Animal Care Specialist I

The Animal Care position is responsible for providing daily care and welfare for exotic animals, maintaining animal exhibits, supporting educational and guest engagement activities, and assisting with zoo operations. Duties include preparing and presenting species-appropriate diets, providing fresh water, inspecting enclosures for damage, cleaning and disinfecting animal areas, and observing, monitoring, and documenting animal behavior, physical condition, activity, and dietary intake. The position collaborates with Animal Section staff on Animal Welfare Assessments and develops, provides, and documents environmental enrichment and operant conditioning sessions to reduce animal stress, support veterinary care, encourage natural behaviors, and strengthen relationships with animals. Employees prepare daily reports, research species-specific natural history and current zoo practices, and respond to animal emergencies according to approved protocols.

The position performs general maintenance in animal exhibits and non-public areas, including landscaping, mowing, trimming, pruning, and maintaining vegetation. Responsibilities include making simple repairs to commonly used equipment and tools, maintaining locks, valves, shift doors, and other mechanical apparatus, and constructing species-specific exhibit fixtures. The employee may collaborate with Zoo Maintenance staff and outside contractors on construction and improvement projects involving exhibits, exhibit furniture, enrichment items, animal holding areas, and transport equipment.

Additional responsibilities include providing professional presentations and informal educational talks to visitors and school groups, assisting with media interviews, supporting special events and zoo rentals, participating in operational and staff committees, and overseeing assigned volunteers and interns. Other duties may be assigned as needed.

Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent and at least one year of professional experience in exotic animal care. An associate degree in biology, zoology, animal science, conservation, wildlife, or a related field is preferred. A valid South Carolina Class D Driver’s License is required.

Candidates should have knowledge of exotic animal care, animal behavior and natural history, environmental enrichment, and operant conditioning. The ability to recognize behavioral cues, safely capture, handle, and restrain exotic and potentially dangerous animals, use animal capture equipment, communicate clearly and professionally, provide educational information to the public, and work effectively with coworkers, supervisors, volunteers, and visitors is required. Candidates must be motivated, adaptable, able to work in a fast-paced environment, and capable of reading and interpreting professional journals, technical documents, standard operating procedures, and animal care literature. Basic knowledge of mathematics, including fractions, percentages, ratios, proportions, and measurements, is required for animal care, medical instructions, and exhibit work. The position requires the ability to learn specialized record-keeping and point-of-sale systems and use Microsoft Office and standard office equipment.

Work is primarily outdoors in zoo exhibits and grounds and may involve exposure to inclement weather, physical hazards, respiratory hazards, noise, vibration, chemicals, communicable diseases, extreme temperatures, wetness, humidity, and mechanical hazards. Employees must use appropriate personal protective equipment, including gloves, eye and hearing protection, masks, respirators, and other specialty equipment as required. The position requires frequent standing, walking, lifting, carrying, reaching, kneeling, crawling, pushing, pulling, bending, crouching, stooping, and talking. Employees may occasionally climb, balance, twist, sit, and perform fine dexterity tasks. Heavy physical demands include lifting 50–100 pounds occasionally, 20–50 pounds frequently, and 10–20 pounds constantly. Items may include animals, grain sacks, hay bales, cages, lumber, equipment, and tents. The position requires teamwork, time management, adaptability, multitasking, attention to detail, and the ability to respond appropriately during emergencies.