Tuesday, April 30, 2019

SEASONAL OWL TRAINER POSITION




SEASONAL OWL TRAINER POSITION

6 MONTH CONTRACT
EXPERIENCE ESSENTIAL
PEMBROKESHIRE, WALES

Fixed Term: 6 months May – October 2019

Hours: 40 hours per week worked over 5 days including weekends and school holidays. Flexibility in schedule may be needed. Some evening hours are required for a few events each year

Start Date: Immediate

Salary: Dependent on experience

We are looking for an owl trainer to join our team who is experienced, motivated and enthusiastic.
Experience and confidence in handling/flying birds of prey is essential as the successful applicant will be required to work independently within the centre ensuring that operations run smoothly and our birds are cared for to the highest standards.

Excellent customer service skills are vital as the role is very focused on public engagement and applicants will need to have confidence in public speaking to audiences of varying sizes and ages. The successful candidate will be required to guide guests through handling birds safely while ensuring they enjoy the experience.

We are a small team, so everyone has to be able to do all of the tasks required to keep the business going. This includes cleaning, maintenance and any small odd jobs. The position is physically demanding and would best suit someone with a good level of fitness and strength.
A good sense of humour, excellent communication skills, flexible attitude and a willingness to work hard are vital.

A full clean driving licence is crucial due to rural location and possible travel to external work using own car. Accommodation is not provided on site but we are happy to advise on the local area.


Application by email only to info@secretowlgarden.co.uk. Please include an up to date CV and covering letter detailing your experience.




photo 
Peter Dickinson
Independent International Zoo Consultant

Wild Connections Zoo Keeper



Wild Connections Zoo Keeper

Chessington World of Adventures

We are Chessington World of Adventures Resort and we are part of the magical Merlin Entertainments!

As a member of our Wild Connections team you will be responsible for the daily husbandry of the animals on the section including cleaning, diet preparation, record keeping and enclosure redesign. Other duties will include planning, evaluating and executing environmental enrichment for the animals under your care and delivering first-class animal presentations, shows, meet and greets, commercial activities and memorable experiences to our Adventurers. You will be required to use positive reinforcement to train a wide variety of species for husbandry, guest interactions and presentations. To excel in this role you will need good initiative to come up with new ideas to help move the section forward and to increase revenue and minimise costs, whilst maintaining standards.

As a member of the Wild Connections team you will be required to work alongside the wider zoo team as well as employees from all over the resort and mentor, coach and supervise work-experience students and interns.

We are looking for the following skills and experience;
·Extensive practical experience working with a wide range of species
·Exceptional presentation skills
·The ability & passion to interact with the public
·Enthusiasm to learn & develop in the role
·Good level of understanding of animal behaviour and the care of animals
·Strong communication & computer skills
·Efficient time management and organisational skills

This role is permanent working full time 40 hours; 5 days out of 7. Shifts include weekdays, weekends & bank holidays; flexibility is required to meet the needs of the business.

Alongside a competitive annual salary up to £17,333 and 28 days holiday (including bank holidays) you can look forward to enjoying a great benefits package  including a Group Personal Pension Plan, Merlin Magic pass, Employee Assistance Programme, Life Assurance, 25% discount in our retail shops and restaurants, 40% discount online off of LEGO, and much more!

Closing date for applications is: 13th May 2019







photo 
Peter Dickinson
Independent International Zoo Consultant

Research, Education and Conservation Manager



Research, Education and Conservation Manager 

We’re Twycross Zoo (TZ), an award-winning conservation charity and rapidly growing visitor attraction. Our vision is to educate and inspire people to care about, and therefore save the other species with which we share our planet. We’re at the forefront of conservation, education and research, more on which can be found later in this advert.

We’re looking for an experienced and inspirational manager with exceptional skills in programme delivery to take charge of our research, education and conservation initiatives and push things to the next level – does this sound like you?
If so, keeping reading…

What will this role of Research, Education and Conservation Manager entail? 

As the Research, Education and Conservation Manager, you will lead a team of Education Officers, Education Rangers and the Research and Conservation Administrators, to grow opportunities in line with our Education, Science and Conservation strategies. Seeking opportunities to develop the educational offering of the zoo for primary, secondary and higher education groups, you will also explore opportunities for expanding our discovery opportunities for all visitors, and develop an effective evaluation programme for all of our conservation education activities.

You’ll support the management and development of our academic and conservation partnerships in the UK and around the world. You’ll develop the research remit of the zoo, working closely with researchers and universities to increase our research output and supporting researchers, students and volunteers whilst on site. Doing so you’ll liaise closely with the animal keeping, veterinary and other departments as needed on collaborative research goals.

