Facility

Frank Buck Zoo

Closing Date

Description

Successful candidate will be someone that has a strong work ethic, is a hard worker, is committed to the success of the team, but is equally strong at working independently. Small municipal zoo in a rural area offers great benefits and opportunity to work with a wide variety of taxa within assigned work areas. Robust offering of professional development opportunities that increase with longevity. A disposition for customer service, experience and comfort interpreting animal collection, conservation and nature to visitors and audiences. Located in far North Texas, climate experiences triple digits in the summer and occasional ice in the winter.

Education and Pre-requisites

AA degree in Zoo Technology/Zoo Science or BA in Biology, Zoology, Wildlife Management, Animal Science or related field. Must have completed at least one preferably two 3 month or longer internships in zoo setting or wildlife education outreach setting. Previous paid zoo experience preferred. .

Compensation and benefits

HEALTH BENEFITS
The City of Gainesville provides medical and prescription coverage for eligible employees through Texas Municipal League Health Benefits Pool (TML Health) at no cost to the employee. Coverage begins 30 days after the employee’s date of hire. Voluntary dental and vision benefits are also available at the employee’s expense.

LIFE INSURANCE
The City of Gainesville provides eligible employees with $10,000 in life insurance coverage and $10,000 in accidental death and dismemberment insurance.

OPTIONAL LIFE INSURANCE
Eligible employees may purchase optional and dependent life and/or AD&D coverage for employee, spouse, and dependents. Rates for optional life insurance are dependent upon the amounts purchased and the employee’s age.

FLEXIBLE SPENDING
The City of Gainesville offers Section 125 Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA’s) for eligible employees through TML Health. The maximum amount an employee may contribute to an FSA is $2,500 annually.

CAREFLITE CARING-HEART MEMBERSHIP
CareFlite membership protects eligible employees and their family members living in their household against out of pocket costs for medically necessary transports. All costs not covered by the employee’s health insurance are absorbed by the membership program. Anyone without insurance or non-medically necessary transports (like a fixed wing for family convenience) receives a 50% membership discount.

HOLIDAYS, VACATION AND SICK LEAVE
Paid holidays include New Years Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day (September 11th holiday for Firefighters), Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Vacation is accrued as follows:

10 days vacation per year
15 days vacation per year after 10 years of service
20 days vacation per year after 20 years of service

Sick leave is accrued at the rate of 8 hours per month.

RETIREMENT
The City of Gainesville participates in the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS). Eligible employees are automatically enrolled as a member of TMRS upon hire. Employee contribution rate is 6%; the City matches member contributions on a 1.5 to 1 basis upon retirement of the employee. Employees are vested in TMRS after earning 5 years of service credit. Employees are eligible to retire when vested and at least age 60 or have 20 year of service credit at any age.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION
457 Deferred Compensation plans are available to City employees through Nationwide Retirement Solutions and/or Security Benefit. Contributions to a 457 deferred compensation plan are made through pre-tax payroll deduction.

Roth IRA plans are available through LSW.

CREDIT UNION
Any city employee is eligible to join the City Credit Union or Nascoga Federal Credit Union.

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT (EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE)
After six months of employment with the City of Gainesville, employees may request tuition reimbursement for college level courses to improve their skills, knowledge and abilities relating to their present job. For approved courses, the City will refund the costs for courses after the completion of courses and up to $200 for the cost of books for the semester. (Tuition reimbursement is an expense to the City, and as such, must be budgeted. The City is not obligated to agree to pay tuition reimbursement if the budget does not allow for the expense.)

LONGEVITY PAY
Longevity pay is paid every year on the first day of December. Eligible employees receive $60.00 for each full fiscal year they have been employed with the City.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

UNIFORM
Shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, caps, hats supplied.

Application instructions

Apply online at https://www.gainesville.tx.us/685/Employment-Opportunities
attach cover letter and resume.