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MZMemphis Zoo
Memphis ZooAnimal Conservation

Zookeeper

Elephants, Rhinos

Location

Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Work type

Onsite

Employment

Full Time

Experience

2-5 years

Compensation

$16 - $17 per hour

Posted

48m ago

Summary and responsibilities

Role overview

Summary

This Zookeeper position is responsible for the daily husbandry and care of African elephants, Southern White Rhinos, Grant’s Zebra, and Scimitar-Horned Oryx. The role involves animal observation, diet preparation, enclosure cleaning, public presentations, and assisting vet staff with animal treatment.

Summary:

We are currently in search of a motivated individual to join our Pachyderm Team. This position would primarily be responsible for the daily husbandry and care of African elephants, Southern White Rhinos, Grant’s Zebra and Scimitar-Horned Oryx.

Now is an exciting time to join our team as we begin the process of designing a new Africa habitat, which would include new exhibits for our elephants, rhinos, giraffes and other area hoofstock. This renovation and expansion will serve to further the Memphis Zoo’s commitment to elephants in the future. The ideal candidate would be proficient in all aspects of zoo animal care including husbandry, enrichment, training, exhibit maintenance, record keeping, public presentations, and conservation. Candidates for this position should be self-motivated, hard-working, positive, dependable, who can work independently, but also thrive in a team setting.

Essential Job Functions:

  • Daily husbandry of assigned animals.

  • Facilitates formal and informal public presentations to engage guests and provide a positive guest experience.

  • Actively observes animals’ behavior, checking for any signs of illness or disorder; reports irregularities and abnormal behavior to supervisor; works with vet staff to address medical needs.

  • Prepares and administers appropriate daily diets and maintain accurate records of assigned animals.

  • Appropriately cleans and disinfects assigned animal enclosures/habitats according to written protocols and ensures a sanitary and safe environment.

  • Exercises good judgement when making decisions that affect our collection.

  • Assists hospital staff in all aspects of animal treatment within the assigned section.

  • May incorporate modern behavioral husbandry techniques such as operant conditioning and environmental enrichment into animal care.

Minimum Education and Experience:

  • High school diploma.

  • Some college level coursework in the fields of Zoology, Biology, Psychology, or related field.

  • Experience working with animals (preferably rhinos or similar large taxa) in a zoological setting and/or similar experience working large mammals in the field of agriculture

Preferred Education and Experience:

  • Previous experience working with elephants and/or rhinos in a captive setting.

Competencies:

  • Written and Oral Communication.

  • Proficient in MS office, current technology and applications for communication, research, and record keeping.

  • Records and Reports Creation and Management.

  • Problem Solving/Analysis.

  • Stress Management/Composure.

  • Flexibility.

  • Teamwork Orientation.

Work Environment: While performing the duties of the job, the employee will frequently work in outdoor settings (Zoo grounds). When outdoors this position is required to work in various weather conditions including rain, humidity, and extreme heat or cold.

Physical Demands: This position requires frequent sitting/standing/walking/bending/kneeling and may occasionally move or lift objects up to 50 pounds.

Updated 48m ago

Candidate fit

Skills and qualifications

Additional skills

Husbandry • 1+ yrs
Enrichment • 1+ yrs
Training • 1+ yrs
Exhibit Maintenance • 1+ yrs
Record Keeping • 1+ yrs
Public Presentations • 1+ yrs
Conservation • 1+ yrs
Operant Conditioning • 1+ yrs

Experience

2-5 years

How this role is positioned

Role classification

Job domains

Operations

Industries

Wildlife & Conservation

Employment

Full Time

Contract duration

Permanent

Hiring type

Direct

Global hiring

Location specific

Offer details

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

$16 - $17 per hour

VisibilityShared on listing
CurrencyUSD
PeriodHourly

Location, schedule, and role shape

Work setup

Work conditions

Primary locationMemphis, Tennessee, United States
Work typeOnsite
Global hiringNo

Bandwidth profile

peopleMedium7/10
physicalHigh9/10
cognitiveHigh8/10
executionHigh9/10
creativityMedium6/10
uncertaintyMedium6/10
communicationHigh8/10

Context on the employer

Company snapshot

Company

Memphis Zoo

Team size

Growing team

Location

Memphis, Tennessee, United States

The Memphis Zoo is seeking a Zookeeper for their Pachyderm Team, responsible for the daily care of African elephants, Southern White Rhinos, Grant’s Zebra, and Scimitar-Horned Oryx. The zoo is currently designing a new Africa habitat, expanding exhibits for elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and other hoofstock, reinforcing its commitment to elephant conservation.

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Zookeeper

Memphis, Tennessee, United StatesFull Time