Auckland is a global city with stunning scenery, wonderful beaches, and sub-tropical islands. It is also a city with one of the most progressive zoos in the world. At Auckland Zoo, wildlife conservation and environmental sustainability are at the heart of everything we do.
Our mission is “to bring people together to build a future for wildlife” and we do this by demonstrating exceptional care for wildlife, inspiring our visitors to value wildlife, conserving wildlife in the wild, and building a high-performance organisation.
As a Senior Bird Keeper, you will bring specialist avicultural expertise and skills and will work as part of a team responsible for the daily husbandry and management of bird collection and support cutting-edge conservation in New Zealand and the Pacific region.
This is a unique opportunity to play a key role in the development of the Zoo's bird section, to actively contribute to conservation both in the zoo and in the field, to work with some of the world's most extraordinary birds, and to provide exciting visitor experiences, which inspire and empower people to take positive action for wildlife and the environment.
Working on a rotating roster system including some weekends and public holidays, we are a fun and enthusiastic team, who thrive in this challenging and rewarding area and who work in innovative areas on an international level. This position reports to the Team Leader.
He kōrero mōu: About you:
To be considered for this role, you must demonstrate all of the following:
- A minimum of five years’ professional experience in the best-practice husbandry of birds.
- Demonstrable proficiency in avicultural techniques including artificial incubation and hand-rearing techniques across a broad range of bird taxa and especially passerines.
- Relevant Bachelor degree and/or Certificate in Zoo Animal Management and/or relevant equivalent experience.
- Proven ability to carry out and supervise daily keeping duties to a high standard ensuring all husbandry and welfare needs are met.
- Experience in bird operational training/conditioning and behavioural enrichment.
- Self-motivation and demonstration of good teamwork.
- Effective communication skills and able to perform public animal encounters.
- Experience providing supervision, guidance, and support to junior members of the team and the ability to effectively train colleagues in specialist skills
- Strong organisational skills, aptitude for creative problem-solving and ‘can-do’ attitude.
- Commitment to and understanding of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums strategies for Animal Welfare and Conservation.
- Prior ZIMS record keeping experience.
- Understanding of small population biology and management.
- Current driving licence valid in NZ.
Additionally, preferred candidates would show:
- A track record of innovative husbandry and research.
- Commitment to and experience with undertaking field work and/or bird husbandry in isolated locations for extended periods.
- Project management experience.
- Mist-netting and wild bird banding experience/qualifications.
- Prior research and scientific writing experience.\
- Studbook keeping experience.
A high level of energy and physical fitness will enable you to meet the daily challenges of the role.
To review the full position description please click here: Zookeeper Auckland Zoo
Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou: What we offer:
Annual salary NZD $60,500 - $69,959 depending upon skillset & experience.
We also have an ever-growing availability of discounts and partnership benefits, for a snapshot of these please click here: Benefits
Working for an organisation with a conscience means having a role that has a positive impact on the world. This could be the place for you!
So, if you have proven relevant animal husbandry experience and a desire to really achieve conservation outcomes through your zoo-based career, we would love to hear from you!
If you have specific questions regarding this role, please contact me via email.
Please note we are unable to review your experience and make a recommendation on whether to apply or not. This can only be done by making your application online.
Contact: g[email protected]
Applications close at midnight on Sunday, 3 September 2023
Apply Now!