Zookeeper, Primates

Houston Zoo•Houston, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction of a Zoo Supervisor, the Zookeeper is responsible for supporting the day-to-day operations associated with the husbandry of the animals and the maintenance of animal enclosures within a specified Houston Zoo animal program. This position will coordinate all program objectives in addition to day-to-day husbandry and enclosure maintenance.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree (BA or BS) from four-year college or university in zoology, biology, animal husbandry or a related field.
Experience and education may be considered equivalent at the rate of six months of experience per 15 hours of college level credit, up to 60 hours.
A certificate of completion from an acceptable animal care program may be substituted for a Bachelor’s degree.
Three years of experience in animal care at an AZA or equivalent facility, gained through employment or internships.
Experience with basic carpentry and mechanical skills.
Must have or be able to obtain a valid Texas driver’s license.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, procedure manuals, professional journals and SOPs.
Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
Ability to speak effectively and present information and respond to groups of managers, guests and the general public.
Ability to add and subtract two-digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's.
Ability to perform these operations using units of money, weight measurement, volume, and distance.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form
Proficient computer skills including electronic mail, record keeping, routine database activity, word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, etc.
Experience in Microsoft Office applications

Nice To Haves

Ascending or descending stairs, ramps, ladders and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms
Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling when walking, standing or crouching on narrow or slippery surfaces.
Bending legs downward and forward by bending leg and spine
Standing or moving about on foot to accomplish task, particularly for long distances or sustained periods of time
Using upper extremities to press against something with steady force
Using upper extremities to exert force. Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally
Ability to swiftly respond or move quickly and demonstrate good hand eye coordination in time sensitive situations.
Perceiving size, shape, temperature, or texture by touching with skin, particularly the fingertips
Activities in which you must convey by spoken word or instruction to other workers accurately, loudly or quickly
Perceiving the nature of sounds with or without correction
Substantial movements (motion) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers
Visual acuity including color, close/distance vision, depth perception, and peripheral vision
Ability to adjust focus
Moderate physical activity performing somewhat strenuous daily activities
Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, pull, or otherwise move objects
Manual dexterity sufficient to reach/handle items, works with the fingers, and perceives attributes of objects and materials
Produce negative test results for annual tuberculosis testing and vaccination for rabies or other zoonotic diseases

Responsibilities

Carries out all aspects of the daily care of assigned animals including cleaning, feeding, exhibit maintenance, general upkeep of support facilities.
Maintains clean and organized exhibits, holding areas, service areas and equipment.
Prepares and feeds appropriate diets as per established feeding practices and diet sheets.
Administers prescribed medications, supplements, or treatments under the guidance of the veterinary and supervisory staff.
Records and reports any abnormal animal health or behavioral issues to the Zoo Supervisor.
Maintains daily reports, logs, training and enrichment records, research or veterinary records, as appropriate and according to established guidelines; requires basic skills with TRACKS and Microsoft Office software applications.
Understands and applies a practical understanding of operant conditioning as it relates to the daily management of species under his/her care.
Understands and applies the basic principles of animal enrichment as part of the daily management of species under his/her care.
Maintains clean and organized exhibits, equipment, and keeper areas.
As appropriate, maintains water quality through filtration, balance of chemical elements, and sanitation methods for aquatic or semi-aquatic animal species.
As appropriate, maintains live exhibit plantings to enhance exhibit aesthetics; eliminates weeds and toxic plants from animal enclosures.
In conjunction with the Zoo’s pest control officer, may assist in pest control through the use of exclusion or traps.
Identifies potential maintenance or safety issues and reports them to the Zoo Supervisor.
Participates in keeper chats, tours, animal presentations or demonstrations, and/or other public interactions as requested by the Zoo Supervisor.
May assist with departmental research projects, conservation, AZA, or other industry activities as directed/approve by the Zoo Supervisor or Curator; provides support for Zoo projects
Exhibits good teamwork and communication skills both within the home team and when working with other teams or departments.
May be required to safely operate a motor vehicle.
Demonstrated proficiency in all duties and all assigned work areas within a specified timeframe.
Assists with training, mentoring, and may oversee and direct activities of teenage volunteers, Zoo Crew.
May assist Zoo Supervisors in the oversight of team projects.
Demonstrates a clear understanding of the roles AZA zoos play in conservation and saving animals in the wild.
Actively pursues feedback and other resources to develop leadership skills.
Contributes to saving animals in the wild through: reduction of waste, water and energy use and inspiring guests and staff to take wildlife protecting actions
Performs other duties as assigned