EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Animal Keeper Job Overview and Application Form

The Animal Keeper interacts regularly with animals for their daily care and with other staff and park guests to help provide exceptional visitor experiences. The keeper must focus strongly on the present moment and follow through with tasks precisely as directed. The person filling this role works weekends and holidays, outdoors in all weather, and maintains a positive, professional attitude. Benefits include PTO, continuing education opportunities, group discounts for dental, vision, and other coverage, and professional guidance for insurance plans available through the Marketplace. The salary for this position is commensurate with experience, with beginning pay for fully qualified individuals at $11/hour. Subsidized shared housing opportunities may be available.

RESPONSIBILITIES & ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Carries out all aspects of the daily care of assigned animals, including cleaning, diet prep and feeding, and applying operant conditioning training
Maintains clean and organized habitats, service areas, and equipment
Administers prescribed medications, supplements, and treatments under supervision
Maintains daily electronic record-keeping on diets, health, welfare, training, etc.
Performs landscaping maintenance and eliminates toxic or harmful plants
Assists in pest control throughout the park
Identifies and reports maintenance needs and potential safety issues
Assists in acquisition, processing, and storage of animal food, including whole prey
Cross-trains and works in other areas of the business as needed
Interacts with donors and members of the public regularly, sharing an educational perspective and encouraging participation in Animal Park programs
Participates in educational experiences including keeper chats, tours, animal presentations or demonstrations, and/or other public interactions
Oversees work activities of and/or provides training for interns and volunteers
Safely operates motorized vehicles and equipment
Performs other duties as assigned

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

Two years of experience working with exotic or wild animals as a staff member/employee, and ability to work with potentially dangerous animals
Experience with simple construction and maintenance
Experience with operant conditioning and with developing and completing an animal training project
Strong interpersonal, team-building, and communication skills
Public speaking and educational presentation skills
Capacity to learn new skills and complex tasks quickly and thoroughly
High adaptability and flexibility on the job

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Minimum age of 18 required
Bachelor’s or Associate degree in Animal Science, Biology, or related field (comparable work experience considered)
Basic skills with Microsoft Office software applications

LICENSING, CERTIFICATION, and/or REGISTRATION

Valid US driver’s license required
Covid vaccination required; booster vaccines may be required
Pre-exposure vaccination for rabies will be required after a training period

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Requires working weekends and holidays
Requires prolonged standing, significant walking, and bending, stooping, and stretching
Requires the ability to move safely over uneven ground while carrying items
Requires lifting up to 50 pounds
Rural location requires reliable transportation
Requires working outdoors in most weather conditions, including in temperatures from 0 to 105℉
Requires handling predictable and controllable hazards associated with animals, including exposure to dust and allergens as well as chemicals used for husbandry purposes

COMPENSATION

This is a full-time hourly non-exempt position
The salary for this position is commensurate with experience; pay for fully qualified individuals starts at $11/hour
Subsidized shared housing opportunities may be available during relocation

RESUME

In addition to submitting. your application please include your resume/CV and at least two relevant references. The selection process will include traditional interviews that may take place over the phone for individuals who are not local.

All resumes, references, and questions can be emailed to: applications (at) animalparknc(dot) org. Please contact applications (at) animalparknc(dot) org if you experience any issues with the application process or have further questions regarding the position.

Animal Keeper Application

APP - Animal Keeper Application

Contact Information
Name*
First Last
Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country
Phone*
Email*
Please answer the following:
Are you interested in the opportunity to serve as caretaker for the Guest House?*
- Yes
- No
Have you received a rabies vaccination series?*
- Yes
- No
Are you fully vaccinated for Covid-19 or willing to complete vaccination prior to starting at the Animal Park?*
- Yes
- No
What are your short- and long-term goals?*
Where do you see yourself in five years?*
What type of work environment do you prefer?*
What kind of leader would you consider yourself?*
What is your typical way of handling interpersonal conflict?*
What would you say are your two greatest weaknesses?*
What tools or habits do you use to keep yourself organized?*
What technological skills do you have, e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, etc?*
What species have you worked with before, and in what capacity?*
In what ways do you raise the bar for yourself and others around you?*
What unique experiences or qualifications separate you from other candidates?*
What are your views on the differences between animal welfare and animal rights?*
What are your views on breeding captive wildlife?*
Do you have any additional comments?
How did you hear about this position?*
Resume
Please email a resume, including contact information for two references to applications@animalparknc.org with Animal Keeper in the subject line.
Privacy Policy Consent*
I agree to the privacy policy.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Animal Keeper Job Overview and Application Form

RESPONSIBILITIES & ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

LICENSING, CERTIFICATION, and/or REGISTRATION

WORK ENVIRONMENT

COMPENSATION

RESUME

Animal Keeper Application

Contact Information

Please answer the following:

Resume

Please email a resume, including contact information for two references to applications@animalparknc.org with Animal Keeper in the subject line.

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