Senior Zookeeper

Senior Zookeeper

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary | Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Full-time | Monday to Friday

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary is seeking an experienced Senior Zookeeper to join our wildlife team in a hands-on leadership role.

This is a senior position for a highly capable zookeeper who is confident undertaking the full range of daily husbandry duties while also providing leadership, training, and mentoring to junior staff.

You will work directly with our animals every day, preparing diets, cleaning, and maintaining enclosures, monitoring health and behaviour, assisting with animal training, maintaining records, and presenting fun and engaging wildlife shows to visitors and school groups.

A key part of the role will also be helping develop the skills, confidence, and professional standards of our junior keepers.

This is not an office-based management role. It is a practical zoo-keeping position with genuine senior responsibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertake daily animal husbandry, including feeding, cleaning, enrichment, and behavioural observation.
• Monitor animal health, welfare, and condition.
• Assist with animal handling and training, experience with Dingoes, and Raptors is highly regarded.
• Maintain accurate animal and husbandry records.
• Deliver engaging wildlife shows, behind the scenes animal encounters, and educational experiences.
• Coordinate daily keeper duties and maintain high standards across the wildlife team.
• Train, mentor and provide practical guidance to junior keepers and trainees.
• Support staff development, inductions, and competency training.
• Maintain strong WHS, biosecurity, and animal welfare standards.
• Contribute to the ongoing improvement of husbandry practices and wildlife operations.

What We're Looking For

The successful applicant will have:

• Significant professional zoo-keeping or wildlife husbandry experience.
• Strong practical animal husbandry and observation skills.
• Experience with animal handling and training.
• Deliver fun and engaging wildlife presentations to the public.
• Demonstrated experience supervising, training, or mentoring staff.
• Strong organisational, communication, and leadership skills.
• A commitment to exceptional animal welfare and professional zoo-keeping standards.

Qualifications and Experience

Ideally, applicants will have:

• Certificate III in Captive Animals, Wildlife and Exhibited Animal Care, or equivalent.
• Several years of professional zoo or wildlife experience.
• Previous experience in a senior keeper, supervisor, or team leader role.
• Experience with Australian native wildlife, reptiles, birds, dingoes, raptors…

What We Offer

• Full-time senior position, Monday to Friday.
• A hands-on role working directly with Australian wildlife.
• The opportunity to train and develop junior keepers.
• A varied role across animal husbandry, presentations, education, and team leadership.
• Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.

How to Apply

Please submit your résumé and a covering letter to [email protected] outlining your:

• Zoo-keeping and animal husbandry experience;
• Leadership and staff mentoring experience;
• Wildlife presentation experience; and
• A one minute video presentation on any animal of your choice.

Please note, applications without a one minute video presentation, will not be considered for the role.