Facility

The Art Farm in The City (New York City)

Closing Date

Description

Small, indoor petting zoo on Manhattan’s Upper East Side is looking for an energetic person who enjoys being around children and animals! Our facility gives young children the opportunity to learn about animals through direct contact with small live animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, turtles, lizards, frogs and birds.

This position involves maintaining our animal enclosures to create a clean and healthy environment. Duties will include, but are not limited to:
– General care of our diverse collection of animals (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates).
– Cleaning (sweeping, mopping, dusting) all of our large pens (rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens) and other enclosures.

This position ALSO involves interacting with our visitors during both weekday and weekend programs.
Duties will include, but are not limited to:
– Comfortably handle our animals and allow children to safely hold some of our animals.
– Closely supervise the interaction between children and animals.
– Properly convey information about our animals to visitors.
– Encourage children to be gentle with all the animals.
– Be a friendly ambassador with our visitors.
– Cashier duties and answering phone calls.

This position involves significant physical effort such as lifting at least 50 lbs, frequently climbing a flight of stairs since petting zoo is on the lower level, kneeling, crouching, pushing/pulling and the ability to work with and around dust, bleach and animal hair/dander.

Employee will be assigned work via checklist and will be supervised closely that all chores are completed.

The person hired for this position must maintain a positive and professional demeanor at all times with our visitors.

Education and Pre-requisites

Candidate MUST be available every week on the following days and times:
Mondays: 11:00am – 4:30pm
Fridays: 8:30am – 4:30pm
Saturdays and/or Sundays: 7:30am – 11:00am

Candidate MUST have previous experience caring for small animals in a zoo, nature center, pet store or animal shelter. Excellent verbal skills and the ability to relate to young children are required since this is a children’s activity center. Must be able to work independently as well as work in a group setting and be able to follow specific directions given by a supervisor.

Employee MUST be comfortable with working early in the morning. Living in Manhattan close to the Upper East Side is a plus. There is a possibility of additional weekday work, so a flexible schedule would be ideal.

Candidate MUST have at least a high school diploma but college degree is preferred.

Compensation and benefits

$12/hour for Mondays/Fridays
$50/shift for Saturdays/Sundays

Application instructions

Please send a resume, cover letter and three references to:
gabby@theartfarms.org

Interview process will begin immediately.