An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Animal Keeper to join our team at our educational centre, The Living Rainforest. You would be joining a small but enthusiastic team, who maintain our animal collection. The main tasks of the role would be to ensure a high standard of animal welfare is always maintained and ensure husbandry routines are adhered to.

The Trust for Sustainable Living is a registered charity based near Newbury, Berkshire. At our visitor centre, The Living Rainforest, the animal collection is contained within three tropical glasshouses and consists of more than 60 species. These include callitrichids, toucan and turacos, snakes, chelonia, stingrays, dendrobatids, and invertebrates and more.

This is a great opportunity to work with a wide variety of species from Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians to Fish and Invertebrates.

Responsibilities

• Carry out all elements of animal husbandry including cleaning, feeding and preparation of diets.
• To ensure the husbandry routines and general health of our animals are maintained to a high standard
• To check the health and wellbeing of our animals and promptly report and record any changes observed
• Maintain detailed and accurate records as required
• Maintain and create new enclosures and enriching environments for our different species.
• Contribute to the training and support of our volunteers and interns.
• Engage with our visitors such as providing Keeper experiences, animal feeds and talks/demonstrations where required.
• To adhere to all our health and safety policies and procedures.

The role

• This is a hands on, practical role, working with a diverse range of tropical animals from all taxa.
• Working 5 out of 7 days per week on a rota basis including weekends and Bank Holidays. Hours are approximately 40 hours per week 8.30am to 5.00pm.

The successful candidate will have

• At least 3 years hands on keeper experience within a zoo environment
• Some supervisory experience or experience of leading a team.
• A relevant degree or qualification would be a benefit but not essential
• Experience of a diversity of taxa, husbandry and management of animal exhibits and facilities within a themed environment
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to build strong working relationships across teams

Apply for this job

To apply, please send your CV together with a covering letter explaining why you would be the best candidate for the role to Robyn Daniels, HR Manager, robynd@livingrainforest.org.

Thank you for your interest in joining our team. Due to the popularity of some vacancies, if we haven’t contacted you back within 28 days, please assume that your application was unsuccessful.

We aim to be an equal opportunities employer and we are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

The Living Rainforest is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and Adults at Risk. Therefore the successful applicant will need to undertake an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check for this role.