Swing Keeper

The Caldwell Zoo

Tyler (TX)

On-site

USD 34,000 - 52,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Life insurance

Paid time off

Vision insurance

Employee discounts at park concessions

Employee Free Admission to Park

Tuition Reimbursement

Shoe Reimbursement

Complementary Tickets for Friends//Fam

Job summary

Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, Texas seeks Swing Keepers to learn and work across multiple animal departments, including Giraffe feeding, Birds, Reptiles, Mammals 1 & 2, Education, and Commissary. The role rotates with coverage needs and requires strong organization, adaptability, and clear communication to ensure a positive visitor experience.

Responsibilities include maintaining clean, safe enclosures, assisting with veterinary procedures, documenting observations, and engaging guests through Keeper

Qualifications

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating instructions, and procedure manuals.
Ability to write routine reports and speak effectively to visitors or employees.

Responsibilities

Rotate through animal departments as needed and cover irregular schedules.
Maintain safe, clean enclosures and equipment daily.
Assist with veterinary procedures and enrichment activities as needed.
Engage visitors with Keeper Talks, Zoo Camp or other scheduled events.

Skills

Communication skills

Organization

Flexibility

Visitor interaction

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Biology or Animal Science

1 year experience or training

Tools

POS System

Job description

Job Summary

Swing Keepers will learn and work multiple routines across several teams. This position will be trained to work in all of the animal departments including the Giraffe feeding station, Birds, Reptiles, Mammals 1, Mammals 2, Education, and Commissary. Swing Keepers may be assigned to any area within the animal departments based on the need for coverage. This position may rotate through the various animal areas on an irregular schedule. This position requires a high degree of organization, flexibility within the workday, and excellent communication skills. This position will be required to foster learning through fun by engaging and entertaining visitors.

Job Duties/Responsibilities

include the following but others may be assigned.

Giraffe Feeding Deck

Operating a Point of Sale (POS) System.
- Handling money, making change, and handling card terminal.
Provide visitors with information and assistance.
Prepare lettuce boats before the zoo opens and transport them to the Giraffe feeding deck.
Sell lettuce boats to guests for Giraffe Feeding.
Make sure all visitors are abiding by the rules.

Swing Keeper

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.
Identifies any potential maintenance or safety issues and reports them to the supervisor.
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.
Participates in veterinary procedures as requested and will participate in guest engagement through Keeper Talks, Zoo Camp or other scheduled events.
Performs any additional animal care duties or departmental responsibilities as directed by the supervisor.
Follows all safety policies and rules.
Other duties may be assigned as needed.

Job Qualifications

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

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor's Degree (BS) or equivalent from a 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 be 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