Assistant Animal Care Curator

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Position Summary:

The Assistant Animal Care Curator is an enthusiastic leadership position responsible for assisting the Animal Care Curator in managing area staff and the area animal residents. This position is primarily responsible within a specified area of the zoo to provide the highest quality daily care, husbandry and behavioral management of a defined portion of The Living Desert’s animal residents, responsible for the daily oversight of assigned animal habitats and other associated animal facilities.

The Assistant Animal Care Curator must demonstrate significant knowledge of husbandry practices, be able to lead and mentor staff in the performances of these practices. Must demonstrate strong leadership skills which include being a role model and an example to others while working towards an improved future and shared vision within TLD and the Animal team.

Assistant Animal Care Curator Tasks, Duties & Responsibilities:

Mission:

• Must have the ability to make good decisions regarding the well-being of animals, staff and guests while working for the greater good of the zoo.
• Will support the Zoo in our mission “to support desert conservation through preservation, education and appreciation” and will help the Zoo achieve a forward thinking vision of a modern zoo and inclusive culture.
• Must be a cooperative and collaborative team member with a great guest service attitude.
• Must be a motivated self-starter who needs minimal supervision as well as ability to work in a team setting.
• General knowledge of zoo animal husbandry, biology and natural history
• Must represent The Living Desert in a professional manner, and act accordingly at all times.
• Develop and ensure animal well-being assessments and action plans are being carried out.
• Provide leadership and oversight by creating a feedback rich environment, coaching and accountability of animal care team

Administrative:

• Create, revise and amend standard operating procedures and protocols in a timely manner. Ensures all departmental and institutional policies, protocols and procedures are implemented.
• Must have strong organizational, observational and listening skills.
• Ability to give and comprehend written and oral instructions, to accurately carry out such instructions and record observations intelligently.
• Understanding of AZA accreditation and USDA standards. Able to recognize inspection concerns and address issues with minimal guidance.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally, in writing and present to a variety of groups.
• Ability to enter accurately animal daily reports using in house computer program and be knowledgeable with Species 360/ZIMS
• Facilitate first round of interviewing and hiring process as directed by Animal Care leadership. Manage contacts and correspondence of potential candidates.
• Provide and facilitate guidance for mentorship of keepers
• Provide input and facilitate for disciplinary and counseling sessions of animal care keepers
• Provide input for annual performance appraisals
• Provide input with scheduling for keepers, events and procedures.
• Review, edit and approve time cards.
• Must stay up to date on all AZA and USDA standards pertaining to the care and management of the animals
• Check emails regularly and respond in a timely manner including but not limited to surveys and questionnaires.
• Answer calls from keepers who are calling in late or sick and disseminating that information.

Communication/Relationships:

• Liaison between upper management and keeper staff as needed. Is honest and forthcoming to Animal management with information regarding accomplishments, issues and challenges.
• Provide mentorship to animal care keeper staff under the guidance of Animal Care management.
• Provides ongoing feedback regarding levels of performance
• Manage, direct and hold accountable animal care team members on performance and goals
• Attends and provides support for animal training sessions
• Strong organizational and communication skills. The ability to accurately report daily information written, orally and with computer programs.
• Provide solutions to challenges presented and have open, honest dialogue with management to ensure the safety of the animals and humans.
• Provide support and guidance for animal training projects
• Provide opportunities for team development by sharing goals and clear expectations
• Provide ongoing meaningful feedback to assist team members professional growth

Safety:

• Implement area and zoo-wide safety standards and works with area team to develop procedures that ensure compliance, and proactively improve processes
• Ability to work with potentially dangerous animals under the Two Key/Two Lock/Two Keeper and Lock Out Tag Out Engineering Control systems.
• Ability to approve keepers to work with Two Key/Two Lock/Two Keeper/Lock Out Tag Out procedures.
• Assume a leadership role in training exercise drills including facilitating and debriefing. Mentor supervisors to help facilitate drills.
• Must be capable of emergency response handling to avoid injury to self, humans, and animals while remaining calm under pressure.
• Ability to remain calm and professional in the event of an unpredictable situation and follow through until situation is over.
• Member of the Emergency Response Immobilization or Firearms Team.
• Takes a lead role in any animal care emergency as needed
• Responsible for dispensing prescribed controlled medications upon request.
• Responsible for accessing and following key box protocol

Guest Service/Public Relations:

