participates in educational activities and docent programs.
• Trains volunteers, docents and education staff as needed.
• Assists other departments when required.
• Provides approved environmental enrichment following AZA guidelines.

Skills

Aquatic husbandry

Health monitoring

Guest engagement

Volunteer coordination

Enrichment

Education

Two-year degree

Tools

Word processing

Databases

Spreadsheets

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Tucson, AZ 85743

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum’s HIIZ Department is seeking an experienced, self-motivated Keeper II to join our specialized team in a regular, full-time capacity. This hands‑on role provides comprehensive care for a diverse collection of aquatic animals representing Sonoran Desert and Gulf of California ecosystems across public exhibits and conservation programs.

Responsibilities include daily animal husbandry, health monitoring, providing enrichment, and managing aquatic life-support systems, alongside engaging guests and supporting volunteers at our popular stingray exhibit.

Minimum requirements include proven experience in aquatic husbandry, though a combination of education and experience will be considered; background in an AZA-accredited facility is preferred.

The ideal candidate must be highly self-motivated, capable of working with little supervision or within a small team, and eager to share their knowledge in a dynamic educational environment.

This position is considered open until filled; however, application review will begin immediately.

Please understand that if offered a position you will be required to successfully complete a pre‑employment drug screen and provide a current satisfactory 39‑month driver’s history report as a final condition of employment.

Job Title: Keeper II

Department: Herpetology, Ichthyology & Invertebrate Zoology (HIIZ)

Reports To: Curator

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt; Full-time

Compensation: $19.51 per hour plus a comprehensive benefit package, which includes medical, dental, vision, life and LTD insurance, FSA, HRA, paid holidays, sick leave, and vacation. Position is covered by a Collective Bargaining Unit Agreement.

Summary

Ensures animal welfare and institutional support by performing the duties below.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Prepares food for charges by chopping or grinding meat, fish, fruit, or vegetables; mixing prepared, dry, or liquid commercial feeds, or unbaling forage grasses per department practices and protocols.
• Cleans and fills water containers and places food in enclosures per department practices and protocols.
• Adds vitamins, medications or supplements to food or water as prescribed by ASDM's Veterinarian.
• Observes animals to detect illnesses or injuries and notifies Curator or ASDM's Veterinarians of findings. Will promptly notify Curator or veterinary team of issues and concerns.
• Assists ASDM's Veterinarians and Veterinary Technician in treatment of animals for illnesses and injuries.
• Will perform injection of prescribed medications after appropriate training from ASDM veterinary staff or Vet Technician.
• Cleans and disinfects animals' quarters per department practices and protocols.
• Will assist with developing desired animal behaviors per department practices and protocols.
• Will be involved with the training, management and certification of volunteers.
• Under curatorial direction, transfers Collection animals from one location or enclosure to another for purposes such as rearrangement of exhibits, veterinary needs, or programs.
• Sets temperature and humidity controls of quarters as specified per department practices and protocols.
• Answers visitor questions concerning animal habits, conservation, or museum operations.
• Participates in educational activities as required, (i.e., Docent classes, ADC, Art Institute, media).
• May be responsible for training volunteers, Docents and Education staff on how to work with interpretive animals.
• Assists other collection departments, maintenance, and exhibits staff when required.
• Will provide and create approved environmental enrichment, following AZA guidelines and per department practices and protocols.
• Will participate in formal presentations at ASDM or off‑site, (i.e., Keeper talks, theater programs, behind‑the‑scenes tours).
• Will complete on‑line annual training as required.

Supervisory Responsibilities

There are no staff supervisory responsibilities associated with this position. However, this position may supervise and/or provide direction to volunteers assisting with Keeper duties.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

A two-year degree with one to two years’ related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Language Skills

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Computer Skills

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have basic computer software knowledge to include word processing, data base, and spreadsheet applications.

Other Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the Sonoran Desert region highly desirable.
• Knowledge of zoo facilities and operations desirable.
• Knowledge of natural history, safe animal capture and handling, husbandry, and ecosystems required.
• Must be able to work holidays and weekends.
• Must demonstrate schedule flexibility according to department needs.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• Valid Arizona Driver’s License or ability to obtain
• Satisfactory 39‑month DMV report

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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear and taste or smell. The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Physical demands include lifting animals, crates with or without animals, food bags, boxes, containers (grain, frozen quail, frozen meat).

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is often loud (working with macaws), but hearing protection is occasionally required. Other personal protective equipment (PPE) may be required as directed.

IDEA Commitment

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is committed to fostering a welcoming space and a diverse, inclusive team that reflects the communities in which we live and work. We understand that inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) are integral to the fulfillment of our mission, and to our success as an organization. To that end, we are working to build the structures, policies, hiring practices and organizational culture that ensure representation and opportunity for all, and create an environment of belonging where everyone feels respected, safe, and understood. Additionally, as we continue to engage in this work, we are working to integrate the core values of IDEA into our programs, exhibits, communications, and other public offerings. Valuing each other’s differences brings us together to create a thriving workplace and fair work culture, allowing us to fulfill our mission more effectively.

We believe inclusion is everyone’s responsibility. Ways in which commitment is demonstrated include continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively addressing bias.

The Museum’s IDEA Coalition consists of staff members who are driving our efforts to build a culture where people feel they belong and have a voice. Visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum's IDEA page to learn more.

The above position description reflects a general overview of the responsibilities, reporting relationships and position requirements for this job classification. It is not intended to be a complete description of all duties and requirements that may be inherent in the position.