Facility

Happy Hollow Zoo

Closing Date

Description

SENIOR ZOO KEEPER:

Under the general direction of the Zoo Director and Zoo Curator, the Senior Zoo Keeper is responsible for the supervision, training, scheduling, and assignment of Zoo Keepers, Trainees and Volunteers in safely providing a high standard of care for animals in the Happy Hollow Park & Zoo animal collection. Assists the Zoo Director and Zoo Curator in record keeping and maintenance, establishing and updating procedures,

recruitments, public interaction, and daily operations. Also assists in Public Relations, Education, and program and customer service delivery.

The ideal candidate will possess excellent communication skills (verbal and written) and must have the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other Happy Hollow Park & Zoo staff at all levels. Familiarity with a wide variety of taxa including birds, carnivores, hoofstock, primates and reptiles as well as a background in animal training and enrichment are preferred.

Zoo Keeper FT/PT

Zoo Keepers perform work involving the care and feeding of zoo animals and maintenance of cages, enclosures, grounds and service areas at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo; they also work with animals under all types of climatic conditions to prepare them for presentations, capture and restraint, basic husbandry, and behavioral enrichment. In addition, they respond to general questions from the public regarding zoo animals.

Education and Pre-requisites

Education:

Senior Zoo Keeper and Zoo Keeper: Completion of high school or equivalent General Educational Development (G.E.D) Certificate, or California Proficiency Certificate.

Experience:

Senior Zoo Keeper: Three (3) years full time (equivalent to 6,240 hours) of experience in the care of zoo animals, including one (1) year full time (equivalent to 2,080 hours) in a lead or supervisory position.

Zoo Keeper: One (1) year full time (equivalent to 2,080 hours) of experience in the care of non-domestic animals.

Acceptable Substitutions:

Senior Zoo Keeper: Course work from an accredited college or university in Biology, Zoology, Zoo Keeping, Animal Training and Management or closely related field can substitute for two (2) years of the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

Zoo Keeper: College course work from an accredited college or university in Biology, Zoology, Zoo Keeping, Animal Training and Management or closely related field can be substituted for the required one (1) year of experience.

Compensation and benefits

The annual salary range for Senior Zoo Keeper is $44,948.80 – $54,600.00.

The annual salary range for Zoo Keeper FT is $36,275.20 – $44,075.20.

The Zoo Keeper FT/PT classification is covered by the Living Wage Policy and the hourly pay rate is $20.14 for part time/full time benefited and $21.39 for part time unbenefited instead of the posted amount.

Application instructions

The City of San Jose’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) Department currently has one (1) vacancy for Senior Zoo Keeper, and one (1) vacancy for Zoo Keeper Full-Time. In the event that this recruitment results in an internal promotion from the ranks of existing Zoo Keeper FT/PT, the qualified candidate group identified through this process may also be used to fill the subsequent and future vacancies at the Zoo Keeper FT/PT level.
In addition, qualified candidates identified through this process may also be used to fill subsequent and future Zoo Keeper FT/PT vacancies, if and when they become available. If you are interested in being considered for employment in these classifications, please apply to this job announcement and any future postings, to ensure you are considered for current and future opportunities.
To view the full announcement for this exciting opportunity and apply online with the City of San José, please visit the City of San José’s employment page (www.sanjoseca.gov/citycareers).

Then click on the “Open-Competitive Recruitments” link.