Job opportunities

Animal Keeper

Dublin Zoo holds the prestigious position of being ‘Ireland’s leading Fee-Paying Family Attraction’ welcoming in excess of 1.2 million visitors each year.

 

Our purpose is to save wildlife and inspire a passion for nature – one person, one family at a time. 

 

We are seeking to recruit a highly motivated and diligent Animal Keeper to work as part of the animal management team supporting the Team leaders and Senior keepers to ensure that day to day animal husbandry is carried out effectively and in a timely manner using the agreed best standard practices.

 

The Keeper will be required to be a Hands-on member of the Team. They will be responsible for the husbandry, diets, habitat maintenance, cleanliness and environmental enrichment of the section which he/she is assigned. Depending on grade, additional responsibilities and duties will apply.

 

They will be a part of the animal care team within their assigned section, following world’s best practice, general compliance with Health and Safety regulations and consistent performance to overall Zoo standards. They will have a good understanding and knowledge of health and safety practices within a modern zoo, an appreciation of modern zoo’s research and conservation involvement and knowledge of modern zoo practices in animal husbandry, diets and environmental enrichment.

 

This is a 6 months Fixed Term contract role to cover Maternity Leave.

 

Key responsibilities:

The duties of the post will include but are not limited to:

 

Animals:

• Know the animals they regularly work with, check and observe them, identify behavioural, reproductive and medical situations and keep the other staff members on section aware on developments.
• To observe the health and welfare of the animals in the section they are allocated to, using the defined procedures.
• To prepare and distribute the diets of animals according to agreed practice and to observe that animals eating effectively ensuring that the diets of animals are administered according to agreed practice.
• Report any animal health concerns to a line manager (Team Leader or Duty Team Leader).
• Depending on his/her grade carries out basic or advanced animal husbandry procedures such as daily moves, daily checks, animal training behaviours, the capture and restrain of animals, animal transports, etc.
• Research the animals’ requirements and keep abreast of developments.
•  Proactively and regularly provide the animals in their care with varied forms of enrichment, diet change and new or improved husbandry procedures.
• Depending on grade, has an understanding of operant conditioning and can participate or successfully design and train behaviours.

 

Habitats, houses and facilities:

• Ensure and assist in maintaining facilities (houses and habitats), food preparation and public viewing areas at high standard of hygiene, cleanliness and exhibition.
• Maintaining facilities security including visually checking enclosure structure daily and reporting concerns immediately.
• To clean animal areas ensuring that the cleaning is carried out using the agreed procedures and within time frames.
• To ensure that animal housing and habitat parameters are effectively maintained.
• Effect minor repairs and maintenance to produce a safe, near natural environment for animals and attractive exhibition and interpretation facilities for the public.
• To be able to analyse habitats and houses and suggest potential developments.
• Assist in ensuring all animal dept. areas, including staff areas are kept tidy and to a high standard of cleanliness and hygiene where applicable.

 

Staff:

• Assist with the training and development of the section’s staff to ensure competence and performance standards are achieved and maintained.
• Supervise and encourage work experience and other students allocated to the section.
• Support the Senior Keeper and Team Leader to ensure that any concerns on the section are raised and dealt with appropriately and promptly.
• Motivate and encourage staff on the section to ensure that their job profiles are fulfilled.
• Check own and junior staff’s work to ensure safety and completion to the required standard.

 

Others:

• Carry out responsible work practices relevant to animal husbandry and work practices.
• Ensure all institutional policies, procedures and protocols are followed always, with special regard to H&S.
• Willing to be trained on first aid rota and to be on call as part of the first aid duty.

 

Working Relationship:

• Work effectively in a team supporting Team Leader, Senior Keeper, Keepers and Assistant Keepers.
• To build good relations with other staff members, including with senior managers and the Director supporting Dublin Zoo to become best in class/lead in Zoological husbandry.
• To co-operate with other staff at Dublin Zoo particularly with the Registrar and C&S officer, Maintenance staff, Marketing and administration, gate and shop staff.
• Clearly communicates with colleagues to ensure safety.
•  To be respectful towards visitors and interact with them in a respectful manner, answering enquiries in a helpful and polite manner.
• Encourages work experience and other students allocated to the section

 

Reporting:

• To complete daily reports and fill in data into ZIMS on regular basis.
• Ensure the Team Leader/Senior Keeper are kept informed as necessary and liaises regularly with the Team Leader and Curator in relation to the operation of their section.
• Providing ‘Keeper Talks’ to the public.
• Clearly communicates with colleagues to ensure safety.
• Depending on grade, to participate in section meetings and lead them when Team Leader/Senior Keeper are unable to attend
• To ensure that all happenings at the park are communicated accurately to the Link Manager on the day.

 

 

 

 

Requirements

• Achieved an appropriate animal related qualification (DMZAA or equivalent) and has worked at least 2 years after its completion.
• Minimum of three years relevant experience of animal keeping.
• Demonstrate a very good knowledge of the animals within their regular care and is familiar with their natural history and is working towards gaining more knowledge.
• Complete duties to a high standard, as quickly as possible and can change priorities if necessary.
• Capable of aiding the veterinary team as appropriate.
•  Demonstrate effective communication skills and lead other staff members by example.
•  Competent in carrying out minor repairs to enclosures.
• Pro-active in solving problems in accordance with section management and can suggest relevant solutions.
• Can effectively use computer systems to input and retrieve information from ZIMS.
• Can and will prepare specific reports (animal related and others)
•  Physically fit enough for the required duties on the allocated section.
• Possess a good attendance and timekeeping record.
• Flexibility in working times and duties is always a key requirement to ensure animals’ needs are covered.
• All employees must ensure that our visitors always experience excellent customer service and therefore will be willing to give operational support to any department requested.