Senior Animal Keeper – Familiar Friends Section

An exciting position has arisen for a Senior Keeper to join our team and contribute to our mission at Colchester Zoo in a full-time role working within our Familiar Friends department; a mixed taxa section responsible for meerkats, skunks, armadillos, wallabies, rainbow lorikeets, tortoise species, koi carp, invertebrate species, and domestic and companion animals.

Role Responsibilities

The candidate will work within the Animal Department to carry out husbandry duties and maintain high standards of welfare for the animal species in their care.

As a senior keeper, the candidate will be required to input ideas for the continual progression and development of animal husbandry, breeding management and enclosure design on the section

Alongside more senior members of staff, the job holder will be responsible for mentoring and allocating work duties to junior employed staff members; qualified keepers and volunteers; student keepers and work experience students.

The candidate will ensure safe working protocols and practices and have a good understanding of risk assessments.

The job holder will deliver enclosure encounters and experiences to zoo visitors for a range of species across the section.

• Provide excellent husbandry standards and welfare to a range of species
• Mentor and allocate work duties to junior members of staff and volunteers
• Ensure safe working practices across the animal section
• Deliver enclosure encounters and experiences to zoo visitors
• Demonstrate commitment to continuous personal development.
• Perform other duties as reasonably directed by the senior members of the Familiar Friends Department (Team Leader and Lead Keeper) and the Animal Management Team (Zoological Director, Curator of Living Collections, Manager of Living Collections and Head Keeper)

Working Hours

• This is a full-time position. An average of 40 hours a week (5 days) which will include regular weekend work and will increase in busy periods.

Uniform

• Full uniform (including boots) will be provided. Full uniform must be worn at all times.

Evaluation

• For the first five months of employment, the jobholder will be asked to complete a one month, three month and five month self-assessment. This will gauge their feelings of the job and assess their progress towards meeting targets.

Working Environment

• Colchester Zoo is a non-smoking environment and smoking is not permitted by members of staff whilst on the premises.
• Colchester Zoo is an equal opportunities employer.
• You may be required to work offsite on animal transfers on occasion.

Benefits

• FREE Zoo visits
• FREE onsite parking
• Work place pension scheme
• Staff events
• Discounts on Animal Adoptions, Zoo Passes and Animal Experiences
• Discounts in the Outpost Gift Shop
• Discounts in food outlets
• 28 days annual leave (incl. Bank Holidays)
• Competitive hourly rate
• Uniform provided
• Regular training