Description
This position is responsible for the daily care, maintenance and observation of assigned animal collection and the associated facilities at the Frank Buck Zoo. Will perform exhibit maintenance, diet preparation, assist with veterinary procedures, maintain established animal training criteria, provide behavioral enrichment, interpretive chats and education programs (as assigned).
Distinguishing Characteristics:
This is the entry-level class in the Animal Care Specialist series. This class is distinguished from the Senior Animal Care Specialist by the performance of the more routine tasks and duties assigned to positions within the series under close supervision. Employees at this level are not expected to perform with the same independence of direction and judgment on matters related to established procedures and guidelines as are positions allocated to the senior level.
Examples of Duties
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
Responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Essential Functions:
- Observe, evaluate, and report animal behavior and condition to a supervisor on a daily basis.
- Exchange information with supervisory staff and coworkers at established am & pm meetings as well as during weekly meetings with the Director (more frequently as needed).
- Maintain and repair area equipment as needed and keeping such items in proper working order.
- Provide assistance in construction and maintenance of animal enclosures and facility renovation.
- Establish and maintain positive, cooperative, and effective working relations with co-workers and supervisors.
- Constantly exhibit a guest service attitude, a smile, and an obvious interest in guest comfort and service.
- Communicate with the public in a courteous and tactful manner and assist guests with questions and directions to various areas of the Zoo. Address the guest - do not wait to be asked.
- Preparation and feeding of the zoo animals; ensure that diets meet nutritional species-specific standards and are given in approved portions; restock, inventory, report needed feed supplies to procurement to be ordered as needed. Maintains food preparation areas and equipment.
- Ensure that the animals’ environmental conditions are appropriate to maintain healthy animals and plant life.
- Perform daily wellness checks of animals to determine if animals need additional care or medical attention; administer medical attention as assigned and participate in the general husbandry of the animals.
- Perform the raking, washing, cleaning, and disinfecting of animal exhibits and enclosures as trained, approved and assigned. Shift animals to another exhibit or location, while exhibits and enclosures are being cleaned or repaired according to approved SOPs.
- Monitors life support systems including but not limited to water filtration, ozone generators, HVAC and backup generators as needed.
- Identifies and communicates situations for repair and maintenance for the safety of animals, visitors and staff as well as overall upkeep of the facilities.
- Researches the animal collection; researches scientific journals, observes and recognizes a variety of courtship behaviors; creates environments that induce breeding and general animal welfare.
- Monitors incubation process of eggs; records weight and size, sets eggs in containers of correct substrate/H20 ratio, monitors temperature and humidity, candles eggs to determine fertility and assists egg hatching.
- Recognizes signs of pest infestation in animal areas and combat pests as directed.
- Maintains area compliance with all local, state, federal and international regulations and standards (USDA & ZAA inspection ready).
- Answer questions and provide information to the public; investigate complaints and recommend corrective action as necessary to resolve complaints.
- Ensure that established safety practices and protocols are observed daily by all zoo personnel and visitors.
- Inspect zoo facilities for cleanliness and safety; participate in maintaining the grounds and repairing zoo facilities.
- Perform daily area cleaning routines; inspect animal enclosures to ensure proper repair; repair exhibits and housing as necessary. Perform assigned area closing of common work areas daily. Read and fill out area digital records daily.
- Captures, restrains, and transports animals as assigned, and assists in crisis management situations.
- Clean and maintain zoo vehicles; maintain proper fluid levels; submit repair requests as needed.
- Provide training for new personnel working within assigned zoo area.
- Ensure all locks are secured at all times.
- Ensure animals receive approved, novel, environmental enrichment daily.
- Reports animal related health issues to Senior Animal Care & Zoo Director.
- Responds to emergency calls after normal operating hours.
Additional Duties:
- As assigned, conducts lock checks at end of work day, checking every lock in the zoo, ensuring all enclosures, building and gates are property secured for the night.
- As assigned, receives morning opening calls from other zoo keepers.
- As assigned, provide training, mentoring and coaching to newly hired zoo keepers.
- Work special events as assigned.
- Work as a team to cover staff shortages.
- Perform related duties as assigned.
Typical Qualifications
QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:
- Principles and practices of Exotic Animal Husbandry or Wildlife Management.
- Safety procedures for working with wild animals.
- Animal behavior and feeding habits.
- Imperial Standard and Metric measurement systems.
Ability to:
- Ability to work weekends, holidays and occasional after-hour assignments.
- Ability to work safely around delicate, wild, and dangerous animals.
- Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
- Able to communicate in English.
- Able to safely operate light motor vehicles.
- Have basic computer knowledge and skills.
- Supervise and train assigned personnel.
- Accurately evaluate the condition of zoo animals and provide care accordingly.
- Work with wild and dangerous animals in a safe and competent manner.
- Follow establish practices and procedures to ensure a safe and healthy zoo environment for the animals, personnel and visitors.
- Perform work in adverse weather conditions.
- Professionally respond to requests and inquiries from the general public.
- Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions and implement recommendations in support of goals.
- Operate and use a variety of equipment, machinery and tools in the maintenance and repair of zoo facilities.
- Ability to follow written and verbal instructions and work in a team environment.
- Operate a John Deere Gator.
- Work on uneven ground.
- Maintain a safe work environment for yourself and others.
- Have a yearly TB test and stay current on the Tetanus vaccine.
- Work in rapidly changing environment.
- Communicate effectively with members of the public and other members of the staff.
- Work as a member of a team.
- Exhibit good time management and organizational skills.
Experience and Training Guidelines:
Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Experience:
Experience in Exotic Animal Husbandry or Wildlife Management working with a zoo or other wildlife facility.
Education/Training:
Associates Degree in Zoo Technology or Zoo Science. Degree in Biology, Animal Science, Wildlife Management or related field.
License(s)/Certification(s):
Possession of a valid driver's license.
Physical Demands and Work Environment
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- Regularly required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear.
- Frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
- Occasionally required to climb or balance.
- Regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
- Occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this job.
- Regularly works near moving mechanical parts and in outside weather conditions.
- Regularly exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, extreme cold, and extreme heat.
- Occasionally works in high, precarious places.
- Occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, risk of electrical shock, risk of radiation, vibration, and biological pathogens.
- Regularly works with animals that may cause bodily harm.
- May be exposed to zoonotic diseases that may be life threatening.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.
This job description is not an employment agreement, contact agreement, or contract. Management has exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice.
Special application instructions:
Please submit cover letter and resume with application.
Employee Benefits
The City of Gainesville provides the below described benefits to all regular full-time employees and regular part-time employees who regularly work at least 1,000 hours in a year.
This information does not guarantee any benefits or employment with the City of Gainesville. If any differences exist between this benefits summary and the plan documents or the City of Gainesville Personnel Policies and Procedures, the plan documents and/or City policies will govern administration of benefits.
Health Benefits
The City of Gainesville provides medical and prescription coverage for eligible employees through BlueCross BlueShield of Texas at no cost to the employee. Coverage begins on the first day of the month following the employee’s date of hire. Voluntary dental and vision benefits are also available at the employee’s expense.
Life Insurance
The City of Gainesville provides eligible employees with $10,000 in life insurance coverage and $10,000 in accidental death and dismemberment insurance. Coverage begins on the first day of the month following the employee’s date of hire.
CareFlite Caring-Heart Membership
CareFlite membership protects eligible employees and their family members living in their household against out of pocket costs for medically necessary transports. All costs not covered by the employee's health insurance are absorbed by the membership program. Anyone without insurance or non-medically necessary transports (like a fixed wing for family convenience) receives a 50% membership discount.
Voluntary Plans offered to Eligible Employees (at the employee's expense)
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance for employee, spouse, and/or dependent children.
- Short-term and Long-term Disability
- Section 125 Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for Healthcare Expenses and/or Dependent Care.
- Aflac Supplemental Insurance
- Tele-Medicine (Tele-Doc, Healthiest You)
- Legal Shield and ID Shield
- Navitus Gym Memberships
Holidays, Vacation and Sick Leave
Paid holidays include New Years Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day (September 11th holiday for Firefighters), Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Vacation is accrued as follows for regular full-time and part-time employees:
10 days vacation per year
15 days vacation per year after 5 years of service
20 days vacation per year after 15 years of service
Vacation is accrued as follows for fire shift employees:
7 shifts per year
10 shifts per year after 10 years of services
15 shifts per year after 20 years of service
Sick leave is accrued at the rate of 8 hours per month for regular full-time employees, 4 hours per month for regular part-time employees, and 12 hours per month for fire shift employees.
Retirement
The City of Gainesville participates in the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS). Eligible employees are automatically enrolled as a member of TMRS upon hire. Employee contribution rate is %; the City matches member contributions on a 1.5 to 1 basis upon retirement of the employee. Employees are vested in TMRS after earning 5 years of service credit. Employees are eligible to retire when vested and at least age 60 or have 20 year of service credit at any age.
Deferred Compensation
457 Deferred Compensation plans are available to City employees through Nationwide Retirement Solutions and/or Security Benefit. Contributions to a 457 deferred compensation plan are made through pre-tax payroll deduction.
Credit Union
Any City employee is eligible to join the City Credit Union or 4U Credit Union.
Tuition Reimbursement (Educational Assistance)
After six months of employment with the City of Gainesville, employees may request tuition reimbursement for college level courses to improve their skills, knowledge and abilities relating to their present job. For approved courses, the City will refund the costs for courses after the completion of courses and up to $200 for the cost of books for the semester. (Tuition reimbursement is an expense to the City, and as such, must be budgeted. The City is not obligated to agree to pay tuition reimbursement if the budget does not allow for the expense.)
Longevity Pay
Longevity pay is paid every year on the first day of December. Eligible employees receive $60.00 for each full fiscal year they have been employed with the City.
Employee Assistance Program
