Senior Supervising Primary Animal Keeper

This position is subject to a collective bargaining agreement

Pay Rate: To maintain internal equity, we have identified the pay rate for this position at the Oakland Zoo as $30.82 per hour. An offer at this pay rate will be our best and final compensation offer.

Applications due by August 12, 2025

Application Process:

• Applicants must submit a resume, cover letter, and 3 professional references.
• Candidates not meeting minimum requirements may not receive a response.  
• Applicants selected for candidacy are required to attend an on-site working interview.

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Position Summary  

The Senior Supervising Primary Animal Keeper is responsible for the daily management of the String Nine animals and facilities at the Oakland Zoo. This position is responsible for the daily management of a wide range of avian and mammal species in the African Savanna and Rainforest areas of the Zoo, including Plains Zebra, Klipspringer, Rock Hyrax, Sacred Ibis, Yellow-Billed Stork, Superb Starling, Hooded Vulture, White Faced Whistling Duck, Hamerkop, Blue Bellied Roller, Taveta Golden Weaver, Red Bellied Parrot, Military Macaw, Blue and Gold Macaw, and Red Rumped Agouti.  

They are also responsible for supervising the String Animal Keeper staff that includes a Primary Animal Keeper, Floating Animal Keepers, and Temporary Animal Keepers, as well as interns and volunteers.  Work ranges from tasks associated with feeding, enrichment, and maintenance of the animal habitats and holding facilities, to team management, record keeping, holistic welfare assessments and behavioral training, and team and individual communication. The Senior Supervising Primary Animal Keeper takes direction from and reports to the Zoological Managers and Department Vice President regarding daily operations as appropriate.

Oakland Zoo offers a comprehensive benefits package, including Health insurance, Dental insurance, Vision insurance, Flexible spending account, Retirement plan, Paid time off, Employee Assistance Program, and A Family Zoo Membership.

• Works closely with the Zoological Manager towards string and department goals.
• Implements Department and Zoo priorities, as well as demonstrating the initiative and expertise to regularly find ways to make improvements, which may include department level administrative tasks.
• Serves as a resource with Zoological Managers to the team, and to the Zoo on all aspects of natural history and captive management of the species under their care.
• Oversees and supervises the string Animal Keeper team in daily string functions, including staff and volunteers.  
• Responsible for overseeing all aspects of string animal feeding.  
• Responsible for ensuring and providing clean, safe, and sanitary conditions in which the animals may live.  
• Uses the tools of animal observation, enrichment, training, and other behavioral husbandry methods to ensure the best possible psychological well-being of the animals in their care.
• Oversees the completion of Holistic Welfare Assessments, Quality of Life Monitoring, and the development of plans to enhance welfare and address concerns that may arise at any time in the animal's life.  
• Works with Zoological Managers to oversee the development of enrichment and training programs to meet each animal's welfare needs.  
• Oversees animal facilities through ongoing evaluation and reporting of habitats and holding areas.    
• Train, inspire, coach, set expectations, and provide feedback with a wide variety of people including docents, teen volunteers, and Education staff.
• Guide and support junior staff and volunteers as appropriate.
• Represent the Zoo in a variety of public settings including press interviews, instructional classes, and casual communication with Zoo guests.
• Act as a department leader and can be expected to cover department function and emergency response coordination in the absence of Zoological Manager or Department Vice President.
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned by Zoological Managers.

• 6 years of paid experience caring for captive wildlife at an AZA facility or equivalent (GFAS, EAZA).
• Ability to train, inspire, coach, set expectations, and provide feedback with a wide variety of people.
• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record.
• Willingness to work outside normal business hours including weekends and holidays.
• Knowledge of the habits and hazards of working with wild animals; willingness to work with some physical risk while observing proper safety precautions.

Bonus if you have…  

• Bachelor's degree or specialized associate's degree (ex. Moorpark).
• Significant knowledge of natural history and captive management of wild animals.
• Significant experience with husbandry and care for non-domesticated avian and mammal species in the captive environment.  
• Advanced skills in behavior-based husbandry (enrichment and training) and holistic welfare assessments.
• Knowledge and experience with the specific taxa listed above.
• Experience with public talks and presentations, or ambassador animal work.

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Oakland Zoo does not expect every applicant to have every skill and qualification listed here and will consider the combination of formal education, training, and practical experience of each applicant. We are committed to supporting the career development of our employees. A strong candidate who is interested in growing and learning in this role will possess at least 75% of the following qualifications. If this is you, then we strongly encourage you to apply.  

Knowledge, Skills, and Qualities– May be representative, but not all-inclusive, of those knowledge, skills and abilities commonly associated with this position.  

• Collaboration – builds trusting relationships with both internal and external stakeholders across our organization and community-wide and approaches differences of opinion with curiosity and humility
• Communication – communicates respectfully and effectively with stakeholders across identities, both verbally and in writing
• Dependability – demonstrates trustworthiness and reliability, including while working with little or no direct supervision
• Enjoyment – finds joy in one’s work, approaches tasks with thoughtfulness & intentionality, and fosters collective well-being by embracing the unique skills and qualities of colleagues
• Flexibility – nimbly adapts to evolving priorities and urgent needs; handles intervals of high pressure while maintaining perspective and humor
• Inclusive Culture - fosters a culture of mutual respect, transparency, collaboration and belonging which allows all employees to feel appreciated, included, and value
• Leadership – mentors, advises, and develops people across identities with consideration for cultural relevance and responsiveness, self-awareness around implicit bias and understanding of the power dynamics that exist in organizations
• Organization – strong attention to details and able to build and/or maintain efficient systems
• Passion – wholeheartedly believes in, represents, and models Oakland Zoo’s mission and PRIDE values at all times
• Relationship-Building: able to build and maintain trusting relationships and mutually beneficial partnerships with internal and external stakeholders
• Solution-oriented – utilizes an open-minded and strengths-based approach to finding solutions for complex challenges
• Sustainability – oriented toward the mission and values of Oakland Zoo and able to put those into practice by finding creative and resourceful ways to develop sustainable practices within your role and department
• Time management – strong capabilities with a demonstrated ability to effectively prioritize multiple commitments
• Wildlife Aware - understands mission to support the conservation and welfare of animals at the Zoo, locally and globally.  This is demonstrated by a willingness/passion to reflect this mission in all actions and to continue to learn how to take action for wildlife

Physical Considerations

• Able to lift a minimum of 50 lbs. (i.e., feed sack)  
• Move a minimum of 120lbs. (i.e. hay bale)
• Ability to walk the zoo grounds and be outside for long periods of time

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