Live Animal Assistant

City of Fort Collins•Fort Collins, CO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Live Animal Assistant is a part of a team that is responsible for the daily care and husbandry of FCMoD’s live animal collection on display in the Animal Encounters area of the museum. This position is under the supervision of the Live Animal Technician and works closely with the Technician, other Live Animal Assistants, and volunteers. The Animal Encounters area of the museum is one of the most popular areas on the gallery floor. Presenting healthy animals in clean and comfortable habitats is critical to both the health and safety of the animals as well as a high-quality visitor experience. Caring for live animals is a 365 day a year job. The Live Animal team usually spends 2 hours every day (8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.) feeding and watering the animals as well as cleaning and maintaining each animal’s habitat prior to the museum opening to the public. Currently the museum has 24 different animal species whose husbandry needs are met each day. Working as a team allows flexible scheduling among team members. Usually, each team member works 6-8 hours per week. Holidays are covered in a shared and equitable manner by the whole team. The ideal candidate would have some experience in the care and handling of a variety of species ranging from arthropods to small mammals.

Requirements

Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, able to analyze situations, responding quickly to deliver effective solutions.
Ability to follow written and oral instructions.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers.
Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Ability to keep and maintain accurate records.
Ability to comfortably interact and communicate with the public which includes ages ranging from toddlers to senior citizens and people with a wide variety of abilities.
Knowledge of basic computer skills such as email, and Microsoft Word and Excel.
8th grade education and 1-2 years of proven experience and success working with and caring for a range of live animals or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Ability to read, analyze and interpret instructions, timelines, and standard business documents.
Ability to write reports, business correspondence and procedural guides.
Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from co-workers and the public.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience working in a museum environment a plus.
Bi-lingual English/Spanish a plus.

Responsibilities

Daily care and feeding of FCMoD’s live animal collection.
Communicating with teammates about the status of the animals daily.
Attending team and museum meetings when required.
Occasionally interacting with visitors interested in the live animals.
Presenting live animal programs to the public as assigned.
Communicating with the Live Animal Coordinator any supply needs, questions of care, or any issues or concerns in a timely fashion.