Part Time Animal Host/Keeper

 

Part Time Animal Host/Keeper

 

Hobbledown

 

Primarily to work weekends with some days in the week and school holidays.

 

Job Description

 

You will be expected to deliver daily talks, educational sessions and host our very popular zoo keeper for a day experiences and meet and greet sessions. Other duties include, but are not limited to, manning our various public walkthrough enclosures.

 

There will also be some keeper work, working with a range of species across our 50 acre site with responsibility for all aspects of animal care, including daily cleaning and feeding regimes, upkeep of animal records, whilst working to strict safety protocols and standard operational procedures.

 

Key responsibilities

 

·         Engage with visitors by delivering exceptional public talks.

 

·         To undertake keeper experience days to a high standard.

 

·         To ensure the highest standard of animal welfare is being adhered to at all times.

 

·         To be competent with handling, in particular small domestics, herptiles and invertebrates.

 

·         Man walkthrough enclosures such as our Wallaby and Mara, engaging with customers whilst undertaking husbandry care.

 

·         Carry out the daily animal husbandry tasks to a high standard.

 

Full training will be given, however the candidate will have:

 

·         Knowledge and experience working with animals in a zoo / farm environment and have gained an understanding of their husbandry and enrichment needs.

 

·         At least a Level 3 Diploma in Animal Care or equivalent.

 

·         Good communication skills, enthusiasm and an outgoing and friendly personality

 

·         Experience is undertaking daily keeper talks, thus requiring good presentation skills

 

·         A presentable appearance, flexible in their approach to work, totally reliable, and to be able to work effectively both within a team and on their own when the need arises

 

·         An ability to communicate well with guests and other team members

 

·         A full driving licence preferred.

 

 Job Type: Part-time

 

Closing date for applications is: 6th Oct 2020

 

Email a copy of your CV and Cover Letter to Dolores@hobbledown.com

 

Read What Makes a Good Zoo - A Personal Journey

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +66 (0) 93 0835 862 | elvinhow@gmail.com https://iizc.org/ | Skype: peter.dickinson48

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

CLICK HERE TO READ THE LATEST ZOONEWS DIGEST AND POSTS BACK TO 1998

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +66 (0) 93 0835 862 | elvinhow@gmail.com https://iizc.org/ | Skype: peter.dickinson48

Experienced Animal Keeper

Experienced Animal Keeper

Hobbledown

Hobbledown in Epsom, Surrey, is currently looking for a full time keeper to work within the animal department.  The ideal candidate will have:

• Knowledge & experience working with animals in a zoo, farm environment and have gained an understanding of their husbandry and enrichment needs.
• A diploma in animal care or equivalent.
• Good communication skills, enthusiasm, and an outgoing and friendly personality.
• Experience in undertaking daily keeper talks thus requiring good presentation skills.
• A presentable appearance.
• Flexible in their approach to work.
• Totally reliable.
• Be able to work effectively both within a team and on their own when the need arises.
• An ability to communicate well with guests and other team members.
• A full driving licence preferred.

This post is a 40hr week,which includes working weekends and bank holidays.

Understanding of ZIMS advantageous .

The salary is competitive.

To apply for this job:

To apply please send your CV and covering letter to angela@hobbledown.com

Closing date for applications Monday 7th August 2017.

Due to the expected number of applications we will only be contacting those shortlisted for interview.

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +971 50 4787 122 | elvinhow@gmail.com | Skype: peter.dickinson48

 To Advertise Vacancies on Zoo News Digest 
Please click
HERE

Senior Keeper

Senior Keeper

Hobbledown

Surrey

Full time Senior Keeper required - 40hrs per week including weekends and bank holidays.

Hobbledown in Epsom, Surrey, is currently looking for a full time Senior Keeper to work within the Animal Department.

The ideal candidate will have:

 - A minimum of 3 years’ paid experience working in a zoological collection working with a range of taxon;

 - Excellent leadership qualities and proven track record of supervising a team;

 - Strong knowledge and experience working with, in particular exotic & domestic animals;

 - The Diploma in the Management of Zoo and Aquarium Animals - DMZAA, or equivalent;

 - A good understanding of ZIMS and Zoo licencing would be advantageous;

 - Good communication skills, enthusiasm, and an outgoing and friendly personality;

 - Ability to interact and communicate well with our guests in a courteous and friendly manner and inspire our younger visitors;

 - A presentable appearance, flexible in their approach to work, totally reliable, and be able to work effectively both within a team and on their own when the need arises.

