Swing Keeper

Job Summary: Swing Keepers will learn and work multiple routines across several teams. This position will be trained to work in all of the animal departments including the Giraffe feeding station, Birds, Reptiles, Mammals 1, Mammals 2, Education, and Commissary. Swing Keepers may be assigned to any area within the animal departments based on the need for coverage. This position may rotate through the various animal areas on an irregular schedule. This position requires a high degree of organization, flexibility within the workday, and excellent communication skills. This position will be required to foster learning through fun by engaging and entertaining visitors. 

Job Duties/Responsibilities: include the following but others may be assigned. 

Giraffe Feeding Deck

• Operating a Point of Sale (POS) System. 
  • Handling money, making change, and handling card terminal.
• Provide visitors with information and assistance. 
• Prepare lettuce boats before the zoo opens and transport them to the Giraffe feeding deck.
• Sell lettuce boats to guests for Giraffe Feeding.
• Make sure all visitors are abiding by the rules.

Swing Keeper

• Cleans and disinfect animals’ enclosures and all equipment and tools associated with maintaining a safe and sanitary environment for the animals to live in on a daily basis.  
• Checks exhibits and animal enclosures cleanliness as well as safety and structural soundness on a daily basis. Takes appropriate steps to remedy existing or potential problems. 
• Identifies any potential maintenance or safety issues and reports them to the supervisor. 
• Keeps records including behavioral observations, veterinary treatment logs, diet records, and animal transfer data.
• Carries out veterinary treatments as prescribed by the veterinarian. 
• Understands and participates in behavioral enrichments activities, training, and conditioning procedures or protocols, and capture and restraint procedures. 
• Recognizes proper animal diets and abnormalities in diets and animal feeding habits. 
• Responds to questions from zoo visitors concerning animals’ habits and zoo operations in a helpful, friendly, courteous, and informative way and make efforts to make visitors experience a positive one. 
• Participates in veterinary procedures as requested and will participate in guest engagement through Keeper Talks, Zoo Camp or other scheduled events.
• Performs any additional animal care duties or departmental responsibilities as directed by the supervisor. 
• Follows all safety policies and rules.
• Other duties may be assigned as needed.

Job Qualifications:

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. 

Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree (BS) or equivalent from a four-year college or university in Biology or Animal Science related field preferred. 1 year experience and/or training, or Equivalent combination of education and experience

 Language Skills:

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and the ability to speak effectively to visitors or employees of the zoo.

Reasoning Ability:

• Ability to solve common sense understanding to carry out instructions and/or effectively and safely apply animal and zoo operation knowledge to new changing situations. 

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• Valid Texas Driver License 

Physical Requirements:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, talk or hear and taste or smell. Employee must be capable of moving quickly and good hearing and vision are necessary for safely performing the duties of this job. Employees are occasionally required to stack hay bales weighing in excess of 80 pounds.

Work Environment:

• While performing the duties of the job, the employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, outside weather conditions, extreme cold and extreme heat, and dangerous animals. The employee is occasionally exposed to high, precarious places and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. In some cases employees are exposed to foul odors and/or dust. 

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• Employee Discount at Concessions and Gift Shop
• Employee Free Admission to Park
• Tuition Reimbursement 
• Shoe Reimbursement Allowance
• Complementary Tickets for Friends / Family 

Work Location: 

Caldwell Zoo

2203 Martin Luther King Blvd

Tyler, Texas 75702