Senior Zoo Keeper

City of El Paso; El Paso (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

City of El Paso, Texas invites applications for a Zookeeper Lead to supervise day-to-day care of zoo animals, oversee feeding, health monitoring, enclosure cleanliness, and safety. You will assist veterinary staff and ensure accurate record-keeping and timely reporting.

As designated lead, you will train and schedule junior staff, support enrichment programs, coordinate exhibits maintenance, and respond to public inquiries about animals and exhibits.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED or higher.
• Two years of zookeeper experience.
• Valid Texas Class C Driver’s License or equivalent from another state by the date of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the work of zookeepers and participate in the care of zoo animals.
• Oversee and provide for the care of zoo animals, including preparing regular and special diets, feeding, cleaning, and maintaining cages and enclosures.
• Assist with behavior modification and enrichment programs, designing enrichment activities and conditioning animals to commands.
• Provide assistance to other zoo staff and to the public; identify maintenance issues and report or resolve them.
• Serve as designated lead worker: schedule, assign, review, and train staff.

Skills

Zookeeper experience

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

MOS CODE: NONE

Education and Experience

High School Diploma or GED or higher, and two (2) years of zookeeper experience.

Licenses and Certificates

Valid Texas Class “C” Driver’s License or equivalent from another state by the date of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Under general supervision, lead the work of zookeepers and participate in the care of zoo animals.
• Oversee and provide for the care of zoo animals. Involves: Preparing regular and special diets to feed animals. Feed and water animals. Clean, disinfect, and maintain cages, enclosures, and exhibit areas as needed. Maintain the safety of animals. Monitor animal health and wellbeing. Report animal illness or injury to the appropriate staff. Assist veterinary staff with the administration of medications, providing treatment, and restraining. Provide care for animals by trimming beaks, nails, and wing feathers, providing moisture for turtles, reptiles, birds, etc., shearing sheep, weighing animals, and other care services as needed, and record animal information such as temperature and consumption in charts. Perform special projects and activities as assigned.
• Assist with behavior modification and enrichment programs. Involves: Assists with the design of behavior modification and enrichment programs. Utilize a system of rewards to condition animals to do things on command. Provide animals with things to play with to relieve stress and boredom. Provide exercise for animals as needed.
• Provide assistance to other zoo staff and to the public. Involves: Identifying maintenance problems and resolving or reporting as necessary. Prepare work orders for maintenance. Assist with grounds and landscaping maintenance and construction. Test water quality in aquatic exhibits. Answer questions from other staff and the public regarding zoo animals, exhibits, and related.
• Serve as designated lead worker. Involves: Guiding, monitoring, and training less knowledgeable employees. Schedule and assign work. Review and check work. Guide others in work processes. Recommend areas for employee skills improvement. Provide input to the employee performance evaluation process.