Mammals Keeper - Carnivores

The Caldwell Zoo; Tyler (TX); On-site; USD 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Life insurance

Paid time off

Vision insurance

Employee Discount at Concessions andG

Employee Free Admission to Park

Complementary Tickets for Friends /F

Job summary

Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, TX seeks a dedicated keeper to provide daily care and maintenance for assigned animals and their exhibits. Responsibilities include cleaning enclosures, recording behavioral and diet data, and assisting veterinarians with treatments.

The role requires ability to read safety rules, interpret procedures, and communicate with visitors. A Bachelor’s in Biology or Animal Science is preferred, with about one year of experience or training.

Qualifications

• Ability to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
• Read and interpret safety rules and instructions; write routine reports.

Responsibilities

• Clean and disinfect enclosures and equipment to maintain a sanitary environment.
• Monitor exhibits and enclosures for safety and address issues promptly.
• Keep records of behavioral observations, treatments, and diet data.
• Perform veterinary treatments as prescribed by the veterinarian.
• Assist in behavioral enrichment and training procedures.
• Respond to visitor questions about animals and zoo operations.
• Follow safety policies and assist in training new keepers.

Skills

Animal care

Record keeping

Safety procedures

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Biology or Animal Science

1 year experience and/or training

Job description

Job Summary

Provides daily care and maintenance of assigned animals and their exhibits by performing the following duties.

Job Duties/Responsibilities:

• Cleans and disinfect animals’ enclosures and all equipment and tools associated with maintaining a safe and sanitary environment for the animals to live in on a daily basis.
• Checks exhibits and animal enclosures cleanliness as well as safety and structural soundness on a daily basis. Takes appropriate steps to remedy existing or potential problems.
• Keeps records including behavioral observations, veterinary treatment logs, diet records, and animal transfer data.
• Carries out veterinary treatments as prescribed by the veterinarian.
• Understands and participates in behavioral enrichments activities, training and conditioning procedures or protocols, and capture and restraint procedures.
• Recognizes proper animal diets and abnormalities in diets and animal feeding habits.
• Responds to questions from zoo visitors concerning animals’ habits and zoo operations in a helpful, friendly, courteous and informative way and make efforts to make visitors experience a positive one.
• Follows all safety policies and rules.
• Assists in training new keepers.

Job Qualifications:

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

Preferred animal experience:

• Diverse experience caring for and exhibiting a wide variety of carnivore species in a zoo setting preferred. Understanding of zoo-based conservation and breeding programs also desirable
  

Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree (BS) or equivalent from four-year college or university in Biology or Animal Science related field preferred. 1 year 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 the ability to speak effectively to visitors or employees of the zoo.

Reasoning Ability:

• Ability to solve common sense understanding to carry out instructions and/or effectively and safely apply animal and zoo operation knowledge to new changing situations.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• Valid Texas Driver License

Physical Requirements:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, talk or hear and taste or smell. Employee must e capable of moving quickly and good hearing and vision are necessary for safely performing the duties of this job. Employees are occasionally required to stack hay bales weighing in excess of 80 pounds.

Work Environment:

• While performing the duties of the job, the employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, outside weather conditions, extreme cold and extreme heat, and dangerous animals. The employee is occasionally exposed to high, precarious places and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. In some cases employees are exposed to foul odors and/or dust.

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• Employee Discount at Concessions and Gift Shop
• Employee Free Admission to Park
• Complementary Tickets for Friends / Family

Work Location:

Caldwell Zoo

2203 Martin Luther King Blvd

Tyler, Texas 75702