Sitting on the zoo’s research review committee you will use your knowledge of scientific procedures to make judgements of the feasibility of proposed studies by external and internal researchers / students. You’ll work closely with our conservation partners and cultivate effective partnerships in line with our conservation strategy.

You’ll manage the departmental budget and resources allocated to our science, education and conservation strategies, and develop opportunities for public engagement through innovative interpretation on site as well as providing PR stories as appropriate. You’ll also organise, with support from the Research and Conservation Administrator, science and conservation focused talks on site.

We are looking for an experienced people manager who can lead and motivate a team of 15, along with support from the Education Team Leader and the Research and Conservation Coordinator by setting targets, coaching and monitoring performance. You will take the role of Designated Safeguarding Officer for the site. You will be also expected to represent the zoo on relevant external bodies, at conferences and in the media as appropriate.

This is a highly challenging and very rewarding role, in which you can work towards conservation in many different ways.

What will I need to be considered for this Research, Education and Conservation Manager vacancy? 

We are looking for a talented and inspirational people manager, who has proven experience in the following fields:
• Planning, developing and implementing educational programmes in a learning outside the classroom setting
• Executing multi-year, complex strategies within science, education and / or conservation, achieving targets and KPIs
• Excellent knowledge of natural history, animal behaviour, care and presentation of wild animals
• Managing complex partnerships with academic institutions and / or conservation NGOs / charities within the UK and / or abroad You will also need to have / be:
• Educated to MSc or equivalent level in a relevant subject
• At least 5 years of experience in conservation education, or relevant research on wildlife conservation, or a combination of both
• A minimum of two years of management experience
• Ability to obtain a satisfactory DBS check
• A full driving licence and willingness to drive zoo vehicles as required

What will I receive in return?

As the Research, Education and Conservation Manager you’ll receive a salary of £30,000, along with fantastic additional benefits including 31 days holiday per annum (inclusive of bank holidays), healthcare, enhanced 5% pension, life insurance x 3 of salary, a staff membership card giving you free entry to the Zoo on your days off and discounts in our retail and food outlets, and free onsite parking.

You’ll be employed on a permanent contract, working 37.5 hours per week, 5 days out of 7 between the hours of 9am and 5:30pm. Flexibility in relation to working hours is expected.

More about us:

We have a strong commitment to our award-winning education programme which aims to increase the level of awareness, knowledge and understanding about the animals and their plight in the wild.

TZ welcomes over 30,000 children yearly to participate in its education programme, delivering about 1,000 formal education sessions annually. We also run a very successful range of other conservation education sessions including weekend and holiday clubs, uniform groups and career days. Our Education Rangers engage with over 500,000 visitors a year through conservation education talks and within walkthrough animal enclosures.

 We also work on about 70-80 research projects yearly, ranging from undergraduate to postdoc level in a wide variety of disciplines. Our staff and associated researchers publish and present on national and international levels and the zoo is internationally renowned for the Ape Heart Project, an EAZA Great Ape TAG endorsed research initiative about great ape health. We have MoUs with major universities in the region and work with 40-50 UK and European academic institutions yearly.

We work closely with conservation partners in Asia, Africa and Central America to protect wildlife and habitats, especially focusing on primates. We embrace the ethos of integrating our science, education and conservation activities within our day to day practices. We are currently working on research projects supporting field conservation through technology as well as education initiatives linking UK families with our overseas conservation partners.

We’re located in Atherstone, Warwickshire (on the A444, which is easily accessed via the A5 and the M42 Junction 11).

To apply for this position, please head over to http://jobs.twycrosszoo.org, where you will be able to select this role and submit your CV for consideration.







photo 
Peter Dickinson
Independent International Zoo Consultant



Saturday, April 27, 2019

Animal Management Support Keeper



Animal Management Support Keeper

Bede’s Senior School

Bede’s is an independent, co-educational school located on two stunning sites, one by the sea in Eastbourne and one in the heart of the Sussex countryside in Upper Dicker.
We are looking for an experienced Animal Keeper to assist in the efficient operation of all activities in the animal management unit at Bede’s Senior School including all aspects of animal management and welfare, practical training, organisation and record keeping.

The animal management unit is newly established within the Trust and the animals and their habitats require consistent care.

This position is a part time position, offering 2 full days per week.

If you would like to find out more information about this role and download an application form, please click the links below.

The closing date for applications is Friday 10th May 2019.



To learn more or apply please click HERE








photo 
Peter Dickinson
Independent International Zoo Consultant



Friday, April 26, 2019

Assistant Curator - Conservation







Assistant Curator - Conservation

The Calgary Zoo Animal Care Department is seeking a highly engaged and professional individual to fill the full-time position of Assistant Curator- Conservation.

