Intern - Animal Keeper

About the role

The Animal Keeper Intern will be responsible for assisting Animal Keepers with routine husbandry tasks to provide day-to-day care of a wide variety of multi-class and multi-genera animals.

Cleans and maintains animal, service, and public areas of the park. May interact with the public by giving public talks and answering questions.

Responsibilities

• Assists with general labor duties related to the care of multi-class and multi-genera animals, including diet preparation, animal feeding, cleaning exhibits, maintaining service and public areas.
• Lifts hay bales, grain sacks and other equipment as needed.
• Performs ground maintenance in animal areas and around the zoo.
• Uses and wears applicable personal protective equipment required in hazardous environments and emergency situations.
• Operates a variety of tools and equipment including weed eater, saws, basic hand tools and basic power tools.
• Operates a vehicle, such as dump trucks and motorized carts as needed.
• Maintains records, maintenance logs, and activity records via the use of mobile and stationary electronic devices such as computers, tablets, etc.
• Communicates orally and in writing, including using the telephone and two-way radio.
• Represents the City of Manhattan professionally and courteously with the public and other City employees.
• Assists supervisors and other departmental personnel in other projects for the benefit of the City and/or department.
• Comprehends and learns standardized work procedures and practices.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• High School diploma, GED or equivalent.
• Selected candidate(s) may be required to pass a TB test.
• Valid Driver’s license.
• Must be 18 years or older.

Preferred Qualifications

• Six (6) months experience in domestic or exotic animal care.
• One (1) year of college education, or fifteen (15) hours of college credit in an animal/wildlife, environmental/conservation, natural resources, education, psychology, or sociology related courses.
• CPR/First Aid Certification (Can be provided through Parks & Recreation).

Pay

Starting Wage: $12.00/hour

Schedule

Shift, Workdays, and Hours: Varies