Zookeeper - Northwest Passage/Sea Lions/Polar Bear (Full Time)

Summary:

This position is primarily responsible for the daily husbandry of the animals located in the Northwest Passage section of the zoo. This collection includes California Sea Lions, Polar Bear, American Black Bears, Raven and Bald Eagles. The ideal candidate would be proficient in all aspects of animal care including husbandry, enrichment, training, exhibit maintenance, record keeping, public show presentations and conservation. Candidates for this position should be self-motivated, hard-working, positive, dependable, flexible, who can work independently, but also thrive in a team setting.

Essential Job Functions:

• Daily husbandry of assigned animals.
• 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.
• Exercises 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.
• Upon Scuba certification, staff can participate as a member of the MZ Dive Team.

Minimum Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Some college level coursework in the fields of Zoology, Biology, Psychology, or related field.
• Experience working with animals in a zoological setting and/or similar experience working large mammals in the field of agriculture.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Zoology, Biology, Animal Science, Psychology, or a related field.
• Experience working with Sea Lions, Bears, and/or other large carnivores.
• Scuba Certified.

Competencies:

• Written and oral communication.
• Proficient in MS office, current technology and applications for communication, research, and record keeping.
• Records and reports creation and management.
• Critical thinking.
• Problem Solving/Analysis.
• Stress Management/Composure.
• Flexibility.
• Teamwork Orientation.

Supervisory Responsibility: None.

Reporting Structure: Reports to Associate Curator, Team Lead.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work: Full-time positions are defined as positions scheduled to work approximately 40 hours a week. Scheduling is at the discretion of the manager. This position regularly requires flexible hours including weekdays, holidays, and weekends.

This position is considered non-exempt under the federal and state wage and hour laws.

Work Environment:

While performing the duties of the job, the employee will frequently work in outdoor settings (Zoo grounds). When outdoors this position is required to work in various weather conditions including rain, humidity, and extreme heat or cold.

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. This position requires frequent sitting/standing/walking/bending/kneeling and may occasionally move or lift objects up to 50 pounds.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Other 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:

• 18 years or older.
• Clear background check.
• Clear drug screening.
• Clear TB screening.

Benefits & Perks

The Memphis Zoo has a comprehensive benefits and employee perks package. Please see our Memphis Zoo Careers page for details.

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.

All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of pre-employment screening. Memphis Zoo is a drug-free workplace.

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

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.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.