• Deliver uncompromising excellence in animal care, well-being and guest engagement
• Develop and initiate engaging animal programs and interaction with guests of all ages
• Ability to speak in public and give animal presentations to public both informally and formally.
• Ability to pay attention to the details of habitats and perception of animals for an optimal guest experience

Leadership/Knowledge Specific Tasks, Duties, Responsibilities:

• Observation and reporting on all assigned animals to Animal Management and Vet Care
• Assists with Curatorial duties during absences
• Manage behavioral programs to meet goas of the organization and animal care team while collaborating with Animal Care Curator of Behavior and Well-being
• Dietary observations with a knowledge of nutritional requirements for assigned species
• Knowledgeable with natural behaviors knowledge of assigned species
• Training staff on area SOP’s, ensuring training protocols of staff and animal are being adhered to
• Provide leadership in emergency situations while remaining calm.
• Supervise and provide direction to Animal Care Keepers in absence of Animal Care Curators
• Support area tasks/projects including but not limited to: ordering of supplies, animal procedures, animal programs, scheduling and communication to other TLD staff
• Implement breeding protocols, diet revisions, habitat designs, landscaping, irrigation and habitat maintenance.
• Execute acquisition/de-acquisition of animal collection by training, capture, restraining, crating of animal, loading, transportation and shipment.
• Train, assist and manage work of volunteers/interns and ensure their safety while performing these duties, under direction of Animal Care Management.
• Stay current on all departmental needs and communicate proactively and effectively with teams to ensure they have the resources they need including material resources, time and information, to do their job effectively
• Oversees enriching experiences within specific areas of the zoo and ensures behavior goals are being met
• Coordinate veterinary procedures for animals including quarantine, shipments, emergencies and normal care procedures
• Participates in zoo-wide leadership meetings
• Ensure assigned areas and holding spaces, are in good appearance paying attention to detail for guest viewing at all times and animal, keeper and guest safety.

This position oversees the following Animal Care Supervisor and Keeper Tasks, Duties & Responsibilities:

• General knowledge of zoo animal husbandry, biology and observational skills.
• Motivated, self-starter who can work with minimal supervision. Should also be able to work with others in a team setting.
• Perform cleaning and maintenance of assigned habitats, make minor repairs, and habitat modifications when needed including in emergency situations.
• Participates with the daily behavioral husbandry, operant conditioning and enriching experiences of animal residents.
• Ability to use critical thinking skills to trouble shoot issues and reveal solutions to move the animal team forward. Present solutions to Animal Care Management.
• Daily observation of animal residents for injury, illness, aggression, stress, breeding activity, diet intake and fecal consistency
• Daily cleaning of animal enclosures, service areas and holding spaces, and support areas utilizing various tools, instruments, disinfectants; and with the ability to do so safely.
• Diet preparation, feeding and restocking of feed supplies as needed and as prescribed.
• General maintenance of habitats, service/support areas and holding spaces such as: fence/enclosure repair, decoration, furniture, mister system, automatic drinkers, shade cloth, fill holes etc.
• Responsible for care of supplies, resources and zoo property.
• Responsible for maintaining a clean and tidy work space including but not limited to common areas, desk areas and restrooms.
• Maintain accurate time cards and approve in a timely manner.
• Must check emails regularly and respond in a timely manner including but not limited to surveys and questionnaires.
• Must actively participate in required training exercise drills and debriefs.
• Provide engaging behind the scenes experiences for guests, donors, zoo camp, team members, colleagues or any other group requested by management.
• Capture and restraint of animals for shipping/loading or routine/non-routine medical procedures; captures animals by hand, net, catch pole, or by corralling them under direction of Animal Care Curator or Director of Animal Care
• As assigned, assist Veterinary Services with medical treatments such as prescribed medication/treatments, weighing/measuring, surgery, hand injections, restraint/capture of animals, prepare & administer any required medications &/or supplements, collect fecal, urine & other samples as requested by the veterinarian.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and remain levelheaded in emergency situations
• Keep accurate and detailed records of daily observations of area animals residents containing information regarding behavior, diet intake, fecal output, behavior, health, weight, breeding behavior, aggression, behavioral enrichment, capture/restraint, prescribed medical treatments in-house.
• Work with animal residents on a one-to-one basis to train behaviors for animal management and educational programming according to accepted training protocols
• Research the animal species; research scientific journals, observe and recognize a variety of courtship behaviors; creates environments that induce breeding where appropriate and recommended.
• Monitor incubation process of eggs and/or hand rearing of neonates as necessary; keep appropriate records.
• Recognize signs of pest infestation in animal areas and combat pests as directed.
• Attend and participate in staff meetings to discuss the needs of the animal residents and animal staff, resolve problems and learn of new procedures and policies.
• Excellent guests service and communication skills for effective & engaging public speaking. Gives knowledgeable and engaging tour/talks for guests, staff and donors.
• Participate in guest education programs on or off-site, formal and informal animal presentations and outreach programs, scheduled and impromptu keeper talks and provide accurate, effective and engaging presentations. Assist Animal Care Curator or Director of Animal Care with development of educational material.
• Assist other departments (i.e. Development/Marketing, Special Events, and Education) in their duties by providing educational or animal programs or appearances for the media, promotional events, donors or on/off-site events, as assigned by Animal Care Management
• Contribute and maintain a safe, positive and productive workplace environment for animals, guests and staff.
• Able to establish and maintain effective and professional working relations with co-workers and other department personnel, and to do so in accordance with The Living Desert Employee Handbook.
• Communication skills for effective working relationships with all Zoo staff and outside professionals. Courteous with guests, staff and volunteers at all times while representing the institution at the highest standard of professionalism.
• Familiar with USDA & AZA regulations & complying with them.
• Provides assistance to other departments as needed.
• Other related responsibilities as necessary to accomplish department objectives.

