Animal Diet Technician

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Department: Living Collections - Nutrition Services

Supervisor: Manager of Nutrition Services

Supervises: None

FLSA Status: Full Time, Regular, Non-Exempt

Starting Pay Rate: $23.70/hour

General Statement:

The Animal Diet Technician is responsible for the facilitation and preparation of animal diets and in the maintenance of high standards of quality assurance and sanitation in all Nutrition Services areas.

Winter Hours:

• Strings 1,2, and 4: 5:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
• String 3: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Summer Hours:

• Strings 1,2, and 4: 4:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
• String 3: 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Essential Duties:

• Provide quality guest service to both internal and external guests by maintaining a WILD (friendly, helpful, positive and professional) working attitude and appearance.
• Prepare animal diets by following diet worksheets and SOPs in an accurate and efficient manner. Diet preparation includes but is not limited to counting, measuring, weighing, and cutting diet items such as meat, produce, whole prey, fish, bones, dry feeds, browse, hay, and canned items.
• Safely use kitchen equipment such as knives, choppers, grinders, mixers, and saws.
• Ensure the highest level of food safety through quality control, proper rotation and storage, proper food handling, and appropriate use of chemicals and washing in accordance with state, government, and AZA standards.
• Maintain the cleaning and hygiene of food/prep stations, dishes, tools and equipment, food storage areas, floors, and all aspects of Nutrition Services.
• Perform feed and forage preparation for outside analysis; interpret analysis report.
• Monitor and report quality assurance concerns in regard to feed and sanitation standards.
• Communicate diet and/or feed changes to veterinary and animal husbandry staff.
• Perform data entry of diet changes, feed changes and inventory.
• Receive and inspect all shipments and deliveries in compliance with established protocols as well as perform inventory cycles.
• Represent Nutrition Services during meetings, tours, and program activities.
• Work collaboratively with other staff and departments to meet the Phoenix Zoo's goals and objectives.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, or working conditions associated with the job. Management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other tasks be performed when circumstances change (e.g. emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs, or technological developments.)

• High School Diploma required.
• Bachelors degree in Animal Biology or Nutrition preferred.
• Minimum 1 year experience in zoo animal diet preparation, food service or equivalent.
• Ability to pass Food Borne Pathogens Identification training.
• Ability to accurately and efficiently add, subtract, multiply and divide all units of measure.
• Ability to work with live insects, rodents, and other food animals as required, and be capable of humanely euthanizing animals per USDA and AZA standards.
• Good oral and written communication skills, and good interpersonal skills.
• Ability to lift a minimum of 50 pounds and carry loads for 25 yards required.
• Able to bend, stoop, crawl, stand for long periods of time and perform repetitive motion activities required.
• Ability to work flexible hours required.
• Possession of a valid drivers license.
• Ability to pass pre-employment background check, drug test, DMV check and clear annual TB test.