Zoo Keeper

Zoo Animal Caretaker

Care for incredible animals while helping create unforgettable experiences for Zoo Boise guests! In this rewarding role, you'll support the daily care and well-being of native and exotic animals, assist with animal exhibits and transportation, and engage with visitors by sharing information about the animals, conservation, and zoo programs. If you're passionate about animal care, education, and inspiring a love for wildlife, this is your chance to make a difference every day. Required knowledge, experience, and training include a high school diploma or equivalent and two years of experience working with small to large non-domestic animals in a similar zoo facility or farm environment. Licensing and other requirements include a valid state-issued driver's license. Special requirements include passing City of Boise background check processes, a driving record check, drug testing, and qualifying to carry firearms.

Why the City of Boise?

The benefits are real and among the best in the Treasure Valley:

• Zero-cost premium medical coverage for you and your family (an estimated $10,000 - 20,000 value)
• PERSI retirement (11.96% Employer Contribution) plus employer-matched 401(k)/457b
• 10 hours vacation/month (grows with tenure), 12 paid holidays, and 8 hours sick leave/month
• 10 weeks paid parental leave
• $500 annual wellbeing incentive
• Tuition reimbursement and free local bus pass
• Basic life and long-term disability insurance at no cost

Essential functions include ensuring animal health and safety, creating and maintaining records, preparing food for animals, performing cleaning duties, creating and providing enrichment opportunities for animals, training animals, conducting presentations, interacting with the public, working on projects throughout the zoo's facilities, building, adjusting, and repairing animal exhibits, performing facility maintenance tasks, transporting animals, building transport crates, attending zoo-specific training, ensuring compliance with regulations and standards, and receiving training in the proper use of blow and dart guns, shotguns, immobilizing drugs, control poles, and squeeze cages.

Knowledge of environmental, health and dietary needs of animals, animal restraint and capture techniques, typical behaviors of a variety of animals, zoo operations, basic facility maintenance, the operation of hand and power tools, and computer usage, including related software is required. Ability to build and maintain large cages, operate tools and equipment safely, give oral presentations, utilize guns and related emergency equipment, communicate effectively in the English language at a level necessary for efficient job performance, perform all essential functions as assigned by an authorized employee, supervisor and/or manager with or without reasonable accommodation, and operate vehicles safely with an acceptable driving record is also required.

Preferred knowledge, experience, and training include a bachelor's degree in a related field, three years of experience working with large animals in a zoo or farm setting, and extensive experience building animal containment areas.

The physical effort characteristics and working environment described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Physical efforts include lifting/carrying up to 20 pounds, occasionally lifting/carrying up to 35 pounds and rarely lifting/carrying up to 75 pounds, pushing/pulling up to 20 pounds and occasionally pushing/pulling up to 75 pounds. The noise level is frequently loud and occasionally moderate. Work includes sensory ability to talk, hear, smell and touch. Work in this position also includes close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision and depth perception. Employees will sit, stand, walk, run, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, grasp, climb and balance. Position requires hand/finger dexterity. Working environment includes inside conditions, outdoor weather conditions, extreme temperatures, in wet and humid conditions, areas of dust, odors, mist and gases or other airborne matter. Employees are exposed to mechanical hazards. Employees will also drive a vehicle as part of this position. Work includes protected exposure to infectious bacteria, bodily fluids and chemicals.