Date: January 16th, 2025

Department: Education Department Lead

Animal Adventure Park & Preserve is a ZAA accredited interactive educational facility, utilizing immersive, and hands-on exhibition, to engage guests in a manner to promote understanding and appreciation of the living world.

Through appreciation, we achieve education. Through education we achieve conservation.

 Summary:

Become the star of our shows! We are seeking the perfect candidate to relaunch our Edu Dept. (focus on off site programming) after pandemic restrictions impacted dept. operations and abilities. 

Animal Adventure is seeking a qualified candidate to join the animal care team, in the role of Education Department lead. This position would include working with our ambassador animals and other species in the living-collection.

Under direct supervision of the curator, the individual in this position is responsible for a wide variety of tasks involving the husbandry of the area species, the daily upkeep of keeper and public areas, interactions with park guests, on and off siteanimal encounter programs.

The individual must be able to carry out the position's duties as described below and comply with park policies and procedures as they appear in the Employee Handbook and animal care protocols. 

 Skills and duties: required of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Providing quality guest experiences, and maintaining professional working relations with park guests, fellow employees, volunteers, and interns.
• Provide for the care and welfare (husbandry) of assigned animals in the department, such as following prescribed diets and feeding procedures and protocols.
• Cleaning/disinfecting of animal enclosures, holding areas, keeper space, common use space, and the public area surrounding it within Park, USDA and ZAA guidelines and standards.
  • Includes upkeep of plant collection as well as minor repairs to exhibits/holding areas.
• Observe animals in the department daily for reproductive behavior, abnormal behavior, or potential health problems, reporting these to the supervisor(s).
• Prepare, distribute, and keep records of animal enrichment.
• Train animals using positive reinforcement.
• Maintain daily reports: ie. medical, reproductive, dietary, and work orders.
• Provide assistance to the veterinary staff when necessary.
• Make presentations, keeper talks, perform programs on & off site, and host animal encounters for park guests.
• Clear and relatable public speaking, curating delivery of the information to the guest's needs.
• Observe and report all facility or safety concerns to the supervisor.
• Any other duties as requested by the curator or team leads to assist the team and park operations.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent, college degree in a related field preferred.
• Communicate effectively in English (oral and written), follow oral and written instructions, and use a two-way radio.
• Physically able to work in extreme temperatures and inclement weather conditions; walking, standing, lifting and carrying a minimum of 50 pounds.
• Perform tasks in an environment that requires repeatedly stooping, bending, and climbing.
• Physically able and willing to safely work around large, unpredictable and dangerous animals, having sufficient strength, agility, coordination and knowledge.
• Use common hand, power, and yard tools while working from the ground or on a ladder in a safe manner.
• Accept regular weekend, holiday, occasional after hour assignments, and be able to change days off as needed.
• Negative Tuberculosis test results required per ZAA standards.
• Adhere to park/departmental policies and safety procedures and protocols.

Experience:

• Prior presenting in a zoological setting or classroom setting is preferred.

Compensation:

• Beginning wage is based upon experience. 
  • Entry level positions begin at NYS minimum wage ($15.50/hr)
• Animal Adventure Animal Care full time employees will be eligible for raises after 1 year of employment and/or performance based.
  • All individuals are eligible for performance-based bonuses at any time.
• After 30 days of employment, full time team members may choose to take part in the park's individual medical & dental insurance plan, with 50% of the premium paid by the organization.
  
  • 100% premium coverage available based upon performance reviews
• After 1 year of service, full time team members will be enrolled in the park's employer paid 401K plan. (100% of the annual contribution is covered by the organization)

Submit resumes to:

Curator of Parks, Erin Sarandis - Curator@theanimaladventurepark.com