Facility
Big Bear Alpine Zoo, Big Bear Lake, CA
Closing Date
[jobclosingdate]
Description
The Position: Under the direction of a Lead Zoo Keeper, the Zoo Keeper is responsible for supporting the day-to-day operations associated with the husbandry of the animals and the maintenance of animal exhibits within a specified animal area. Duties include but are not limited to the following:
1. Carries out all aspects of the daily care of assigned animals including cleaning, feeding, exhibit maintenance, general upkeep of facilities.
2. Maintains clean and organized exhibits, holding areas, keeper areas, service areas and equipment. Will shovel snow in the winter.
3. Prepares and feeds appropriate diets as per established feeding practices and diet sheets.
4. Administers prescribed medications, supplements, or treatments under the guidance of the veterinary and vet tech staff.
5. Records and reports any abnormal animal health or behavioral issues to the Lead Zoo Keepers.
6. Maintains daily reports, logs, training and enrichment records, research or veterinary records, as appropriate and according to established guidelines.
7. Understands and applies a practical understanding of operant conditioning as it relates to the daily management of species under his/her care.
8. Understands and applies the basic principles of animal enrichment as part of the daily management of species under his/her care.
9. As appropriate, maintains live exhibit plantings to enhance exhibit aesthetics; eliminates weeds and toxic plants from animal enclosures.
10. May assist in pest control through the use of exclusion or traps.
11. Identifies potential maintenance or safety issues and reports them to the Lead Zoo Keeper.
12. Participates in keeper chats, tours, animal presentations or demonstrations, and/or other public interactions as requested by the Curator or Lead Zoo Keepers.
13. May oversee work activities and/or provide training for interns, seasonal workers, or volunteers.
14. Exhibits good teamwork and communication skills both within the home team and when working with other teams or departments.
15. May be required to safely operate a motor vehicle.
16. Other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Experience: Minimum 2 years previous experience gained through employment, in the husbandry care of EXOTIC wildlife in a zoo or related facility and possess a High School Diploma or GED.
Strong interpersonal, team-building, and communication skills.
Supervision:
This position reports to a Lead Zoo Keeper and does not directly supervise any Zoo staff but may serve as a lead person for special projects or for interns or volunteers as assigned by the Zoo Curator.
Physical Effort/Skill: This position may require significant physical effort on a daily basis such as walking, bending, stooping, repetitive motions, lifting heavy objects (up to 50 pounds), or standing for long periods. This position may require the ability to make coordinated gross motor movements in response to changing external stimuli within moderately demanding tolerances.
Working Conditions: The Big Bear Alpine Zoo is located in the San Bernardino Mountains at 7600 ft. altitude. It snows in the winter. Applicants must be able to work outdoors in varying mountain weather conditions, drive in all weather conditions, lift and/or carry heavy objects, stoop, kneel, crouch, bend over, crawl and other physical activities in the performance of job duties for this position. This position may involve exposure to zoonotic disease, chemical substances or physical trauma of a minor nature. This individual may be required to work around potentially dangerous animals. The work schedule for this position may include week-ends, evenings, and holidays.
Public Contact: This position involves extensive contact with the public, donors, and Zoo Members; requiring excellent interpersonal skills and an appreciation of the importance of guest service.
Education and Pre-requisites
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Experience: Minimum 2 years previous experience gained through employment, in the husbandry care of EXOTIC wildlife in a zoo or related facility and possess a High School Diploma or GED.
Strong interpersonal, team-building, and communication skills.
Desirable Experience/Background: Possess knowledge of animal training for husbandry purposes; Ability to recognize potential disease and methods of transmission; recognize the dynamics of wildlife in a group setting and be able to adjust husbandry; recognize the habitat requirements of maintaining wildlife in a zoo setting.
Compensation and benefits
Salary: $13.95 – $19.28 Hourly $29,016.00 – $40,102.40 Annually
County Benefits- Health, Dental, Vision, Life and retirement.
Application instructions
Applications accepted 06/13/2015 thru 06/26/15 05:00 PM
Applicants are encouraged to apply online: http://www.sbcounty.gov/hr
For more information: Contact Lorie Judd 909-866-9700