City of El Paso Zoo · Texas · posted today
Zoo Area Supervisor Minimum Qualifications Education and Experience: High School Diploma or GED, and four (4) years of specialized zoo animal care experience in the area of assignment, including one (1) year of supervisory or lead worker experience. Licenses and Certificates: Valid Texas Class "C" Driver's License or equivalent from another state by the date of appointment. General Purpose Under general supervision, supervise and participate in the care of the assigned zoo animal collection and monitor maintenance of exhibits, grounds, and service areas. Typical Duties Direct and provide for the care of the assigned animal collection. Involves: Observing animal behavior, watching for illness and injury, and monitoring reproductive behavior. Assist in the care of animals by cleaning, feeding, and monitoring. Clean exhibits and holding areas as needed. Assist and perform animal handling, capturing, and restraint. Assist veterinary staff in animal procedures. Prepare documentation as required on animal care. Perform enrichment and conditioning activities for the animals. Involves: Develop enrichment devices. Prepare enrichment schedules. Evaluate the success of enrichment items. Train and condition animals to behave while staff are performing medical procedures and checking for injury and illness. Assist in the maintenance of animal exhibits. Involves: Clean animal exhibits, aquariums, and holding areas. Assist in the replacement and repair of structures, plants, and other habitats as needed. Prepare work orders and coordinate work with maintenance staff. Assist with the planning and design of animal habitats and displays. Perform a variety of duties in support of animal care. Involves: Requisitioning animal food and supplies. Maintain inventories. Prepare detailed records of animal behaviors, physical condition, reproduction, and other factors as required. Recommend improvements in animal care. Provide information about the zoo and facilities to the public. Assist with the preparation of the budget for the area. Attend meetings. Enter information into a computer and prepare appropriate reports. Supervise assigned staff. Involves: Schedule, assign, instruct, guide, and check work. Appraise employee performance. Provide training and development. Enforce personnel rules and regulations and work behavior standards firmly and impartially. Counsel, motivate, and maintain harmony. Interview applicants and recommend hiring, termination, discipline, or other employee status changes. Enforce animal and staff safety requirements. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities • Application of considerable knowledge of exotic animal care, feeding, and handling methods and techniques for the area of assignment: Area 1: Animals from Asia's geographic area: e.g., elephants, tapirs, antelope, deer, waterfowl, and small to large birds. Area 2: Animals from the Americas' geographic area: e.g., nocturnal & diurnal raptors; upland gamebirds, small birds, mammals, reptiles, and invertebrates of the Chihuahuan desert; waterfowl, ratites, parrots, sea lions, hoof stock, canids, felids, ursids, capybaras, and maras. Area 3: Animals from Asia's geographic area: e.g., freshwater fish; carnivorous, omnivorous, nectivorous, frugivorous, and seed-eating birds; pythons, monitor lizards, small hoof stock, fruit bats, small mammals, great apes, other primates, ursids, and small to very large felids. Area 4: Animals from the America's geographic area: e.g. freshwater fish; marine fish and invertebrates; piscivorous, omnivorous, insectivorous, seed eating, frugivorous, wading and water birds; amphibians; venomous and non-venomous snakes and lizards; turtles, tortoises; alligators, small felids, sloths, tamanduas, and small primates. Area 5: Animals from the African geographical area: e.g., ratites; piscivorous, carnivorous, omnivorous, insectivorous, seed-eating, frugivorous, wading and water birds; lizards, amphibians, meerkats, mole rats, tortoises, lions, painted dogs, primates; antelope, deer, zebra, and giraffe. Education animals represent several geographical areas: e.g. freshwater fish; terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates; amphibians, non-venomous snakes, lizards, turtles and tortoises; parrots; small to medium mammals, (rats, chinchillas, shrews, rabbits, hedgehogs). • Application of good knowledge of exotic animal safety, enrichment, conditioning behavior, and husbandry techniques pertaining to animals of the assigned area. • Application of good knowledge of exotic animal health, including diseases, nutrition, and environment pertaining to animals of the assigned area. • Application of some knowledge of animal enclosures, zoo equipment maintenance methods, and techniques. • Application of some knowledge of supervisory principles and practices. • Ability to supervise, train, and evaluate assigned staff. • Ability to identify unusual animal behavior, take corrective action, and maintain detailed records. • Ability to handle, restrain, and transport zoo animals. • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, other zoo staff, and the public. Other Job Characteristics • Subject to working extended hours, including weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts (days, evenings, and graveyards). • Subject to mandatory recall and overtime. • Requires mobility within a zoo environment and occasionally driving through city traffic. • Works around a variety of animal species with potential for physical harm from bites, kicks, heavy lifting, surgical instruments, etc. • Exposure to infectious diseases from daily contact with exotic and domestic animals, including bacterial, fungal, parasitic, and viral pathogens. • Exposure to extreme weather conditions during animal emergencies. Classification Status (Ord. 016439 08/22/06), (CC 07/29/12), (HR 08/23/22), (HR 05/22/22), (HR 09/11/22), (HR 03/12/23), (HR 09/10/23), (HR 09/08/2024), (HR 02/23/2025), (HR 05/05/2025).
Apply on the employer's site →JobMoo watches every zoo, aquarium, wildlife, and marine source we know and emails you the roles that fit, once a day, with a real human keeping an eye on your search. Built by a dad and his daughter, and it worked: she landed the job.
Start your 7-day trial, $9/mo after