Animal Keeper

Animal KeeperThe Santa Barbara Zoo is seeking a full-time Animal Keeper for our Animal Care and Health team. If you are a dedicated, passionate, and experienced individual with a strong commitment to animal care and wildlife conservation, we encourage you to apply for the Animal Keeper position on this portal, outlining your relevant experience and motivation for joining our team.Position Status: Full-time, Regular, Non-exempt, HourlySchedule: Thursday to Monday, 8am to 5pmCompensation: $23.90 – $26.30 per hour DOEUnder general direction of the Zoological Manager, Director of Animal Care and V.P. of Animal Care & Health, the Keeper is responsible for the application of daily animal care, maintenance of exhibits, guest experience and applicable research. In this role, you will work with a diverse range of taxa, including mammals, birds, and ectotherms. You will be responsible for husbandry, maintaining naturalistic exhibits, and ensuring the highest standards of animal care and well-being. The ideal candidate would also welcome the challenge of participating in the zoo's local field conservation activities including California condor, island fox, as well as local bird and ectotherm species.Key Responsibilities:Provide exemplary husbandry and care for a variety of animals, both large and smallMaintain and enhance naturalistic exhibits, creating a safe and stimulating environment for the animals, focused on demonstrating natural behaviorsActively participate in on-grounds or local field conservation activities, contributing to initiatives involving California condor, island fox, and local ectotherm speciesCollaborate closely with the Animal Care & Health team, reporting to a Zoological Manager and the Director of Animal CareEngage with the public through educational programs and public speaking engagementsEnsure the safety and well-being of both animals and team members in a strenuous work environment that may require lifting up to 50lbs as needed, navigate uneven surfaces, reaching overhead, climbing and other physical requirements.Qualifications:Minimum of 1 year experience in working at an AZA accredited facility or similar facility with a variety of taxaProficiency in animal husbandry, exhibit maintenance, and behavioral enrichment.A commitment to wildlife conservation and an eagerness to engage in local field conservation activities.Strong teamwork ethic and personal accountability.Excellent public speaking and communication skills.Physical fitness to handle the demands of the position.Essential Duties:Animal Care:Performs all basic animal husbandry and health duties in the safest manner following established Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs) and protocolsRecords the signs of normal health and changes in animal under his/her care using the daily report systemRecords results of training sessions and enrichment to document and evaluate progress toward team goalsDevelops and documents training and enrichment programsFacilitates established animal presentationsRegular attendance necessaryUnderstanding/Handling Emergency Situations:Responds to animal emergencies quickly and calculates risks involved for animal, guest and staffRemains calm and creates an atmosphere of calm and control for those dealing with the emergency situationUses physical capture and restraint equipment as requiredEvaluates the impact of emergency or mock situations on all areas of the Zoo and suggests improvements to the emergency response systemsGuest Relations:Associates with guests to assist and share informationResponds to all guest inquiries, complaints, and comments according to Zoo guest relation proceduresMeets exhibit presentation quality standards for cleanliness and maintenance to maximize our guest experienceDevelops and facilitates formal and informal educational programsStaff Development:Supervises volunteers and internsShares critical information, best practices, and procedures on a consistent basis with staffCoaches coworkers, volunteers and interns and provides informal feedbackProvides training for new keepers on husbandry standard operating guidelinesOperation and Business:Exemplifies the highest ethical standards to ensure the health and well being of the animal collectionEnsures that all regulatory standards are met such as USDA Animal Welfare Act, regional, federal and AZA standardsReports animal maintenance issues and potential hazards for staffEnsures consistent productive operating practices by identifying areas for potential revenue generation, reduction of costs and more efficient proceduresHolds peers accountable for their performanceAdheres to Zoo's policies and procedures as outlined in the Employee Policy ManualAttends bi-monthly all-employee meetingsAttends departmental meetingsSecondary Duties:Greets every guest with a smileThanks guests for supporting/visiting the ZooAnswers phone calls, voice mails, and e-mails promptly and in a professional mannerInsures the Zoo's presentation standards for cleanliness and maintenance are met by keeping work areas clean, picking up trash, reporting unsafe or unsightly conditionsMaintains a clean neat appearance and adheres to the Zoo's uniform dress codeTakes responsibility to stay informed about happenings at the Zoo, such as reading employee communications and attending meetingsReflects the qualities outlined in the Guest Relations Statement and the Employee PledgeOther duties as assigned to maintain efficient and quality zoo operationsPosition Criteria:To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements and environmental characteristics described below are representative of the knowledge, skill, ability, and working and physical elements required of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.Education and Experience:Bachelor's degree or graduation from two-year college program focused on captive animal husbandryExperience in routine animal husbandry, exhibit maintenance, and behavioral enrichment in a zoo, aquarium or closely related activityLicense, Certification, or Preferred Qualifications:Bachelor's degree in Life Science such as Biology, Zoology, Ecology or closely related discipline is preferredPrevious work experience in an AZA accredited facility is preferredValid driver's license with good driving record is desirableKnowledge, Skills and Ability:Available to work weekends and holidays, and when events are scheduledKnowledge of animal behavior and natural historyKnowledge of procedures for observation, handling/restraint, training, enrichment, reproduction, facility needs and health of animalsA commitment to wildlife conservation and an eagerness to engage in local field conservation activitiesStrong teamwork ethic and personal accountabilityExcellent public speaking and communication skillsPhysical fitness to handle the demands of the positionUnderstanding of emergency situation procedures, specifically those involved with guest and staff safetyBasic computer skillsAbility to follow oral and written directionEffective oral and written communication skillsAbility to develop warm and friendly relationships at workAbility to interact courteously and respectfully with supervisors, fellow employees, volunteers, our guestsAbility to exercise safe work habits while in proximity of potentially dangerous animalsAwareness of, sensitivity to, and empathy with animalsPhysical Demands & Work Environment:Requires the ability to access all areas of the facilityAbility to negotiate the zoo work environment including behind-the-scenes