Salary: $19.16 Hourly
Location : Asheville, NC
Job Type: Temporary / Seasonal
Job Number: 2023-00974
Department: Community and Regional Entertainment Facilities
Division: WNC Nature Center
Opening Date: 08/01/2023
Closing Date: 8/31/2023 5:00 PM Eastern
Summary
About Our Opportunity
We are currently hiringa Temporary/Seasonal Animal Care Assistant to join the Western North Carolina Nature Center. The purpose of this position is to assist Animal Care Technicians in providing daily animal husbandry in accordance with USDA, AZA, veterinary, and Nature Center/City safety guidelines; assist with routine habitat maintenance and interact with and educate guests.
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a team of professionals at Western North Carolina’s premier, 42 acre zoological park. The Western North Carolina Nature Center connects people with the animals and plants of the Southern Appalachian Mountain region by inspiring appreciation, nurturing understanding, and advancing conservation of the region’s rich biodiversity.
Hire Rate: $19.16 per hour
Schedule: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 8:30am – 3:30pm
Benefits: This position is temporary seasonal (total work hours do not exceed 1,000 in a 12-month calendar year) and is not eligible for benefits.
About Us
The City of Asheville is dedicated to providing quality service for the residents and visitors of our beautiful city, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. Asheville, NC is a thriving mountain city that has a culture enriched in diversity.
The City of Asheville values and respects a diverse community, workforce and ideas, and is committed to promoting an equitable, fair, and just employment environment. Our organization seeks to create and provide access and opportunities to employees, residents and visitors to fulfill their potential through inclusive engagement practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Handling animals under direction of supervisor, diet preparation and feeding following the diet preparation manual, handling raw meat and rodents, and adhering to specific feeding protocols, which vary by species.
Assists with providing veterinary care: reviews and adheres to veterinary medication prescriptions and medical instructions. Performs routine habitat maintenance: Operates machinery such as weed eaters, lawn mowers, pole trimmers, leaf blowers, and power tools.
Enrichment involves designing and implementing species-appropriate enrichment programs for all species represented in the collection.
Observation and research involves the daily observation of animal behavior and investigative research as needed, and can also require action to encourage or prevent behaviors. Animal husbandry for non-dangerous animals including cleaning.
Other basic tasks include daily department meetings and reading and responding to reports. Implements safety and emergency protocols to ensure the safety of staff, animals, and guests: ensures adherence to established safety and emergency protocols.
Maintains perimeter/electric fences. Identifies and removes toxic plants. Maintains aquatic life support, including filters, pumps, and general plumbing. Water quality testing. Terrarium maintenance. Loads, moves and unloads substrates such as mulch, sand, and gravel. Cuts tree limbs. Utilizes basic carpentry, plumbing, and electrical skills.
Presents interpretive programming, as well as formal and informal tours. Answers questions and ensures guests are aware and compliant with facility rules. Communicates with supervisor, other City employees, the public, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review the status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems.
Processes a variety of documentation associated with department/division operations within designated timeframes and per established procedures.
Additional Functions: Performs other related duties as required
Education & Experience
High school diploma or GED required, supplemented by six months of animal care experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job. Applicants with equivalent experience and/or education may be considered.
Specific License or Certification Required: Must possess and maintain a valid North Carolina driver’s license.
ADA Compliance:
Physical Ability: Tasks require the ability to exert moderate, though not constant physical effort, typically involving some combination of climbing and balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and prolonged standing, and which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of moderate weight (20-50 pounds).
Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades of colors, sounds, odor, depth, texture, and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.
Environmental Factors: Performance of essential functions may require exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, humidity, rain, fumes, temperature and noise extremes, water hazards, hazardous materials, toxic agents, unsafe structures, heights, confined spaces, machinery, vibrations, electric currents, traffic hazards, bright/dim lights, animal/wildlife attacks, animal/human bites, firearms, violence, disease, pathogenic substances, or rude/irate customers.
01
Do you have a high school diploma or GED? (required)
- Yes
- No
02
Do you have at least six months of animal care experience? If yes, please explain:
03
Do you possess and maintain a valid North Carolina driver’s license, or out of state license with the ability to obtain in-state?
- Yes
- No
Required Question