Animal Care Professional - Primates

Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park in Tampa, Florida Animal Care Professional - Primates (Full-Time)

Bring your passion for primates to one of the nation’s most family-friendly zoos.

At
Zoo Tampa
, Animal Care Professionals go beyond daily care—they champion animal welfare, build trust through positive-reinforcement training, create engaging habitats, and inspire guests to care about conservation. Join our primate team and make a meaningful impact every day—for the animals and the community you serve.

The duties of the
Animal Care Professional (Primates)include, but are not limited to, daily care and feeding of assigned animals, daily training sessions, maintenance of animal habitats and night-houses, behavioral observations, record keeping, assisting veterinary staff, operation of utility vehicles, and public presentations.

Who We Are

Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park
is one of the most popular zoos in the southeastern U.S., with over 1 million visitors annually. We have grown to what now encompasses 56 acres of naturalistic wildlife habitats in a lush, tropical garden setting with wide-ranging activities. The Zoo, accredited by Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), offers popular educational programming, fun recreational amenities, up-close animal encounters and engaging seasonal events for which it has won awards as one of the country’s most family-friendly zoos.

Our mission
is to rescue, rehabilitate and care for animals; create exceptional personalized experiences that connect people with wildlife and each other in fun, immersive ways.

Our vision
is that everyone we touch is motivated to join us in taking action to protect and preserve wildlife.

Join us and become a part of creating unforgettable natural connections!

Your day to day

• General husbandry and care of assigned animals, including preparing and distributing approved animal diets.
• Close observation of animal behaviors with a particular focus on appropriate appetite, mobility and waste production to monitor health of animals, notification of appropriate animal care staff of any concerns.
• Shift animals according to area’s standard operating procedures (SOP).
• Animal capture, restraint and handling techniques.
• Engage with the Zoo guests at exhibits, conservation stations, keeper talks, training demonstrations and/or shows.
• Maintain detailed daily records on assigned animals.
• Assist in animal procedures including, but not limited to, translocations, veterinary procedures and crating.
• Strong knowledge of Zoo layout and general animal collection to respond quickly during animal emergencies and also assist guests on a daily basis with exhibit location.
• Initiates and completes area projects with supervisor’s approval.
• Adherence to area’s standard operating procedures (SOP).
• Knowledge of safety SOP, safety concerns and reporting protocols.
• Knowledge of husbandry requirements and the prevention of zoonotic diseases.
• Knowledge of basic nutrition requirements for assigned area(s).
• Assist registrar in area’s record keeping.
• Inspect, clean and maintain both exhibit and off-exhibit areas.
• Propose and perform species-specific enrichment.
• Promote active guest engagement through interaction with guests during both formal and informal discussions, during events and as otherwise assigned.
• Report animal illness, maintenance, safety, horticulture or other needs to appropriate staff.
• Assist in animal procedures including, but not limited to, translocations, veterinary procedures and crating.
• Respond to and assist supervisor in guiding the resolution of emergency situations (e.g., Code I, II, III) within the Zoo.
• Guide subordinate co-workers on intermediate procedures.
• Observe safety policies and procedures in regard to the use of Zoo equipment, materials, chemicals and vehicles.

What are we looking for?

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED); AA degree or higher preferred.
• Three or more years paid keeper experience in an AZA accredited institution.
• SCUBA and First-Aid Certification for specific areas.
• Knowledge of Word Processing software and Spreadsheet software.
• Must have good written and oral communication skills and ability to effectively participate in guest engagement activities.
• Must be…