The post holder will be required to support and assist the Curator in the management and husbandry of Hobbledown’s diverse animal collection as well as the supervision of the animal team involved with their care.

A full driving licence preferred.

Due to the expected number of applications we will only be contacting those shortlisted for interview.

Salary circa £17000 pa.

To apply please send your CV and covering letter to angela@hobbledown.com

Closing date for applications Friday 21st August 2015

Please don't forget to mention you saw this advert in

 ZooNews Digest.

Thank You!

Full Time Senior Keeper

Full Time Senior Keeper

Hobbledown

Surrey

40hrs per week including weekends and bank holidays

Hobbledown in Epsom, Surrey, is currently looking for a Full time Senior Keeper to work within the Animal Department

The ideal candidate will have:

• A minimum of 3 years’ experience working in a zoological collection working with a range of taxon
• Excellent leadership qualities and proven track record of supervising a team
• Strong knowledge and experience working with, in particular exotic & domestic animals
• The Diploma in the Management of Zoo and Aquarium Animals – DMZAA, or equivalent
• A good understanding of ZIMS and Zoo licencing would be advantageous
• Good communication skills, enthusiasm, and an outgoing and friendly personality
• Ability to interact and communicate well with our guests in a courteous and friendly manner and inspire our younger visitors
• A presentable appearance, flexible in their approach to work, totally reliable, and be able to work effectively both within a team and on their own when the need arises

The post holder will be required to support and assist the Curator in the management and husbandry of Hobbledown’s diverse animal collection as well as the supervision of the animal team involved with their care.

A full driving licence preferred

Due to the expected number of applications we will only be contacting those shortlisted for interview

Salary circa £17000 pa

To apply please send your CV and covering letter to angela@hobbledown.com            

Closing date for applications Friday 13 March 2015

Please don't forget to mention you saw this advert in

 ZooNews Digest.

Thank You!

Animal Curator

Animal Curator

Responsible to:                      General Manager

Responsible for:         Animal Team and Animals

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

Salary:                                    £30,000pa

Zoos and aquariums hire animal curators to manage their animal collections. An animal curator's job responsibilities range from acquiring new animals and supervising 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 do assist keepers in the handling of animals from time to time.

Hobbledown is a new indoor, all-weather park with a collection of over 200 exotic and domestic animals, mysterically based around a children’s story that encompasses characters, animals and a world of exciting play.

Responsibility and Expectations

• Manage a collection of domestic and exotic animals to include all day to day husbandry and feeding schedules
• Maintain all legal and ethical documentation including daily checks; clinical, operational and welfare
• 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
• Manage all veterinary protocols and schedules, both routine and ad hoc
• Manage a small team of keepers and volunteers on a day to day basis with the responsibility of their training, welfare and discipline with a hands on, ‘leading by example’ approach
• Develop a volunteer programme
• Maintain and develop a customer interaction programme, ideally unique to Hobbledown
• Aspire to make the animal experience as positive and as unique as all other areas of Hobbledown by allowing your experience and imagination to influence the expansion of Hobbledown
• Create, maintain and develop an education and conservation programme
• Be able to manage the Health and Safety requirement within a visitor attraction

Experience and Qualifications

• Experienced Head Keeper ready to progress with a minimum of 5 years supervisory or management experience at a reputed collection
• Understanding of zoo licence criteria, and participation in a zoo licence inspection
• Experience with breeding programmes, zoonosis protocol, enrichment and preventative medicines
• Proven track record of coaching and developing a zoo team
• Ambassador of customer service including the delivery, engagement and assessment of talks and presentations
• A clear understanding of how to create and implement Health and Safety protocols and procedures
• Some experience with project managing from concept design to build completion

A qualification in an animal related discipline would be beneficial

Closing Date:  30 June 2014

For more information or to apply, please contact David Long – General Manager at david@hobbledown.com

Please mention Zoo News Digest

Should you apply for this post