Animal Keeper

Facility

NOVA Wild

Closing Date

[jobclosingdate]

Description

About Us- NOVA Wild sits on roughly 30 acres of land and is home to over 200 animals. We offer up close in personal educational opportunities for guests through our self drive safari and a variety of animal encounters. We are a non-profit organization that is accredited by the Zoological Association of America and American Humane. Our focus is animal welfare, conservation, and education.

Position Summary- Animal keepers work under the guidance of lead keepers and curatorial staff. Animal keepers are responsible for the care and welfare of all the animals housed at NOVA Wild. Animal keepers prepare diets, clean exhibits and preform exhibit maintenance, provide enrichment, maintain record keeping, and more.

Position Duties and Responsibilities-
Oversee daily husbandry for a wide variety of animals in the keeper’s area.
Prepare and distribute animal diets
Properly clean and maintain exhibits
Preform daily cleaning projects for the keeper’s area
Prepare and distribute enrichment to each animal in the keeper’s area
Observe animal behavior daily to monitor for health and over all wellbeing
Observe animals daily to monitor for injury or illness and report appropriately to managers and vet team
Assist vet team as needed with administering medication, providing treatment, and handling animals
Keep detailed medical and enrichment records
Assist in animal emergencies
Provide daily interaction with guests through keeper talks, ambassador animals, and animal encounters
Assist with animal training for husbandry behaviors
Assist with any other duties as needed

Physical requirements-
Must be able to walk, stand, and bend over for extended periods of time
Must be able to navigate zoo grounds with or without a vehicle
Must be able to life 50 lbs unassisted and 100 lbs assisted
Preform duties for up to 8-10 hours a day
Work in a non- smoking environment

Qualifications-

Must be at least 18 years or older
High school diploma required
Bachelor’s degree or 2 years of paid animal experience
Have a valid drivers license
Have a strong work ethic and be self motivated
Be flexible and willing to learn and utilize information quickly
Be reliable and show initiative
Be able to work outdoors in all weather
Be able to communicate clearly to team members, managers, and guests
Have good interpersonal skills
Be able to handle stressful situations calmly and effectively
Be able to work both as a team and independently
Be able to handle multiple tasks
Have great attention to detail
Be able to preform record keeping on a computer

Hours-
Full time employment (40 hours a week)
5 days a week
Must have ability to work flexible hours including weekends and holidays

Education and Pre-requisites

Not specified.

Compensation and benefits