Animal Care Professional, Elephants

Description

SUMMARY

The Birmingham Zoo is currently seeking applications for an Animal Care Professional in the Elephant Department. Under the direction of the Elephant Manager, the elephant team provides a high level of care to a bachelor herd of African elephants.

Primary responsibilities of this position include monitoring animal health, performing animal husbandry, maintaining cleanliness of animal areas, providing environmental and behavioral enrichment, preparing diets, modifying habitats, maintaining accurate records, and presenting both formally and informally for the public. The successful candidate will be a motivated self-starter with excellent communication and critical thinking skills to contribute to the dynamic and collaborative environment of the Elephant Department.

This is a full-time position working at least 40 hours per week including weekends, holidays, and late events as needed.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develops a good line of communication with the Elephant Manager and the rest of the elephant team to ensure that daily tasks are completed, and any problems are reported, in a timely manner.
• Utilizes critical thinking to be an active participant in day-to-day decision making, adapting to the changing needs of the elephants and the department.
• Maintains a high level of safety awareness while working with and around animals, adhering to all safety protocols, and remaining vigilant for threats to human and animal safety.
• Handles multiple tasks, working efficiently, and prioritizing appropriately, transitioning between individual and group tasks regularly.
• Observes physical and behavioral health of the elephants, with attention to detail; performing husbandry in accordance with area protocols as needed, including medical care as directed by veterinary staff.
• Properly prepares and provides diets and enrichment to meet the complex cognitive and physical needs of the elephants, including creating new ideas and items to be added to the department’s repertoire.
• Maintains a high standard of cleaning habitats and holdings, to ensure the health of the elephants.
• Uses appropriate techniques in shifting elephants.
• Monitors weather related needs for the elephants, shifting and sheltering animals appropriately as needed.
• Uses classical and operant conditioning to train elephants, according to the department’s training program.
• Interacts professionally with the public, participating in keeper chats, tours, events, and encounters involving the department as needed.
• Use of power tools and heavy equipment.
• Properly utilizes the record keeping systems within the department.
• Other duties as assigned.

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. While performing the duties of this job, the employee should expect:

• Repeatedly lift and/or move more than 50 pounds on a daily basis.
• Frequently required to stand, walk on uneven terrain, reach with hands and arms, stoop, crouch, talk, and hear. May be required to kneel, climb, or move quickly on uneven terrain.
• Must be able to work under challenging physical conditions and perform strenuous duties in extreme weather.
• Candidate will work with dangerous animals.
• May be required to wear a face mask and/or other personal protective equipment for long periods of time.
• Exposure to wet and/or slippery surfaces.
• Use of chemical agents.
• Use of hands, fingers, tools, or controls.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS

The Birmingham Zoo recognizes that skills and knowledge come from both formal and informal experiences including education, paid work, volunteer service, and life experience. Those who meet the majority of the requirements for a position are encouraged to apply.

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant biological field preferred.
• Experience in a zoological institution, experience with elephants preferred.
• Experience on a high performing team, experience working directly with 5 peers preferred.
• Excellent verbal communication and decision-making skills.
• Competency in computer skills.
• Must have a current valid driver's license with no prior traffic violations (within the last five years).
• Must have current negative TB test and provide documentation or be willing to have a TB test.

POSITION TYPE AND HOURS OF WORK

• Full time
• Schedule varies between weekdays and weekends. Weekend work required as well as occasional evening work and holidays.

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

Birmingham Zoo is dedicated to creating a global community where all people value wildlife and wild places. As a workplace, the Zoo is guided by its core values: Passion, Excellence, Teamwork, Sustainability, and Diversity & Inclusion. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and others who identify as nonwhite, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA community, neurodiverse individuals, and those with diverse lived experiences are encouraged to apply for this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and functions of this position. 

Birmingham Zoo is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected status or any other characteristic protected by law. 

APPLICATION PROCESS 

If selected, a background check and drug test will be conducted prior to beginning employment.  

Birmingham Zoo Inc. is a not-for-profit entity. The rate of pay is $16.25/hour.

Salary : $16