Facility
Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo
Closing Date
[jobclosingdate]
Description
Since the opening of Brookfield Zoo in 1934, the Society has had an international reputation for taking a cutting-edge role in animal care and conservation of the natural world. The bird collection is focused on population sustainability and the continued development and improvement of avian husbandry standards. Much of our collection is maintained in large multi-species aviaries where pairs of birds are rotated off exhibit for breeding. We maintain a large number of off exhibit breeding aviaries for this purpose which allows us to work with multiple pairs of multiple species at the same time. We have a strong presence in the AZA bird community, supporting the management of a number of SSP’s and strong involvement in the ASAG and the PACCT TAG.
The Lead Keeper Birds is responsible for providing experienced care for animals and performing related work of maintaining buildings, grounds, and interpretives in assigned area, under the direction of area managers or supervisors and will perform a wide variety of departmental supervisory activities, including supervising and instructing Keepers in assigned area and to support innovations in Conservation Leadership and Animal Welfare including relieving other Lead Keepers as directed. A Lead Keeper will perform all routine duties independently and new duties with minimal direction to include taking a proactive leadership role to communicate regularly with area supervisors/managers regarding animal management, facility maintenance, and staff supervision and development.
The responsibilities for this position include:
Perform in a proactive leadership role and communicate regularly with area supervisors/managers regarding animal management, facility maintenance, and staff supervision and development. Assist in departmental hiring, scheduling, and work assignments, and the development of departmental goals and plans.
Verify employee work schedules. Establish work priorities for the department. Routinely monitor and review the work performance of keeper staff in assigned area, and ensure completion of tasks in a timely and effective fashion.
Prepare and conduct performance appraisals as assigned. Handle personnel situations in a timely, objective, and consistent manner and in accordance with Society policies and the union contract. Train and direct work of interns, seasonal employees, and full-time keeper staff as assigned.
Responsible for current animal and equipment inventory. Provide written reports as assigned. Order, prepare, and distribute food to animal areas as required. Ensure compliance with all Society policies and procedures. Observe assigned animals closely and objectively. Apply knowledge and prior experiences to affect or implement change where appropriate. Maintain and utilize animal records. Observe condition of assigned area(s), animal enclosures, and equipment.
Monitor and clean public space(s), plants, and interpretives as required. Report maintenance needs as appropriate, and perform minor maintenance tasks. Clean animal enclosures, pools, and service areas as required. Maintain detailed and current knowledge of natural history, husbandry, and captive management of species and individuals in assigned areas. Maintain proficiency in area routines and specialized procedures.
Monitor guests to ensure animal and human safety and protection of Society property. Communicate with and assist guests. Take initiative to facilitate guests’ appreciation of animals and enjoyment of their visit. Demonstrate knowledge of and implement Society-wide and area emergency procedures as directed.
Education and Pre-requisites
Bachelor’s degree in relevant biological field or equivalent combination of training and experience required. Minimum 4 years Keeper experience or equivalent required. Must possess a track record of exemplary performance as a supervisory keeper or have equivalent, relevant experience. Detailed and current knowledge of natural history and principles of animal behavior and husbandry required. Must be able to work with live animals safely. Additional qualifications and experience may be preferred or required depending upon the specific animals and work area where the keeper will be working. Generally, previous work experience with assigned taxa will be preferred. Good communication and interpersonal skills. The ability to interact in a courteous and professional manner. Must be able to maintain good working relationships with staff at all levels, internal and external to Animal Programs. Must be able to communicate effectively and promptly with co-workers, managers, and guests following appropriate communication channels. Must be knowledgeable in the management of captive populations including related AZA conservation programs. Must be capable of dealing with emergencies calmly and efficiently. Must be proficient in learning and integrating information, knowledge, and direction quickly, and completing tasks as needed. Good decision-making skills. Ability to integrate and apply knowledge and prior experiences to affect or implement changes and make sound independent judgments where appropriate. Incumbent must demonstrate proficiency in perceiving and acting upon relevant changes in animal behaviors and conditions. Incumbent must demonstrate the ability to perform assigned routines and specialized procedures as directed. Must possess a proven record of consistently and accurately performing job duties. Must be able to work with minimal supervision. Good problem-solving skills. Must be able to identify problems and utilize appropriate information to develop solutions. Must possess a track record of demonstrating initiative in analyzing and solving problems, and recommending ideas and viable suggestions to improve operations. Demonstrated record of making recommendations and suggestions that are well thought-out and researched. Strong supervisory skills. Demonstrated ability to promote good morale and productivity in the workplace. Proven ability to train and direct the work of interns, seasonal employees, and full-time keeper staff. Demonstrated ability to effectively mediate routine personnel issues and conflicts between staff. Must be able to serve in a leadership role in directing the management and operations within assigned area, and ensure short-term goals are developed and achieved. Solicit input on improving operations and animal management procedures. Demonstrated capacity to guide the professional development of co-workers. Good time management skills. Must demonstrate flexibility, creativity, and responsibility in use of time. Must be reliable. Ability and willingness to learn Society conservation programs as they apply to assigned areas. Must be able to maintain confidentiality with regard to personnel and other privileged matters. Basic computer literacy required. Microsoft Office suite preferred. Experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with a diverse, multicultural audience. Multilingual ability, Spanish fluency a plus. Valid driver’s license required. Illinois residents must possess a valid Illinois license within 90 days of hire. Valid out-of-state license required for out-of-state residents.
This is a full-time position with rotating shifts, including weekends, holidays, and evenings.
Compensation and benefits
Not specified.
Application instructions
The Chicago Zoological Society is an Equal Opportunity.
If interested in being considered for this opportunity, please visit the CZS Career Center to obtain more details about the position and to apply by submitting your profile. Please visit our website at www.czs.org/careers. Please look for requisition number 1744BR.