Part-Time Zookeeper

Description The City of Atascadero is excited to open recruitment for a PART- TIME ZOOKEEPER Please apply today to join the team at the Central Coast Zoo! About The Zoo The Central Coast Zoo is a small, 5-acre AZA accredited zoological facility located in and managed by the City of Atascadero, which is a beautiful California central coast community located in San Luis Obispo County. We have a population of 30,000 residing in an area just under 27 square miles. Our community is a great place to live, work and raise a family! We are situated along Highway 101, halfway between the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles and San Francisco. The community is located in the Paso Robles wine region and is a short 20-minute drive to the beach and Highway 1. We are within a three-hour drive to Yosemite National Park and two hours to Monterey or Carmel. For those that enjoy the outdoors, we are close to four local lakes, a national forest and endless hiking and biking trails.

The Central Coast Zoo is home to hundreds of animal species from around the world. Many of the zoo residents are part of globally managed programs to preserve animals and their habitats. The Central Coast Zoo is truly dedicated to the conservation of local and exotic species. General Purpose To perform routine animal husbandry work in support of the activities and operations of Central Coast Zoo; to include but not limited to cleaning, feeding, and daily maintenance of zoo animals. Positions in this classification may be assigned to all areas of the zoo, may be assigned to perform work at the zoo or other city functions or events, and/or may be assigned to a specific section. This job class functions at an entry-level of classification. As knowledge, background, and skills increase, promotion to the next higher classification may be reasonably expected.

Examples of Duties

• Performs a variety of facility and exhibit maintenance tasks to include feeding, cleaning of exhibits, performing routine animal husbandry, and other keeper maintenance duties.
• Assists staff in animal care and restraint.
• Assists Curator of Education with animal presentations to groups.
• Maintains assigned areas, facilities, and equipment in clean and orderly condition.
• May operate small-to-medium sized automotive or specialized equipment related to assignment.
• Assists in more complex and specialized maintenance of exhibit and off-exhibit areas

appropriate to assignment. Learns the operation of large and specialized equipment

as assigned.

• Assists in maintaining animal records related to duties performed.
• Assists staff in behavioral enrichment of animal collection.
• Assists staff and veterinarian with medical procedures.
• Prepares animal diets.
• Performs related duties similar to the above in scope and function, as required.
• Helps maintain zoo grounds, sets up and supports special events.
• Locks and unlocks doors and gates to ensure security of zoo buildings, grounds and related areas.
• Interacts with zoo visitors on educational or Zoo issues.

Typical Qualifications

• Possess good public relations and customer service skills.
• Some knowledge of animals, facilities, materials, methods and procedures used in exhibit and zoo grounds maintenance, construction and repair activities.
• Ability to read, write and maintain zoo records at a level sufficient to successfully perform required duties.
• Basic computer skills.
• Ability to safely and effectively operate and/or learn to operate automotive and/or specialized equipment as assigned; learn zoo keeping, animal husbandry, and zoo maintenance techniques; practices, procedures, and techniques pertaining to assigned area.
• Skill in the operation of some of the listed tools and equipment.
• Ability to perform heavy manual tasks for extended periods of time; ability to work safely; ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, other departments and the public; ability to understand and carry out written and oral instructions.
• Ability to work outdoors in inclement weather; ability to lift at least fifty (50) pounds.
• Ability to work weekends and holidays, as well as relief coverage.

Supplemental Information

The work environment characteristics described here are representatives of those a Zoo employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee occasionally works in outside weather conditions. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and in high, precarious places and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, or airborne particles. The employee will be working with or near potentially dangerous animals.

The noise level in the work environment is occasionally moderate-to-loud in the field.

Working Together to Serve, Build Community, and Enhance Quality of Life Th This position is temporary part-time and is not eligible for benefits, although the employee will be covered for Workers’ Compensation, enrolled in a qualified defined contribution pension plan as defined by the Federal Government and will be eligible for sick leave under the City’s Sick Leave Policy for part-time employees. Compensation is salary only.

is position is temporary part-time with the City and is not eligible for benefits, although the employee will be covered for Workers’ Compensation, enrolled in a qualified defined contribution pension plan as defined by the Federal Government and will be eligible for sick leave under the City’s Sick Leave Policy for part-time employees. Compensation is salary only. This position is temporary part-time with the City and is not eligible for benefits, although the employee will be covered for Workers’ Compensation, enrolled in a qualified defined contribution pension plan as defined by the Federal Government and will be eligible for sick leave under the City’s Sick Leave Policy for part-time employees. Compensation is salary only. This position is temporary part-time with the City and is not eligible for benefits, although the employee will be covered for Workers’ Compensation, enrolled in a qualified defined contribution pension plan as defined by the Federal Government and will be eligible for sick leave under the City’s Sick Leave Policy for part-time employees. Compensation is salary only.