Animal Keeper
Job title: Animal Keeper / Educator
(dual role)
Summary
Zoo2U are recruiting for an experienced Animal
Keeper / Educator. We are looking for someone who is confident, outgoing,
passionate and experienced to join our small but growing friendly company/team.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, this position is offered for a minimum of 15
hours per week with overtime available and will eventually lead to a minimum 35
hour permanent contract when the zoo is able to reopen fully. Please note that
this is not a trainee position.
The Company
Zoo2U is a family run business with a heart for
outreach into the local community. Our mission is to ‘Interact, Educate and
Inspire’ with all those we come into contact with. Zoo2U has hand picked a
unique collection of exotic animals, which in turn create a varied adaptable
team suitable for all occasions. The animals are all friendly and are
comfortable interacting with humans, which means that Zoo2U can offer a unique
hands-on animal encounter. Zoo2U offers close encounters with exotic animals
and tailor their experiences to meet educational school curriculum
requirements, while offering kids clubs, children’s parties, fairs and fetes,
therapy for special needs and even corporate events! We have even adapted to
virtual sessions through the current pandemic. This will be a very exciting time
to join the company as we look to relocate (locally) and grow the zoo.
The Candidate
You will have a relevant animal related
qualification and at least two years’ experience in the zoological industry
with practical knowledge of Reptiles, Birds and Mammals, especially species
held in our collection. You will be familiar with the SSSMZP and ensure best
practice and compliance with health and safety and zoo licensing regulations.
You will be dedicated and passionate about animal welfare and will already put
this at the centre of everything you do. You will use a variety of methods to
enrich and stimulate the animals in your care and have a keen eye for detail
with regards to exhibit maintenance and animal health. You will always strive
to improve zoo management standards and keep detailed animal records.
You will be presentable and willing to represent
the company to a very high standard in all situations. You will be expected to
travel (up to 60 miles) from the zoo to deliver outreach to a high standard so
you must have experience in presentations/talks/demonstrations to audiences of
varying ages and abilities. You will hold a current clean driving licence and
be able to use both a manual and automatic vehicle. During the current pandemic
we have moved to online outreach and your willingness to get participate in
this is expected. There will be occasions when your start and/or finish times
will change due to the needs of the business so you must be able to offer
flexibility.
You will be hard working, physically fit,
enthusiastic and reliable. You will be an excellent timekeeper and a team
player; however, you may also find yourself working alone on some days,
especially through the current pandemic. You will be required to expand the
services offered by Zoo2U, through suggesting new idea's and working closely
with the owners to ensure the ideas become a reality. This position would suit
someone who is keen to advance their career.
Responsibilities:
- Daily animal husbandry
- Maintenance of animal enclosures/public areas
- Public presentations at a variety of outreach and therapy
events/sessions
- Virtual public presentations
- Liaising with veterinarians
- Daily monitoring of animal health and wellbeing, and administering
preventative/curative treatment
- Animal related administration duties
Essentials
- Relevant zoo or animal related qualification(s)
- Public speaking skills
- Organisational skills
- Clean driving license
- Knowledge of record keeping
- Non-smoker
- Minimum 2 years’ industry experience.
- Practical knowledge of husbandry techniques for a variety of
Reptiles, birds and small exotic mammals
Desirable
- Teaching qualifications
- First aider
- Current CRB/DBS
- Falconry experience
Expected Start Date: 22/02/2021
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: Dependant on exeperience
COVID-19 considerations:
As an indoor facility, we are closed in line with government regulations. When
able to open, all public entering the zoo are required to wear face masks, use
a foot dip, and wash and sanitise their hands. Staff also required to wear face
masks when public are on site and when working in close proximity to other
staff.
APPLICATION LETTER AND FULL CV TO melissa@zoo2u.co.uk
FYI
This vacancy has been posted out to the many thousands who read the popular Zoo Jobs Blog Page and then on to the 129,400 plus followers of the ZooNews Digest Facebook Page. It is then immediately forwarded on to Twitter and then to Pinterest and Linkedin (8,000+ connections). Many vacancies are shared to individuals and groups. In short your vacancy will have the potential of reaching something in the region of some 80,000 plus people within 24 hours. Most of these people are working in a zoo environment, Keepers, Curators, Vets, Zoo Directors, Trainers, Aquarists and more.
ZooNews Digest has subscribers in over 1200 Zoos in 150+ countries. Zoo professionals are International.
The number of people who will actually read the posted vacancy will actually be considerably less. Usually this will be between two hundred and three thousand. This will depend on the type of post, the time of the year and where it is located…of course not all will apply. I wish you the very best of luck in finding the right candidate for your post.
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