Senior/Lead Keeper - Supervising Primary, Children’s Zoo

Oakland Zoo; California; On-site; USD 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking organization dedicated to wildlife conservation and education. This role offers the opportunity to lead a team in providing exceptional care for animals while engaging with the public and inspiring future generations. With a focus on collaboration and communication, you will be at the forefront of animal welfare, ensuring the psychological well-being of the animals in your care. The position promises a dynamic work environment where your contributions will have a lasting impact on both the zoo and the community. If you are passionate about wildlife and eager to make a difference, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Flexible Spending Account

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Employee Assistance Program

Family Zoo Membership

Two Weeks Vacation

Eleven Paid Holidays Annually

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in wildlife care at an AZA zoo or similar facility.
• Ability to train and coach a diverse group of individuals.

Responsibilities

• Implement zoo priorities and improve departmental tasks.
• Guide and support junior staff and volunteers.

Skills

Animal Care

Training and Coaching

Communication Skills

Leadership

Collaboration

Problem Solving

Time Management

Education

Bachelor's degree in zoology, biology or related field

Tools

Behavioral Observation Tools

Job description

Pay Competitive

Location Oakland/California

Employment type Full-Time

Job Description

Req#: SENIO001123

Application Process:

Applicants must submit a resume, cover letter, and 3 professional references to Adam Fink, Zoological Manager: [e-mail]

Candidates not meeting minimum requirements may not receive a response.

Applicants selected for candidacy are required to attend an on-site working interview.

Essential Job Duties

• Implement Department/Zoo priorities as well as demonstrate the initiative and expertise to regularly find ways to make improvements, which may include departmental administrative tasks
• Use the tools of animal observation, enrichment, training, and other behavioral husbandry methods to ensure the best possible psychological well-being of the animals in their care
• Train, inspire, coach, set expectations, and provide feedback with a wide variety of people including docents, teen volunteers, and Education staff
• Guide and support junior staff and volunteers as appropriate
• Represent the Zoo in a variety of public settings including press interviews, instructional classes, and casual communication with Zoo guests
• Act as a department leader and can be expected to cover department function and emergency response coordination in the absence of Zoological Manager or Department Vice President
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned

Who You Are

• At least five years full time professional experience in the care of wildlife at an AZA zoo or comparable facility
• Ability to train, inspire, coach, set expectations, and provide feedback with a wide variety of people
• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record
• Willingness to work outside normal business hours including weekends and holidays
• Good written and verbal communications skills
• Knowledge of the habits and hazards of working with wild animals; willingness to work with some physical risk while observing proper safety precautions

Bonus if you have…

• Bachelor’s degree in zoology, biology or a related field
• Significant knowledge in the natural history and captive management of wild animals
• Significant behavior-based husbandry (enrichment and training) and welfare assessments
• Knowledge and experience with the taxa listed above
• Managing staff and animals in a petting yard
• Hoof trimming experience

Knowledge, Skills, and Qualities

• Collaboration – builds trusting relationships with both internal and external stakeholders across our organization and community-wide and approaches differences of opinion with curiosity and humility
• Communication – communicates respectfully and effectively with stakeholders across identities, both verbally and in writing
• Dependability – demonstrates trustworthiness and reliability, including while working with little or no direct supervision
• Enjoyment – finds joy in one’s work, approaches tasks with thoughtfulness & intentionality, and fosters collective well-being by embracing the unique skills and qualities of colleagues
• Flexibility – nimbly adapts to evolving priorities and urgent needs; handles intervals of high pressure while maintaining perspective and humor
• Inclusive Culture - fosters a culture of mutual respect, transparency, collaboration and belonging which allows all employees to feel appreciated, included, and valued
• Leadership – mentors, advises, and develops people across identities with consideration for cultural relevance and responsiveness, self-awareness around implicit bias and understanding of the power dynamics that exist in organizations
• Organization – strong attention to details and able to build and/or maintain efficient systems
• Passion – wholeheartedly believes in, represents, and models Oakland Zoo’s mission and PRIDE values at all times
• Relationship-Building: able to build and maintain trusting relationships and mutually beneficial partnerships with internal and external stakeholders
• Solution-oriented – utilizes an open-minded and strengths-based approach to finding solutions for complex challenges
• Sustainability – oriented toward the mission and values of Oakland Zoo and able to put those into practice by finding creative and resourceful ways to develop sustainable practices within your role and department
• Time management – strong capabilities with a demonstrated ability to effectively prioritize multiple commitments
• Wildlife Aware - understands mission to support the conservation and welfare of animals at the Zoo, locally and globally. This is demonstrated by a willingness/passion to reflect this mission in all actions and to continue to learn how to take action for wildlife

Physical Considerations

• Able to lift a minimum of 50 lbs. (i.e., feed sack)
• Move a minimum of 120lbs. (i.e. hay bale)
• Ability to walk the zoo grounds and be outside for long periods of time

Benefits

Oakland Zoo offers a comprehensive benefits package, including Health insurance, Dental insurance, Vision insurance, Flexible spending account, Retirement plan, Paid time off, Employee Assistance Program, and A Family Zoo Membership. Two weeks of vacation and eleven paid holidays annually.

Who We Are

Oakland Zoo (managed by The Conservation Society of California) is an award-winning facility stretching 100 acres and overlooking the city of Oakland atop the hills of beautiful Knowland Park. Our mission is to inspire respect for and stewardship of the natural world, while providing a quality visitor experience. As an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Zoo is part of the largest conservation organization in the nation. Our employees take PRIDE in our values of being Positive, Respectful, Inquisitive, Driven and Effective members of a team who places the care of our animals, stewardship of the natural environment, and the experience of our guests at the forefront of all that we do.

Oakland Zoo’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Access

We believe that all people should have safe access to the Zoo and culturally relevant and responsive experiences with our staff, programs, and curriculum. Oakland Zoo is also striving to create an equitable and inclusive internal culture where all staff members feel represented and valued for their identities and lived experiences. We examine how power, bias, race, and other aspects of identity impact our organization. We work to build a culture of continuous learning and improvement toward a vision of equity and belonging for all staff. We are looking for team members who can actively join us in this process. We are committed to reflecting the diverse community in which we exist and strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ identifying folks, and women to apply.

The Conservation Society of California is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, marital status or other characteristics protected by law. The Conservation Society of California also promotes respect for all people and will not tolerate harassment based on any of these characteristics.

Qualifications

Education

Preferred

Bachelors

Licenses & Certifications

Required

Driver License (not CA)

Preferred

Driver License (CA)

About the company

The Oakland Zoo is a zoo located in the Grass Valley neighborhood of Oakland, California, United States.