Hospital Keeper

This is a temporary position, anticipated to last for 5 months.

The Hospital Keeper plays an integral role in maintaining the physical health and psychological well-being of the animals at the Oakland Zoo Veterinary Hospital. Daily work includes the physical tasks associated with feeding, enrichment, and maintenance of the animals’ living areas, and analytical tasks of planning record-keeping and communication with team members.  The Hospital keeper trains, guides and supervises junior staff, volunteers and interns and may be expected to represent the Zoo in a variety of public settings including press interviews, instructional classes and casual communication with Zoo guests.

Seasonal

Full-Time

$21.44 - $24.29 per hour (commensurate with experience)

Application Deadline: Priority Application Deadline: November 7, 2023

Essential Job Duties

• Daily care of animals in the Oakland Zoo Veterinary Hospital, including feeding, maintenance of safe and sanitary conditions for animals and facilities 

• Provide physical and psycho-social health evaluation of animals 

• Provide an ongoing program of appropriate enrichment for each species and individual animal 

• Provide an ongoing program of operant conditioning through regularly scheduled training sessions to meet established goals 

• Develop and/or maintain appropriate string, department and Zoo records 

• Willingness and ability to participate in animal medical procedures including postmortem 

• Support veterinary team with non-husbandry tasks including laundry, package pickup, prescription delivery 

Who You Are

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in the care of captive wildlife in the zoo field. 

• Knowledgeable about the habits and hazards of working with wild, dangerous animals; willingness to work with some physical risk while observing proper safety precautions  

• Knowledgeable in the natural history, behavior and captive management of the animals under your care and be able to communicate that knowledge 

• Knowledge and experience in behavioral modification programs including animal training and enrichment   

• Able to work cooperatively and communicate well with co-workers and supervisors and demonstrate good public relations skills with zoo guests.  

• Able to work independently and maintain reliable and consistent attendance, which is critical to the function of the Animal Care Department. 

• Good physical condition; able to lift a minimum of 50 lbs. (i.e., feed sack) and move a minimum of 120 lbs. (i.e., hay bale); ability to walk long distances on uneven terrain in variable environmental conditions (e.g., steep, muddy, etc.)  

• Experience or ability to learn to operate heavy equipment such as Bobcat, excavator, backhoe, and/or lift. 

• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record  

• Willingness to work outside normal business hours including weekends and holidays  

• Good written and verbal communications skills  

• Oakland Zoo requires COVID vaccination*

Bonus If You Have

• Bachelor’s degree in zoology, biology, or a related field.  

Knowledge, Skills, and Qualities

May be representative, but not all-inclusive, of those knowledge, skills and abilities commonly associated with this position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Qualities– May be representative, but not all-inclusive, of those knowledge, skills and abilities commonly associated with this position.

• Communication – communicates respectfully and effectively with stakeholders across identities, both verbally and in writing

• Inclusive Culture - fosters a culture of mutual respect, transparency, collaboration and belonging which allows all employees to feel appreciated, included, and valued.

• Sustainability – oriented toward the mission and values of the Oakland Zoo and able to put those into practice by finding creative and resourceful ways to develop sustainable practices within your role and department

• Passion – wholeheartedly believes in, represents, and models Oakland Zoo’s mission and PRIDE values at all times ‍

• Wildlife Aware - understands mission to support the conservation and welfare of animals at The Zoo, locally and globally. This is demonstrated by a willingness/passion to reflect this mission in all actions and to continue to learn how to take action for wildlife

Who We Are

The Oakland Zoo (managed by The Conservation Society of California) is an award-winning facility stretching 100 acres and overlooking the city of Oakland atop the hills of beautiful Knowland Park. Our mission is to inspire respect for and stewardship of the natural world, while providing a quality visitor experience. As an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), The Zoo is part of the largest conservation organization in the nation. Our employees take PRIDE in our values of being Positive, Respectful, Inquisitive, Driven and Effective members of a team who places the care of our animals, stewardship of the natural environment, and the experience of our guests at the forefront of all that we do.

Oakland Zoo’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access

We believe that all people should have safe access to the Zoo and culturally relevant and responsive experiences with our staff, programs, and curriculum. The Oakland Zoo is also striving to create an equitable and inclusive internal culture where all staff members feel represented and valued for their identities and lived experiences. We examine how power, bias, race and other aspects of identity impact our organization. We work to build a culture of continuous learning and improvement toward a vision of equity and belonging for all staff. We are looking for team members who can actively join us in this process. We are committed to reflecting the diverse community in which we exist and strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ identifying folks, and women to apply.

Equal Opportunity Employment

The Conservation Society of California is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, marital status or other characteristics protected by law. The Conservation Society of California also promotes respect for all people and will not tolerate harassment based on any of these characteristics.