ANIMAL KEEPER

Emergency Appointment Opportunity

ANNUAL SALARY
$55,144.08 – $80,596.80
(The current salary range is subject to change. You may confirm the starting salary with the hiring department before accepting a job offer.)

LOCATION
Los Angeles Zoo – 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027

SCHEDULE
Five (5) days a week; Friday – Tuesday
Regular Days Off: Wednesday and Thursday
Hours:  7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. with occasional 6:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. or 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES
An Animal Keeper cares for exotic mammals, birds, and reptiles (including venomous varieties) at the Los Angeles Zoo. The selected candidate(s) will fill the vacancies as relief keeper(s) for the Ape/Old World Primate section which includes: chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, gibbons, siamangs, mandrills, colobus, ring-tailed lemurs, sifakas, blue-eyed black lemurs, and servals. The duties include but not limited:

• observe and report on animal behavior and condition for illnesses, compatibility, imminent birth and other signs reflecting the animal’s well-being;
• prepare and offers food for animals as instructed; trains animals to ensure participatory care and safe handling;
• maintain the exhibit premises in a safe, clean and aesthetically pleasing manner; answers questions about animals from the general public;
• may make educational and other presentations before groups, and on radio and television;
• may provide training and supervision to volunteers and students in caring for animals; and
• other duties as assigned.

REQUIRMENTS / MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1. The equivalent of one year of full-time paid experience (2,080 hours) in the care and maintenance
   of exotic animals with a facility similar to the Los Angeles Zoo whose core function is the exhibition of a variety of exotic animals; or
2. (a) Successful completion of the Animal Keeper Training program conducted by the Los Angeles Zoo; or (b) An equivalent program at an accredited school or college providing classroom and field work on the basic structure and function of exotic animals; basic nutritional requirements; recognition of the symptoms of animal diseases; sanitation measures; and aspects of animal behavior.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
The following are not required but desired:

• experience working with primates is beneficial, but not essential;
• strong interest in learning about these species and their husbandry needs;
• strong commitment to working with a team of keepers and supervisors in the best interests of the needs of the animals in this section;
• strong training background is desired, as training for husbandry and medical management is essential to provide the best possible care to the animals;
• flexible as assignments will be rotated between the various strings in the section on a regular basis;
• able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with team members, supervisors, and veterinary staff;
• able to work effectively in a team setting

HOW TO APPLY
For more information and how to apply, please refer to https://personnel.lacity.gov/jobs/openings/index.cfm?job_id=8626

EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT
An emergency appointment is not a regular appointment. It is a temporary appointment which does not require that you successfully compete in the Civil Service examination process. The appointment may not exceed one year and must be terminated immediately when a regular appointment can be made from an eligible list. (City Charter Section 1013). 

The Los Angeles Zoo strives to have a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities of Los Angeles and we encourage people of all backgrounds, including applicants who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color, people with varying abilities, women and of the LGBTQAI+ communities, to apply.

OUR VISION
Creating a just and sustainable world where people and wildlife thrive, together.

OUR MISSION
Through the passion of our team, the Los Angeles Zoo is leading the way in saving wildlife and connecting Angelenos to the natural world by providing exemplary animal care, delivering distinctive and diverse learning opportunities, and creating unforgettable experiences.

Saving Wildlife.  Enriching Our Communities.  Creating Connections to Nature.

ABOUT THE ZOO
The Los Angeles Zoo property comprises 133 acres and is home to more than 2,200 mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles representing more than 270 different species, 58 of which are endangered. In addition, the Zoo’s botanical collection includes several planted gardens, over 800 different plant species and more than 7,000 individual plants.

The Zoo is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles.  The Zoo is operated and staffed by City employees as well as employees from its non-profit fundraising organization and concessionaire sub-contractor.  In total, they represent approximately 350 full and part-time Zoo/City employees, and approximately 100 Zoo/City volunteers.  The Zoo is open 363 days each year (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days) and the annual attendance for the Zoo is approximately 1.5 million visitors.  

On average, the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens has almost 5,000 visitors a day with capacity days up to 10,000 or more visitors.  The majority of our visitors are diverse familieswith young children.  Throughout the year over 100,000 school group attendees also come to the Zoo.  

The Zoo is a multi-faceted and unique work environment. The dynamic nature of Zoo operations requires flexible and motivated administrative staff who can work to address a multitude of issues. The ideal candidate for this position will be a versatile individual with interest and skills in business operations and administration, project management, and capital programming.

COMMITMENT TO EQUITY
The Zoo Department is committed to equity in all forms, including a culture of respect among all employees as well as ensuring a welcoming and inclusive environment for all guests.