TEMP Zookeeper

Department:  Zoo 

Pay:  $20.51 per hour  

Work Schedule:   

Sedgwick County offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees that includes health coverages, paid leave, regular compensation reviews, retirement plans, and professional development opportunities.  For more detailed information, please visit our benefits page at SCBenefits.

In a team setting provides daily care for assigned animals including but not limited to: feeding, cleaning, observing, recording, and reporting behavior. Participates in animal well-being assessment practices.   Produces and provides goal-based animal training and enrichment. Inspects facilities for security, safety, repair, and maintenance.  Interacts and provides customer service to all Zoo defined customers. Job duties may extend to all animal taxa. This position participates in a mandatory on-call rotation.

Animal Care and Management

• Ensure animals are housed and cared for in ways that meet all Zoo-defined goals.
• Observe and understand the complexities of animal behavior, including individual animals and larger social context, animal general health, and behavior.
• Recognize abnormalities and potential medical conditions and communicates observations of animal behavior and health condition to veterinary staff, supervisor, curator, and other pertinent staff members.
• Handle animals for husbandry needs, medical purposes and in preparation for transport.
• Prepare animal diets. Monitor and report to supervisor the quality of all dietary components, food intake by Zoo animals, and unintended diet consumption by non-collection animal pests.
• Under the direction of veterinarians and/or supervisors administers medications or treatment as instructed.
• Drive Zoological Society owned vehicle, as needed, to care for or transfer animals to other zoological facilities. Animal transfer trips may occasionally require overnight travel. 
• Follow all safety protocols and area SOP’s while working with and around delicate, wild and potentially dangerous animals. Complete required training and safely operate all zoo required equipment for completion of job duties.

Animal Well-being 

• Through consultation with supervisors and other resources, maintain and develop a skillset of positive well-being and animal training.
• Conduct and evaluate appropriate enrichment activities as demonstrated by Zoos enrichment program.
• Use positive reinforcement training to assess medical conditions and to maintain a safe working environment.
• Maintain through accurate record keeping: animal training, enrichment, behavioral observations and health conditions.

Area Maintenance

• Clean and maintain service areas, animal habitats and public areas so they are clean, organized and aesthetically pleasing.
• Complete daily inspections of animal habitats and associated facilities for security and safety concerns.
• Conduct minor repairs to facilities or promptly submit concerns to supervisor.
• Communicate any pest control concerns to supervisors or veterinary team.
• Participate in an on-call rotation during emergency situations.

Minimum Qualifications: Two years of coursework in Biology, Zoology or a related field. Up to two years of experience may be substituted with education that provides applicable knowledge and skills. Per Sedgwick County policy, this is a driving level position that requires a valid US driver’s license without restrictions and current proof of automobile insurance.

Preferred Qualifications: Six months of zoo practicum or internship experience in an AZA facility. Degree in Zoology or Biology from an accredited college or university. Experience with operant conditioning and enrichment techniques, experience with power tools.

It is the policy of Sedgwick County not to discriminate in its programs or services, including employment, on the basis of race, color, sex, including pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry or citizenship, marital status, religious or political affiliation, genetic information, disability, status as a member of the uniformed services or any other similarly protected status.

Sedgwick County is committed to making the application, interview, and pre-employment testing process accessible to qualified persons with disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you wish to volunteer information regarding any special assistance you may need, please contact the Sedgwick County ADA Coordinator at (316) 660-7050, TDD (Kansas Relay at 711 or 800-766-3777). Please do not use this phone number for employment questions. Applicants are contacted only if they are determined to be qualified candidates. 

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws. Please find more information under the following link.  Apply for a Job | Sedgwick County, Kansas