Chimp House Manager

Responsible for leading a small team of animal care professionals in the ongoing care of rescued chimpanzees and cattle at the sanctuary.

Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest (CSNW) is one of only a handful of sanctuaries in the country that cares for chimpanzees.

CSNW was founded in 2003 to provide sanctuary for chimpanzees discarded from the entertainment and biomedical testing industries. Located on 113 acres of farm and forested land above the Yakima River in Cle Elum, Washington, the sanctuary is currently home to 16 chimpanzees and a small herd of rescued cattle. All of the animals at CSNW enjoy a rich social life in exciting indoor and outdoor environments where they have choices to make every day.

Each day brings new adventures, and we chronicle their transformations and experiences on our blog.

CSNW is licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture and accredited by the Global Federation of Animals Sanctuaries. We are also a proud founding member of the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance.

The Chimp House Manager advances the sanctuary's mission of providing lifetime quality care for our resident chimpanzees and cattle and educating the public about the plight of primates worldwide by leading and supporting the animal care staff.

• Works alongside staff to provide daily care to the sanctuary's rescued chimpanzees and cattle (see below)
• Sets team goals to consistently improve quality of care
• Provides motivation and boosts team morale
• Sets individual goals and measures performance
• Guides discussions and leads the team in decision-making around day-to-day chimpanzee care and operational issues
• Interviews, hires, and onboards animal care employees
• Ensures the staff are properly trained in operational, supervisory, and interpersonal skills
• Conducts regular check-ins with direct reports to maintain open lines of communication
• Ensures behavioral and professional accountability among team members
• Recognizes gaps in employee skills and education and offers opportunities for growth
• Manages staff schedules in coordination with Volunteer Manager
• Looks out for employee well being
• Acknowledges and appreciates employees and maintains a positive work environment

• Prepares food for each chimpanzee by following written diet instructions, serves meals to each chimpanzee, and administers medications as instructed to promote proper nutrition and health
• Cleans chimpanzee indoor and outdoor enclosures and conducts pest control activities
• Participates in the Positive Reinforcement Training program to help the chimpanzees develop cooperative health monitoring behaviors
• Observes and monitors chimpanzees' general health and behavior around other chimpanzees, staff, and volunteers and informs supervisor of any abnormal behavior to ensure chimpanzee safety
• Provides effective supervision and direction to volunteers to further develop and build their skills, experience and expertise
• Responds to violations of safety protocols and reports violations to supervisor
• Provides regular enrichment opportunities for the chimpanzees according to enrichment protocols
• Prepares and updates chimpanzee records and reports, and ensures thorough documentation/accounting of daily activities to enhance understanding of the chimpanzees' health and behavior
• Trains regularly on chimpanzee escape and emergency response procedures and participates in emergency drills
• Maintains an annual tuberculosis test and seasonal influenza vaccine schedule and is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 according to CDC guidelines
• Contributes to Outreach and Education Programs
  • Shares stories, photos, and video of the chimpanzees on the CSNW blog
  • Conducts guided tours for…