Zookeeper - Small Primates, Orangutans, and Ambassador Animals

Topeka Zoo

Zookeeper - Small Primates, Orangutans, and Ambassador Animals

This position supports the organization by ensuring animals receive quality care while creating memorable and meaningful guest experience. You bring significant value because of the care you provide and the relationships you develop both with the animal collection and our guests. You contribute to the bottom line by delivering quality experiences that increase our guest visits. As an animal keeper you are responsible for daily husbandry care, feeding, implementation of enrichment and training programs, observation, and documentation of animals in the collection at the Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center. Provides meaningful exhibits, excellent customer service, presentations, and animal care.

Essential Functions:

Core

• Includes providing food & water to animals, cleaning of habitats, animal observations, prescribed veterinary care. Provides enrichment and participates in animal training programs.

• Enrichment is as important to the daily life of collection animals as is food, water, and housing. Continuously evaluate and improve the quality of enrichment offered to each animal.

• Provides limited prescribed veterinary care including the administration of medications and treatments, observation, and collection of samples. Assists in the capture, restraint, and subduing of animals.

• Provides an established and cooperative training program for animal wellbeing.

• Provides a natural habitat for various animals and prepares exhibits that replicate their natural environment. This includes building, installation or changing of animal's furnishings to encourage natural behaviors and to stimulate the animals physically and mentally.

• Provides documentation and record keeping on inventory, DAR/ZIMs, med sheets, training, enrichment, and pertinent forms.

• Observes animals; notes change in health, social attitude, breeding techniques, behavior, diet, and other animal related activity.

• Reports changes to their supervisor and veterinarian in a timely manner and records data for Zims/Daily Activity Report (DAR).

• Takes necessary action to encourage or discourage behavior.

• Implements animal training to ensure cooperative and safe working conditions and proper animal husbandry. Each trainer ensuring each program continues to benefit the zoo and that animal.

• Ensures the physical environment and habitat is always maintained in a safe and functional manner. Visually checks the whole exhibit and surrounding spaces up to and around exhibit, including the public area. This includes but is not limited to:

• performing minor repairs and maintenance to equipment and facilities.

• monitors the operation of life support systems such as sprinklers, fire alarms, temperature controls, electric fences, and water circulation.

• secures and rechecks all animal enclosures, service areas, and perimeter gates to ensure collection animals and the public are safe and secure.

• Secures animal spaces, service areas, follows lock procedures.

• Responsible for reporting and documenting any changes and/or failures of these systems; responding to escaped animals; and directing the public to safety areas.

• Works with animal care interns and various volunteer groups

• This includes providing guidance on training techniques, safety procedures and information on what standards are expected.

• Zookeepers working with interns and volunteers are responsible for ensuring the collection is properly cared for, exhibits are secured and safe, and interns and volunteers are always accounted for.

General Responsibilities:

• Maintain a professional, courteous, and tactful demeanor with all guests and co-workers.

• Work alongside TEAM members making choices today, in line with the Topeka Zoo and Conservation Mission.

• Support FOTZ's strong relationship culture through ongoing contact (internal, external, vendor, BOD, and stakeholders)

• Provide superior service by resolving problems efficiently and responding timely.

• Identify and implement solutions to problems in general and urgent matters.

• Actively seek to add and enhance knowledge regarding developments and current trends in the industry that will serve FOTZ's needs

• Work collaboratively with staff to maintain a team environment to accomplish the tasks necessary to serve and support the organization.

• Flexible to accept additional assignments as requested by leadership.

• Cross-train for other positions to cover when necessary.

• Professionalism while representing FOTZ (onsite, professional, and community events and via communications)

• Participate and attend meetings as requested.

• Timely responses to inquiries for information to customers, staff, and vendors

• Answer telephone calls and provide a prompt response.

• Comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

• Follow FOTZ policies and procedures.

• Other duties as assigned.

Performance Measurements & Primary Accountability:

• Accurate and timely processing of work

• Collaborative relationships are developed and maintained with guests and staff (internal and external)

• Team player that accomplishes work tasks in collaboration with others

• Ability to change while accepting and supporting management decisions.

• Achievement of objectives as outlined by leadership.

• Arrive and depart from work timely per schedule.

Qualifications: (Knowledge, Skill, and Ability)

• One year experience working with and caring for animals in a zoo setting.
• Possession of a valid driver's license.
• Strong analytical skills
• Computer literacy MS Products
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment with multiple interruptions
• Exceptionally detailed and organized.
• Ability to work independently and be self-motivated.
• Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure with little or no supervision.
• Ability to prioritize, organize and manage work effectively and efficiently to accomplish tasks while managing multiple projects at the same time and delivering friendly service.
• Ability to problem solve rationally using common sense.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions either written, oral, diagram, schedule, or electronic formats
• Effective communicator (verbal, written, and body language)
• Excellent customer service skills
• Ability to respond to emergency situations.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Ability to frequently reach with hands and arms. Along with the ability, be able to bend, lift, pull, twist, push, squat, and drag. Have good "hand/ eye" coordination, lift a decent amount of weight.
• Ability to safely handle and operate hand tools, power tools, and other equipment necessary to conduct assigned tasks.
• Ability to document pertinent information on animals and facilities. Proficient in the use of computer, Word, and Excel software. Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to work both indoors and outdoors, with exposure to extreme temperatures and inclement weather conditions; the environment may include wet, icy, or muddy conditions.
• Have good time management while showing productivity.
• Ability to multitask, work in a fast-paced environment, engage appropriately with the public, and work independently and as part of a team is expected.
• Follows all applicable standards and policies set forth by the TZCC, AZA, and USDA.
• Regular attendance and punctuality are essential functions of the position.
• Ability to exercise care to avoid accidents.

Work Environment:

• Regularly exposed to outdoor weather conditions.
• Interaction with staff and customers, including demanding or difficult customers and/or situations.
• Although most work performed is within scheduled hours, some irregular hours on evenings, weekends, and holidays may be necessary. Willingness to work flexible schedules when necessary, including weekends, holidays, and nights.
• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of animal husbandry.
• Knowledge of the dangers & precautions taken in handling & working around dangerous animals.
• Knowledge of the habits, dietary needs, and other requirements of zoo animals.
• Knowledge in training techniques; able and willing to be critiqued for improvement.
• Able to adapt to constant change, pressure and stressful situations when working with animals.
• Able to stay calm, respond quickly when emergencies occur.

Perks

Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Paid time off

Salary

17.50/hour

How to Apply

Resumes/cover letters should be forwarded to Carley Gonzalez ... and Wrylie Guffey ...

Topeka Zoo

635 SW Gage Blvd

Topeka, KS 66604

Phone: ...

Fax: topekazoo.org