Management Criteria:

• Eligible to apply for Assistant Animal Care Curator after completing two years in an Animal Care Keeper Supervisory role or equivalent experience
• Must be a cooperative and collaborative team member with a great guest service attitude.
• Must have critical thinking skills while being flexible to handle interruptions and requests for information
• Must be a self-starter, take initiative with efficient time management skills while possessing a high level of multi-tasking ability under pressure with limited supervision
• Works to preserve and provide a positive work place including actively stopping negative talk and speculation
• Must consistently score above average on Annual Performance Evaluations; see Animal Care Team Criteria for details
• Must take a lead role annually on major projects as determined by Animal Care Management
• Provides mentorship and training to animal care supervisor and keeper staff including with positive reinforcement training projects
• Must provide and accept crucial, productive feedback
• Consistently works in a safe manner and proactively looks for safer processes
• Acts as a role model for others to emulate as an excellent team member; takes a lead role in training new animal area team members in routines, policies and procedures
• Provides mentorship and guidance for interns including ownership of process, organization and communications
• Must be able to remain calm while working under high pressure conditions including but not limited to emergencies, personnel challenges, scheduling and deadlines
• Required to facilitate one drill annually under the guidance of Animal Care Management

This class specification should not be interpreted as all inclusive. It is intended to identify the major responsibilities and requirements of this job. The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this specification.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• AA, AS or higher degree in Zoology, Biology, Animal Science or other related degree and at least one year of exotic animal experience preferred. Bachelor degree preferred.
• Experience with animal training and public presentations a plus.
• Will substitute training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skill, and abilities. Generally, one year of full time exotic animal experience will translate to one year of college.
• Supervisory experiences in an animal related field preferred
• Valid California driver license or eligible to attain. Must be insurable on The Living Desert’s automobile policy.
• Covid vaccination plus one booster required.
• Annual TB test with negative reading required.

Professional Development Opportunity:

Assistant Animal Care Curators are eligible to apply for Professional Development conferences and workshops as determined by Animal Care management and budget allows. Eligibility will depend on overall standing as a positive and productive team member.

Equipment Used:

PC computer, general office equipment, telephone, radio, electric and gas cart, vehicles including medium to heavy equipment such as bobcat, tractor, pepper spray (Counter Assault Bear Deterrent),rake, shovel, wheel barrow, catch pole, capture net, baffle board, snake hook, weight scale, garden hose, small hand held and power tools such as hammer, screwdriver, drill, wire cutters etc.

Working Conditions:

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL TASKS: Standing, walking, twisting, climbing, crawling, kneeling, reaching motions, lifting up to 50lbs.

TYPICALWORKING CONDITIONS: Exposure to extreme heat, chemicals, and dust/airborne materials. Work with potentially dangerous animals (i.e. large ungulates, carnivores, venomous animals).

HOLIDAY WORK: Holiday and weekend work required.

TRAVEL: Occasional conference and workshop attendance available, if funding available. Some or all expenses paid.

Salary Description

$64,480 – $66,144 per year