Key Accountabilities
As the Assistant Curator - Conservation you will provide on-site management, cooperative leadership, and animal care services at the Wildlife Conservation Centre (WCC).

What You Will Do:

  • Organize staff scheduling and assign daily tasks, ensuring resources are allocated most efficiently
  • Train and lead paid and unpaid animal care staff
  •  Perform day-to-day animal care duties as required
  • Conduct tours and interviews as directed
  • Ensure all work areas and equipment are up to or above standards for functionality and cleanliness
  • Assist in coordination and implementation of special projects, minor renovations, and improvements as approved
  •  Update animal management and husbandry protocols related to WCC animal care and operations, ensuring stakeholder input is represented where appropriate
  • Oversee animal handling events, including animal shipments
  • Employee performance management for the purpose of  guiding and directing keeper staff on a daily basis, addressing complaints, resolving problems or escalating to the general curator as appropriate, cooperative performance appraisals
  • Liaise with the Conservation Centre Operations Supervisor, veterinarians, and other department representatives as required
  • There is an expectation to work weekends, holidays and potentially evening and on-call services
  •  Other projects as required



For further information and to apply please click HERE





photo 
Peter Dickinson
Independent International Zoo Consultant



Saturday, April 20, 2019

Aviculturist Intern




Aviculturist Intern

Aviary Department

Period Covered: 19 June to 20 December 2019, three days a week Waddesdon Manor

Waddesdon Manor is a historic house open to the public. Created by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild from 1874, it is home to the Rothschild Collection and was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1957. Today it is managed independently
by a Rothschild charitable trust, The Rothschild Foundation, under the chairmanship of Lord Rothschild. It currently welcomes in the region of 400,000 visitors per year to the property.
Waddesdon is a dynamic place shaped by three generations of Rothschilds, bringing together a world class collection of art and decorative arts of the 18th century, displayed in original historic interiors including English 18th-century portraits, French 18th-century furniture and porcelain, books, drawings and works on paper, textiles and sculpture. It has a growing collection of contemporary art, a temporary exhibitions gallery and a flourishing exhibitions, education and public events programme. It is also home to one of the finest Victorian gardens in Britain, a working Aviary and is at the heart of the working Waddesdon Estate.
Waddesdon also encompasses a range of commercial activities including retail, catering, a hotel and a conference and wedding business.

Overall Purpose of a Waddesdon Internship: An internship at Waddesdon will allow participation in some of the most exciting work in a nationally and internationally renowned institution. This will in turn give interns a number of formal and informal learning opportunities that will assist the recipients with their future careers. Our aim is to ensure we open the doors of Waddesdon as wide as possible to the future curators, conservators, visitor managers, archivists, gardeners, facilities managers, chefs, waiting staff, stewards, cleaners, events managers, administrators and leaders we may need in the future. As well as developing talent in our own staff we would also like to give recent graduates, or those interested in working in a similar environment, an opportunity to learn first hand by working alongside us in our daily activities.

The Aviary Department: Within the grounds of Waddesdon is a rare example of a working Victorian Aviary. Now managed as a modern zoo and member of EAZA. The Aviary is home to a specialist collection of foreign bird species with an emphasis on breeding those of conservation concern. Primarily known as a Passeriformes collection the Aviary is also home to Galliformes, Columbiformes and Piciformes species. The Aviculturalist intern will join a small team and will be given a variety of opportunities to learn new Skills in bird husbandry, breeding, Record keeping (ZIMS) and artificial incubation and rearing.

Main Responsibilities of the intern:
• Provide general husbandry including diet preparation, feeding and cleaning of enclosures.
• Provide an environment to encourage species breeding.
• Assist in artificial rearing of species.
• Detailed record keeping. Knowledge, Skills & Experience
• An Interest in Ornithology, Conservation, or previous experience in a bird collection.
• A qualification in an animal management course or equivalent. •
 Ability to work as part of a team.
• Good computing skills. Terms & Conditions
• 22.5 hours per week, over three days.
• Shared accommodation provided in the local area.
• An allowance towards food costs for each working day.
• A Waddesdon Staff Card.
• Must be able to commit to the full internship from June to December 2019

Application: To apply, please send a current CV and a letter, maximum 2 pages of A4, outlining your interest in working at Waddesdon and a career in this sector, and suitability for the role in a letter. Your letter should be no more than 2 sides of A4 and sent to Ian.Edmans@waddesdon.org.uk no later than 11pm on Monday 6th May.
We will consider a later starting date for any applicants who have school or university exam commitments. Interviews will be planned for w/c 13th May.




photo 
Peter Dickinson
Independent International Zoo Consultant