Job opportunities

Animal Keeper

The role

With direction from your Team Leader and Senior Keeper, perform all assigned duties to ensure the smooth running of the allocated animal section (carnivores, primates and birds), aiming to optimise the quality of animal welfare and to deliver or support delivery of an innovative and creative programme of live animal interactive activities to engage and excite visitors in support of RZSS’ vision and mission.

 Some of the things you’ll do:

• Help to ensure animal welfare, husbandry and management is of the highest standard, taking into account relevant legislation and best practice animal management.
• Contribute to enclosure design, maintenance, enrichment and enclosure furnishing to ensure it meets all the needs of the animal and is presentable to the public, e.g. positive visitor engagement and suggest ideas for development to team manager.
• Engage with and support visitors, ensuring your message is consistent with team objectives and in line with RZSS’ mission and vision whilst providing first-class customer care and service, e.g. answering visitor queries and undertaking public talks, tours and Keeper for a Day experiences.
• Collate and record detailed and accurate animal records via daily record sheets in relation to the good management of the animal collection and animal training, and to ensure accurate data (e.g. weigh, behaviours, births, deaths and treatments received) can be input to the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS).
• Proactively ensure your knowledge of RZSS, our conservation work and species within the collection is thorough and up to date, e.g. attending team meetings, accessing team brief.

 What we’re looking for: 

• You’ll have a good level of education at standard grade or equivalent qualifications (including English, Mathematics and Sciences)
• First-class customer service, e.g. interpersonal skills and ability to engage with the public
• Can demonstrate an interest in animals with some practical experience in a zoo or animal-related environment For further information on what the role involves and essential/desirable criteria - please see the ‘related documents’ section under the site location map.

What you’ll get in return:

• 37.5 hr working week on a annualised basis working 5 days out of 7 (includes weekend working)
• 34 days annual leave (pro rata)
• Access to a healthcare plan
• Employer contributory pension scheme
• You will receive a staff membership which will give you (and family/friends) free (and discounted) entry to both the Highland Wildlife Park and Edinburgh Zoo as well as a number of other Zoos across the UK.

Shortlisting of applications and interviews for this position will take place while the advert is live; the advert will close once a successful candidate has been found. Interested candidates are therefore encouraged to submit applications as quickly as possible.

Interviews are expected to take place on 12 August 2025.