ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

The Metro Richmond Zoo’s mission is to promote animal conservation and inspire guests by providing up-close, educational encounters with the wild. The zoo is situated on 150 acres of land and is home to over 2,000 animals representing 190 species from around the world. The zoo is accredited by the Zoological Association of America and is well-known for its conservation programs for cheetahs, African penguins, and Diana monkeys

POSITION SUMMARY

Zoo crew team members provide the front-line service of the park. Team members are responsible for creating memorable experiences for our guests by providing exceptional service. Opportunities to learn and provide leadership and training to fellow team members can be achieved. This is a guest services position and not an animal care position.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

90% of time:

The majority of time will be spent focusing on providing and enhancing the guest experience by opening, operating, and closing the public facilities of the park. Cleaning restrooms and picking up trash are important tasks to keep our facilities presentable and ready for guests.

The areas team members work in are organized into 6 divisions:

1. Guest Services

Operate a register and sell daily tickets to guests
Sell ride tickets and animal food
Communicate zoo information to guests entering the park
Help guests purchase zoo memberships
Monitor the budgie bird exhibit, giraffe feeding area, and children’s petting area to ensure guests are respectful of animals

2. Gift Shop

Organize and restock merchandise
Help guests purchase souvenirs
Operate carousel ride

3. Food Services

Take food orders
Prepare cold and hot foods: ice cream, shaved ice, hot dogs, fries, chicken nuggets, etc.
Maintain cleanliness of food equipment

4. Treetop Zoofari

Monitor guests on zipline course
Inspect the course
Train guests how to safely navigate the adventure park
Clean up after farm animals in zipline area
Secure harnesses on guests safely

5. Ride Operation

Operate the sky lift
Drive the train and provide an educational, narrated tour
Clean up after animals in the children’s petting area

6. Projects/Maintenance

Provide assistance to grounds keeping
Provide assistance to exhibit renovations
Provide assistance to new exhibit construction

10% of time:

Some time will be spent helping the zoo with other needs.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Zoo crew team members must have the ability to:

Lift 40lbs
Walk and stand and bend over for long periods of time
Perform duties for 8 hours a day
Have a full range of motion in the back and all extremities

QUALIFICATIONS

Zoo crew team members must:

Be at least 16 years old
Be at least 18 years old for ride operation and some Treetop Zoofari responsibilities
Be self-motivated in work ethic
Be able to work outdoors in all weather from 0°F to over 100°F
Be able to communicate clearly in written and verbal forms
Be able to handle stressful situations calmly and effectively
Be able to handle multiple tasks
Be able to work independently and as part of a team
Have great attention to detail

HOURS

Variable hour employment
Up to 40 hours a week (Zoo does not offer overtime hours)
Monday- Saturday work week
Up to 5 days a week
Holiday availability required

PERKS AND BENEFITS

Free zoo and zipline tickets
Food and merchandise discounts
Work near animals
Day-time hours (no nights)
No Sundays required
Flexible schedule
Variable work tasks
Fast-paced: no dull moments
Work outdoors and indoors
Career advancement opportunities

ALCOHOL AND DRUG TESTING

Team members may not arrive on duty under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Since this position is a safety-sensitive position, team members may be subject to random alcohol and drug testing.

DISCLAIMER

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties performed by the team member. All team members are required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other duties requested by their supervisors.

Metro Richmond Zoo

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