Animal Care Technician

The Part Time Animal Care Technician(s) will be responsible for the care of animals exhibited in the Da Vinci Science Center’s Lehigh River Watershed Exhibit (including North American River Otters, freshwater fish, turtles, and non-venomous snakes, as well as the organization’s education animal collection (Striped Skunk, Eastern Screech Owl, reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods). 

Under the supervision of the Animal Care Manager and Director of Environmental Science and Living Collections, the primary responsibilities of this position include performing and/or contributing to daily animal care (feeding, enclosure cleaning, minor maintenance), enrichment, and training, and helping to lead interpretive programming for visitors. 

This is a part-time position with flexible hours, typically working between 8 and 24 hours, with a maximum of 40 hours per week, including weekend, and occasional evening and holiday work. Hours will be assigned as-needed to cover animal care routines, and may be inconsistent.  

MAJOR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

 Animal Care

·        Perform diet prep and feeding of collection.

·        Perform enrichment for all collection animals and incorporate enrichment into feeding routines.

·        Under the direction of the Animal Care Manager (ACM), participate in and eventually lead training sessions for animals including otters, skunk, and owl.

·        Oversee and perform daily exhibit and holding area cleaning and maintenance, including shifting animals for cleaning.

·        Monitor animal behavior, health and well-being, and perform health assessments daily; report and document abnormalities.

·        Monitor visitor interactions and survey exhibit daily to ensure animal and visitor safety.

·        Monitor environmental conditions of enclosures/exhibits.

·        Maintain detailed, thorough records of all  the above, file daily reports.

·        Maintain an excellent line of communication with supervisor and other relevant staff.

Life Support Systems

·        Perform water quality testing as scheduled.

·        Monitor and perform routine maintenance on LSS systems, animal habitats, and back-of- house equipment.

·        Perform water changes, adjust water levels, clean filters, replace filter media, etc. as needed.

Other Responsibilities

·        Present public and reserved programs to visitors, including daily otter chat enrichment/training demonstrations, and education animal presentations.  

·        Assist with exhibit creation, design, or modification as needed.  

·        Serve as an in-house expert on native wildlife and conservation.

• Make diversity, equity, and inclusion a priority in day-to-day operations and colleague and community relationships.

• Other duties as assigned.

 QUALIFICATIONS

Mandatory Qualifications:

 ·        Professional animal care experience at some level

·        Comfort with caring for and handling turtles, snakes, and fish.

·        Motivated, task-oriented, accountable, independent worker, with the ability to multitask and keep to a schedule.

·        Skilled at working harmoniously and efficiently as part of a team.

·        Ability to walk on uneven, slippery terrain and be comfortable around 3-4 ft deep pools.

·        Basic computer skills (Microsoft Office, file sharing, email, etc.)

·        Must agree to follow health and safety and PPE protocols when working with animals (including possible vaccination, and use of safety equipment)

·        Motivated self-starter that is team and goal oriented

·        Exceptional communication skills, both oral and written.

·        Comfortability with public speaking and presentation.

·        Ability to participate in programs, events and receptions that may occur outside of normal working hours.

·        Demonstrated problem solving skills and ability to work with staff at all levels in a complex, collaborative environment.

·        Work and communicate effectively and respectfully with people from different cultural backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications:

·        1-3 years of experience working as a keeper/animal care personnel in a zoo, aquarium, museum, or nature center environment.

·        Experience caring for otters and knowledge of their husbandry needs and natural history

·        Experience caring for and handling native reptiles

·        Experience caring for fish including LSS/filtration maintenance and water quality testing

·        Experience teaching environmental education programming

·        Bilingual in English and Spanish a plus

PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS JOB

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of the job.

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to be on their feet for four (4) hours at a time, move or lift up to 50 pounds, and use their hands and fingers. The employee is required to stand, walk, walk up stairs, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision. The employee must be able to walk on uneven, slippery terrain. The employee must be physically able to wear a face mask for extended periods.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to and should be comfortable with:

·        mechanical parts and tools

·        chemicals used for cleaning, water treatment, etc.

·        sharp knives and other instruments

·        noise levels that can be moderate to loud

·        raw seafood, poultry, and meat

·        odors and animal feces and urine

·        wet, uneven terrain near 3-4ft deep pools

·        North American river otters, a potentially dangerous species capable of causing bodily harm, as well as other animal species capable of biting, scratching, etc.