Facility
Houston Zoo
Closing Date
[jobclosingdate]
Description
The Houston Zoo is currently offering the exciting opportunity for experienced individuals to join its expanding Primate Team. Successful candidates for this position will be motivated, energetic, and team-oriented individuals with prior primate husbandry experience, a background in operant conditioning, and good communication and interpersonal skills. Under the direction of a Zoo Supervisor, the Zoo Keeper is responsible for supporting the day-to-day operations associated with the husbandry of the animals and the maintenance of animal exhibits within a specified animal area.
The Zoo has a dynamic and growing primate collection consisting of 26 species, including prosimians, Old and New World monkeys, and lesser and great apes. The team also cares for a breeding pair of babirusa, multiple species of waterfowl and endangered turtles living in the primate exhibit moats. A gorilla exhibit currently under construction will provide state of the industry facilities for 10+ Western lowland gorillas that will be arriving early in 2015.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Carries out all aspects of the daily care of assigned animals including cleaning, feeding, exhibit maintenance, general upkeep of support facilities.
- Maintains clean and organized exhibits, holding areas, service areas and equipment.
- Prepares and feeds appropriate diets as per established feeding practices and diet sheets.
- Administers prescribed medications, supplements, or treatments under the guidance of the veterinary and supervisory staff.
- Records and reports any abnormal animal health or behavioral issues to the Zoo Supervisor. Maintains daily reports, logs, training and enrichment records, research or veterinary records, as appropriate and according to established guidelines; requires basic skills with TRACKS and Microsoft Office software applications.
- Understands and applies a practical understanding of operant conditioning as it relates to the daily management of species under his/her care.
- Understands and applies the basic principles of animal enrichment as part of the daily management of species under his/her care.
- Maintains clean and organized exhibits, equipment, and keeper areas.
- As appropriate, maintains water quality through filtration, balance of chemical elements, and sanitation methods for aquatic or semi-aquatic animal species.
- As appropriate, maintains live exhibit plantings to enhance exhibit aesthetics; eliminates weeds and toxic plants from animal enclosures.
- In conjunction with the Zoo’s pest control officer, may assist in pest control through the use of exclusion or traps.
- Identifies potential maintenance or safety issues and reports them to the Zoo Supervisor.
- Participates in keeper chats, tours, animal presentations or demonstrations, and/or other public interactions as requested by the Zoo Supervisor.
- May assist with departmental research projects, conservation, AZA, or other industry activities as directed/approved by the Zoo Supervisor or Curator; provides support for other Zoo projects as needed.
- May oversee work activities and/or provide training for interns, seasonal workers, or volunteers.
- Exhibits good teamwork and communication skills both within the home team and when working with other teams or departments.
- May be required to safely operate a motor vehicle.
- Other duties as assigned.
SUPERVISION
This position reports to a Zoo Supervisor and does not directly supervise any Zoo staff but may serve as a lead person for special projects or for interns or volunteers as assigned by the Zoo Supervisor.
PHYSICAL EFFORT:
This position may require significant physical effort on a daily basis such as walking, bending, stooping, repetitive motions, lifting heavy objects (up to 50 pounds), or standing for long periods. This position may require the ability to make coordinated gross motor movements in response to changing external stimuli within moderately demanding tolerances.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
There are routine exposures to significant levels of heat, cold, moisture, or inclement weather. This position may involve exposure to zoonotic disease, chemical substances or physical trauma of a minor nature. This individual may be required to work around potentially dangerous animals. Annual tuberculosis testing and vaccination for rabies or other zoonotic diseases may be required.
The work schedule for this position may include week-ends, evenings, and holidays.
PHYSICAL SKILL:
This position requires the ability to make closely coordinated hand/eye movements within fine tolerances; the ability to make rapid closely coordinated hand/eye movements on a patterned response space within fine tolerances; the ability to make coordinated hand/eye movements within fine tolerances with large equipment as an extension of the worker.
Education and Pre-requisites
KNOWLEDGE and EXPERIENCE:
- Two-year or four-year degree in one of the natural sciences or a closely related discipline or a certificate of completion from an acceptable exotic animal care program of not less than 30 semester hours is preferred.
- One year of experience in animal care at an AZA or equivalent facility, gained through employment, internships, or volunteer experience.
- Specific training and work experience in other settings, such as aquaculture, schools, nature centers, agricultural operations, or conservation centers may be considered on a case-by-case basis as fulfillment for the experience requirements.
- Strong interpersonal, team-building, and communication skills.
- Valid Texas driver’s license or ability to obtain one within 60 days of employment.
Compensation and benefits
Not specified.
Application instructions
Applicants can visit www.houstonzoo.org/careers to download an application E-mail resume and completed application to careers@houstonzoo.org Houston Zoo is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer