Summary
The Animals of the Night/Ambassador Animal keeper is a swing keeper position in our Animals of the Night and Ambassador Animal area. The position will be primarily based in the Animals of the Night exhibit but will involve cross-training as an animal interpreter for our ambassador animal collection. The successful candidate for this position will be responsible for providing daily husbandry of a collection of small mammals, birds, amphibians, invertebrates, and reptiles in the Animals of the Night and ambassador animal collections, as well as engaging with guests through Close Encounters, keeper chats, and other pop-up encounters.
The Animals of the Night collection is managed in a reverse-light cycle building and encompasses a variety of small mammals including aardvarks, agoutis, armadillos (three-banded and six-banded), bats (bulldog bat, Egyptian Rousettus bat, Seba’s short-tailed bat, and vampire bat), binturong, bushbabies, genets, ringtail cats, kinkajous, pygmy slow lorises, naked mole rats, pottos, pouched rats, tamandua, and two-toed sloths. Keepers are responsible for daily husbandry, observations, enrichment, and training of the animals in the Animals of the Night exhibit.
The Animal Interpreter acts as an ambassador of the Zoo through a variety of on-site and virtual educational programs that feature live animal ambassadors. Interpretive duties include providing encounters, impromptu and scheduled chats, and other programs for all ages; participating in a variety of outreach and appearances; providing general support to daily education and interpretive programs and engaging with Zoo guests daily. Ambassador animals include birds of prey (barn owl, red-tailed hawk), a green winged macaw, invertebrates (scorpion, millipedes, and Madagascan hissing cockroaches), reptiles (pancake tortoise, box turtle, Indian star tortoise, blue tongue skink, prehensile-tailed skink, scheltopusik, red-tailed boa, ball python, and gray rat snake), amphibians (smooth-sided toads), and small mammals (rabbit, tenrec, rats).
The ideal candidate would be proficient in all aspects of zoo animal care including husbandry, enrichment, training, exhibit maintenance, record keeping, keeper chats, and conservation as well as engaging guests to connect with the animals. Candidates for this position should be self-motivated, hard-working, positive, dependable, who can work independently, but also thrive in a team setting.
Essential Job Functions
- Provide best available practices in daily animal care, husbandry, enrichment, and training
- Guest engagement: Facilitates formal and informal public presentations to engage guests and provide a positive guest experience.
- Actively observes animals’ behavior, checking for any signs of illness or disorder; reports irregularities and abnormal behavior to supervisor; works with vet staff to address medical needs.
- Prepares and administers appropriate daily diets and maintain accurate records of assigned animals.
- Appropriately cleans and disinfects assigned animal enclosures/habitats according to written protocols and ensures a sanitary and safe environment.
- Performs exhibit maintenance, including concrete work and periodic updates to exhibit perching and hides.
- Exercise good judgement when making decisions that affect our collection.
- Assists hospital staff in all aspects of animal treatment within the assigned section.
- May incorporate modern behavioral husbandry techniques such as operant conditioning and environmental enrichment into animal care.
Minimum Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Zoology, Biology or a related field
Preferred Qualifications: Previous experience with animal care and operant conditioning in a zoological setting. Previous experience in the education field or with animal presentations.
Competencies:
- Written and oral communication Proficiency
- Proficient in MS Office, current technology and applications for communication, research and record keeping.
- Records and reports creation and management
- Problem Solving/Analysis.
- Stress Management/Composure.
- Flexibility.
- Teamwork Orientation.
Supervisory Responsibility: None
Reporting Structure: Reports to Associate Curator.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work: This is a full-time position that works a minimum of 40 hrs per week and regularly requires weekend work as well as occasional after-hours work.
Work Environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, chemicals and vibration.
The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet while in the office, or moderately loud while on Zoo grounds.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, talk and hear. The employee is constantly required to use hands and fingers to feel, handle or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
âOther Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Other Requirements:
- Clear background check.
- Clear drug screening.
- Clear TB screening.
Benefits (subject to applicable waiting periods):
- Medical, dental, vision.
- FSA, HSA.
- Short and Long Term Disability.
- Group Term Life Insurance and AD&D.
- 401K
Answer these questions from the employer:
By submitting your application, you hereby certify that the facts set forth in the above employment application are true and complete to the best of your knowledge.
Certification
I certify that the information provided on this application is truthful and accurate. I understand that providing false or misleading information will be basis for rejection of my application, or if employment commences, immediate termination.
I authorize Memphis Zoo to contact former employers and educational organizations regarding my employment and education. I authorize my former employers and educational organizations to fully and freely communicate information regarding my previous employment, attendance, and grades. I authorize those persons designated as references to fully and freely communicate information regarding my previous employment and education.
If an employment relationship is created, I understand that unless I am offered a specific written contract of employment signed on behalf of the organization by its CEO, the employment relationship will be "at-will". In other words, the relationship will be entirely voluntary in nature, and either I or my employer will be able to terminate the employment relationship at any time and without cause.
With appropriate notice, I will have the full and complete discretion to end the employment relationship when I choose for reasons of my choice. Similarly, my employer will have the same right. Moreover, no agent, representative, or employee of Memphis Zoo, except in a specific written contract of employment signed on behalf of the organization by the CEO, has the power to alter or vary the voluntary nature of the employment relationship.
I HAVE CAREFULLY READ THE ABOVE CERTIFICATION AND I UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO ITS TERMS.
EEOC AND INCLUSION STATEMENT The Memphis Zoo believes that human diversity is as important as the biodiversity we seek to conserve. World-class zoos are comprised of world-class team members representing a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We value a diverse workplace and strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, and veterans to apply. The Memphis Zoo is an equal-opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws. If you need to request any accommodations for the interview or hiring process, please let the Human Resources team (HR) know. HR can be contacted at hrteam@memphiszoo.org. The Memphis Zoo participates in E-Verify and is an EEO/ADA/Veteran employer.
How to Apply: Applications should be submitted via the Memphis Zoo Careers page. Please note that any other application submissions will not be considered. www.memphiszoo.org/careers.
