Zoo Jobs: Animal Curator

Animal Curator

Hobbledown

Responsible to: General Manager of each site and the Directors of the business

Responsible for: Animal Team and Animals

Hours per week: 40 – 45 including at least two weekends per month

Salary: £27,000 - £32,000pa

Location: Predominately based in Hounslow, West London when it opens with weekly visits to Epsom, Surrey.

Starting: From March 2020 – Dependent on successful candidate’s notice period

Hobbledown is an award-winning visitor attraction welcoming over 300,000 guests each year to our magical mix of animals and adventure play. Situated in Epsom, Surrey with a second Hobbledown under construction in Hounslow, West London, due to open in Spring 2021, our vision is to transport families into a magical, mysterical adventure for an unforgettable day out. Our unique cast of characters provide a wonderful friendly place to work where everyone is united by fun and the chance to delight our guests through stimulating and interactive adventures. We offer something for adults and children from tots to 12-year olds and this year, in 2020, we are investing over £500,000 in new animal walkthroughs and play structures. This is your chance to be part of the adventure. See more at http://www.hobbledown.com

Responsibility and Expectations

Zoos hire animal curators to manage their animal collections and their team. An animal curator's job responsibilities range from acquiring new animals and supporting senior keepers in the supervision of the keepers that handle day-to-day animal feeding and care, to scheduling veterinary visits and assisting in designing exhibits. Curators' duties are broader than those of keepers, although curators will assist keepers in the handling of animals from time to time.

You will have overall responsibility for a collection of domestic and exotic animals to include all day to day husbandry and feeding schedules at both Hobbledown Locations but day to day responsibility at our new west London location where you will predominantly be based from September 2020

You will have the incredible opportunity of joining our business at the point where we are just starting to develop our new West London Location. The responsibility will include all enclosure design (Hobbledown Style) and sourcing of all the new animals, Applying for the Zoo licence, new memberships to trade groups and organisations, NFAN, BIAZA etc

Maintain all legal and ethical documentation including daily checks; clinical, operational and welfare at both Hobbledown locations

Aspire to develop and increase a current collection including the acquisition of species, enclosure design and breeding programme / control, whilst being aligned to the current and future theme of Hobbledown Epsom and Hobbledown West London

Manage all veterinary protocols and schedules, both routine and ad hoc at both locations

Manage a team of Head keepers, Keepers and volunteers on a day to day basis with the responsibility of their training, welfare and discipline

Develop a Volunteer Programme

Maintain and develop a customer/animal interaction programme, ideally unique to both Hobbledown sites

Create and develop an education and conservation programme at both sites which is line with Hobbledown.

Super positive attitude with the courage to try something new.

Hobbledown senior team lead by example, so there is nothing we would ask our team to do that we wouldn’t do ourselves.

Experience and Qualifications

Very Experienced Head Keeper ready to progress

Thorough Understanding of Zoo Licence criteria

Experience with breeding programmes, zoonosis protocol, enrichment and preventative medicines

Good contacts within existing Zoos and wildlife parks

Managed / Supervised a team

Ambassador of Customer Service

Send your CV and a cover letter evidencing some of the stated requirements to recruitment@hobbledown.com with ‘Animal Curator Vacancy’ as the subject of the email.

Deadline for applications is 15th February 2020

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