What are the responsibilities and job description for the Animal Care Special Events Keeper position at Nashville Zoo?
Mammal Department
Nashville Zoo Position Description
Animal Care Events Team Lead
The Nashville Zoo is currently seeking a highly motivated individual to bring their experience, creativity and passion to our Anima Care Events Team. This individual will be assisting with a team of dedicated keepers in caring for animals who will be out for late events and helping with zoo teams as needed. The ideal candidate will possess a balanced combination of animal experience, passion for hard work, internal motivation, and a desire to collaborate with strong teams to achieve lofty goals.
Description: Under general supervision of the Animal Care Events Area Supervisor, the Animal Care Events Team Lead will perform a wide range of functions in the different animal departments at the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. Their primary responsibilities include assisting with managing of keeper staff, husbandry of the assigned collection of animals as well as maintaining and cleaning animal exhibits, yards, night enclosures, and contiguous areas; operant conditioning of the animal collection for husbandry behaviors, providing enrichment, and enhancement of the guest experience (which can include daily animal encounters and keeper chats). The team lead will be the point of contact for the team when the manager is unavailable, off grounds, or on their weekend. Additional duties include performing minimal exhibit construction, operating zoo vehicles, and maintaining the integrity of existing landscape. The team lead will need to be flexible with their work availability and may have to work after regular zoo hours or on weekends. This employee will also be responsible for educating the public through keeper talks and other impromptu educational sessions as well as providing a clean and safe atmosphere for families to enjoy visiting the Nashville Zoo. It is an important responsibility for this team to have a significant effect on the guest experiences here in Nashville. Applicants will need to have a wide variety of animal experience working with birds, primates, carnivores, hoofstock, domestics, ectotherms, and ambassador animals.
Preference will be given to applicants with demonstrated experience in the following areas:
Applicants for this position are required to submit to a criminal background check and pass a drug test.
Special Note
Applicant may be required to work any combination of five days in the seven day workweek including weekends and holidays.
Nashville Zoo is an EEO Institution and a Drug Free Workplace
Nashville Zoo Position Description
Animal Care Events Team Lead
The Nashville Zoo is currently seeking a highly motivated individual to bring their experience, creativity and passion to our Anima Care Events Team. This individual will be assisting with a team of dedicated keepers in caring for animals who will be out for late events and helping with zoo teams as needed. The ideal candidate will possess a balanced combination of animal experience, passion for hard work, internal motivation, and a desire to collaborate with strong teams to achieve lofty goals.
Description: Under general supervision of the Animal Care Events Area Supervisor, the Animal Care Events Team Lead will perform a wide range of functions in the different animal departments at the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. Their primary responsibilities include assisting with managing of keeper staff, husbandry of the assigned collection of animals as well as maintaining and cleaning animal exhibits, yards, night enclosures, and contiguous areas; operant conditioning of the animal collection for husbandry behaviors, providing enrichment, and enhancement of the guest experience (which can include daily animal encounters and keeper chats). The team lead will be the point of contact for the team when the manager is unavailable, off grounds, or on their weekend. Additional duties include performing minimal exhibit construction, operating zoo vehicles, and maintaining the integrity of existing landscape. The team lead will need to be flexible with their work availability and may have to work after regular zoo hours or on weekends. This employee will also be responsible for educating the public through keeper talks and other impromptu educational sessions as well as providing a clean and safe atmosphere for families to enjoy visiting the Nashville Zoo. It is an important responsibility for this team to have a significant effect on the guest experiences here in Nashville. Applicants will need to have a wide variety of animal experience working with birds, primates, carnivores, hoofstock, domestics, ectotherms, and ambassador animals.
Preference will be given to applicants with demonstrated experience in the following areas:
- 2 year(s) of animal husbandry experience
- Care, feeding, and handling of exotic and domestic animals.
- Experience with training and working ambassador animals.
- Techniques for restraining exotic and domestic animals.
- Able to monitor animal behavior and appearance.
- Effective communication with coworkers, supervisor, and the general public.
- Must be able to work outside year-round under typical Tennessee weather conditions and temperatures for extended periods of time.
- Must be able to work in uneven terrain with exposure to varying weather conditions, dust, and allergens.
- Must be able to move about on slippery surfaces, handle toxic and hazardous materials and work in cramped and confined spaces.
- Must be able to lift and carry materials up to 50 pounds.
- Applicants must have a minimum of 2 years of full-time, paid experience with either birds, ectotherms, carnivores, primates, hoofstoock, and/or domestic species.
- Applicants are preferred to have a college degree (Associate’s or Bachelor’s) in an applicable field: Animal Science, Biology, Zoology, etc.
- Applicants must possess a valid driver’s license
Applicants for this position are required to submit to a criminal background check and pass a drug test.
Special Note
Applicant may be required to work any combination of five days in the seven day workweek including weekends and holidays.
Nashville Zoo is an EEO Institution and a Drug Free Workplace
Ambassador Animal Keeper - Encounters
Nashville Zoo -
Nashville, TN
