Animal Keeper II

Hogle Zoological Society•Salt Lake City, UT

3d•$21•Onsite

About The Position

FULL TIME ANIMAL KEEPER II-PRIMATES—Area collection includes Western lowland gorillas, Bornean orangutans, Robust Black and Central American spider monkeys, Black howler monkeys, Bolivian grey titi monkeys, and Guereza colobus. Performs daily care of exotic and/or domestic animals, cleaning, and maintaining guest areas, service areas, holding areas and exhibit areas. Maintains extensive animal records relating to health, diet, behavior and overall welfare. Supports Utah’s Hogle Zoo’s conservation efforts. This is an hourly position. We have the opportunity to add a keeper position to our Primate/Rocky Shores super team. This keeper will be on the Primate Team with potential opportunities to cross train in Rocky Shores or other areas of the zoo. The Primate team is supportive and collaborative with exciting things on the horizon including expanding our spider monkey collection and updated Primate facilities included in our master plan. Keeper skills we are specifically looking for include: Generating novel and innovative ideas or solutions Seeing patterns/trends and using intuition to assess and refine ideas or solutions At the zoo we look for employees who are passionate about conservation, who approach their daily work with a can-do attitude, who are resourceful, who communicate respectfully with everyone, and are ready to work hard to support the zoo’s mission of creating champions for wildlife by making connections between people and animals to inspire action. For over 90 years, Utah’s Hogle Zoo has been a loved and trusted part of the community. Located within Salt Lake City proper, the Zoo is nestled in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountain range at the mouth of Emigration Canyon. The Zoo spans over 42 acres and is home to a diverse collection of animals. Be a part of the Zoo as we update our master plan with a focus on the renovation of our Small Animal Building and our Primate facilities. Make your contribution to a rich tradition of elevated behavior husbandry, guest engagement, professional development, and top animal wellbeing. Being only minutes from both a vibrant downtown and national wilderness area, Salt Lake City is a dream for cultural aficionados and outdoor enthusiasts alike. This city has it all from professional sports teams, theater, cultural attractions, universities, nightlife, and many green spaces. From mountain ranges to deserts, Utah is home to five National and 45 State parks. If all of this sounds exciting to you, then come and excel with us at Utah’s Hogle Zoo!

Requirements

GED or High School Diploma is required; Associates or Bachelor’s degree in related field is preferred.
A minimum of 2 years of full-time equivalent paid experience in animal care is required (preferably in an AZA facility) and/or combination of education and experience in an applied zoo keeping-focused program.
Have demonstrated the capacity to work with animals safely.
Make sound and safe decisions in the absence of detailed instructions.
Have completed internal animal training courses (including 10 assigned San Diego animal care modules) - External candidates must complete this course work within 6 months of hiring.
Provide accurate and informative interpretations of animals to guests by performing formal and informal discussions and/or tours.
Basic computer operations.
Microsoft Office Suite.
Mathematical concepts and logic.
Basic mathematical formulas and calculations.
UHZ behavioral husbandry concept, technique and application within first 90 days.
Animals’ natural behavior and husbandry practices.
Animal welfare standards and UHZ’s methods of assessment.
USDA regulations.
AZA standards.
Basic procedures for safely operating hand tools, vehicles, and equipment.
Interpersonal conflict resolution methods.
Editing and proofreading.
Interacting with courtesy, professionalism and respect to staff, volunteers, and guests.
Apply critical thinking techniques, analyze and solve problems.
Function as a team player, showing trust and mutual respect for all members on the team.
Ability to effectively promote organization.
Accept and apply constructive feedback.
Have difficult conversations.
Learn new tasks.
Follow written and verbal instructions.
Prioritize work; manage time effectively and minimize the use of overtime to perform work within deadlines.
Stay focused despite interruptions.
Manage stress to perform the job effectively.
Remember details.
Maintain UHZ certification in the use of a fire extinguisher.
Learn how to use and carry bear spray.
Pass a safety check to swim and tread in cold water.
Utah’s Hogle Zoo is a drug-free workplace. All employees are subject to random drug testing.
Provide a negative TB test prior to hire date and maintain TB testing through course of employment.
A current driver’s license is required.

Responsibilities

Must be dependable and reliable: be timely, be responsive, be organized, meet deadlines, take responsibility, and help other Zoo staff as needed.
Must be willing to work flexible hours, weekends, and holidays; overtime as requested.
Effectively monitor health, behavior, and overall welfare of assigned resident animals and communicate changes to the supervisory team and/or veterinary staff. Administer medications as prescribed.
Maintain accurate animal records.
Clean and maintain holding and exhibit areas consistent with established professional standards.
Coordinate area schedule of husbandry and building maintenance tasks.
Develop, revise and update area protocols and checklists in a timely manner.
Ensure compliance with USDA regulations.
Apply animal training and enrichment techniques to improve the health and welfare of the animal collection and to meet program needs.
Ensure inspection of exhibits and surrounding areas – report and follow up on safety concerns and needed repairs.
Actively support and implement area procedures to ensure the safety of staff, volunteers, guests, and animals.
Participate in and support collaborative efforts pertaining to the care of assigned animals including training, enrichment, research, and education.
Demonstrate the ability to perform a variety of jobs and flexibility in working in a variety of areas and routines.
Train fellow keepers, volunteers, and interns; oversees daily activities of assigned area interns and volunteers.
Make minor repairs to exhibits and enrichment devices.
Demonstrate the ability to educate and engage donors and guests through animal presentations, media, and tours.
Commitment to the zoo’s mission and participate in Champions for Wildlife activities.
Maintains strict confidentiality.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Eligible to work with dangerous animals.
Work night shifts on a rotational basis
Serve on internal committees.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and other supplemental insurance.
The Zoo is a part of the Utah Retirement System and makes a 10% contribution to an employee’s retirement. This includes an additional opportunity to make contributions to a 401K plan within URS.
$3000 (pre-tax) relocation allowance for qualifying new employees.
Vacation days: New employees accrue up to 13 days annually of vacation time.
Sick days: New employees accrue up to 10 days annually of sick time.
Nine paid holidays in the year.
Employee Assistance Program for employees and their families paid for by the Zoo.
Employee long-term disability insurance paid for by the Zoo.
Various employee reimbursements and contributions including wellness activities and professional development.
Every employee receives a free Zoo Card that allows admission to the employee and up to 5 guests. It also provides free carousel and train rides, as well as free admittance to ZooLights and BooLights.
50% discount on concessions and 33.3% discount on gift shops items.
Tickets at Work membership, which provides discounts and offers on theme parks, shows, sporting events, and travel.