Zoo Keeper

Job Summary

The position provides animal husbandry, habitat care, and maintenance to ensure healthy, well-adjusted animals and attractive, educational exhibits for guests of the Minnesota Zoo. The role supports the Zoo’s mission of connecting people, animals, and the natural world to save wildlife and is responsible for maintaining appropriate animal welfare. The position requires travel across the Zoo campus and operation of fleet vehicles. A valid, unrestricted driver’s license is required, and occasional offsite travel may be necessary for professional development and Zoo projects.

Duties & Responsibilities

Perform established animal husbandry procedures to maintain animal health and quality of exhibition. Prepare and feed animal diets, observe animal behavior, maintain detailed animal records, provide sanitary living conditions, conduct positive-reinforcement training, and develop goal-based enrichment activities. Work with a variety of species, including invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, primates, and/or large carnivores.

Maintain and clean animal habitats and work areas to provide safe, attractive, and pleasant environments for animals, staff, and guests. Prepare and participate in interpretive programs for guests, staff, and volunteers, providing accurate and engaging information about animal biology, natural history, behavior, and conservation.

Minimum Qualifications

Three years of full-time Zookeeper experience at a zoo or aquarium, or three years of direct animal care and maintenance experience in a veterinary hospital, gained within the last 10 years. Experience must include working with multiple animal taxa, observing animal behavior, preparing diets, maintaining animal records and sanitary conditions, using positive-reinforcement operant conditioning, training advanced show and husbandry behaviors, and creating goal-based enrichment.

Strong customer service and communication skills are required, along with the ability to interpret technical literature related to animal health and management. Candidates must demonstrate respect for diversity and maintain a professional, inclusive work environment. An unrestricted Class D Driver’s License with a clear driving record is required.

Preferred Qualifications

A degree in Biology, Zoology, Wildlife Management, Environmental Education, Ecology, or a related field is preferred. Experience at an AZA-accredited zoo or aquarium, species-specific interpretation experience, Open Water SCUBA certification or equivalent, current CPR and First Aid certification, and the ability to serve as a firearms team member are also preferred.

Physical & Work Requirements

The position requires current rabies vaccination and a negative TB test, or the ability to complete these requirements during the probationary period, including ongoing rabies titer testing. The role involves exposure to zoonotic diseases, immobilization agents, pesticides, potentially dangerous equipment and machinery, and potentially dangerous domestic animals. Employees must be able to work outdoors year-round in all weather conditions, navigate varied terrain, differentiate colors, use hand and power tools, shovel, bend, crouch, climb stairs and ladders, and tolerate loud noises.

The position requires prolonged periods of standing and walking, lifting and moving up to 50 pounds, pushing or pulling up to 90 pounds, and moving large objects as part of a team over uneven terrain. Employees must be able to wear N95 respirators and grip approximately 34 pounds to operate a power washer intermittently for up to 60 minutes.

Benefits

Benefits include paid vacation and sick leave, 12 paid holidays, low-cost medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage, fertility and diabetes care, adult and pediatric dental and orthodontic coverage, and six weeks of paid parental leave for newborn or newly adopted children. Additional benefits include a pension plan, employer-paid life insurance, short- and long-term disability coverage, tax-free health and dependent care accounts, wellness and employee assistance programs, professional development and training, Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility for qualifying positions, and daily living and convenience services such as home repair, trip planning, and child