Animal Keeper I

The Job

-THIS IS A SPECIAL DISTRICTS POSITION ONLY-

The San Bernardino County Big Bear Park and Recreation is recruiting for an Animal Keeper I to perform general and routine animal care tasks under supervision at the District's Big Bear Alpine Zoo. Primary duties include feeding exotic animals, observing and documenting animal behavior, answering questions from the public, assisting with presentations, animal training, performing maintenance in and around animal enclosures, and maintaining a high level of Animal Care Standards.
This position is located in the mountain area of Big Bea r, CA (approximately 1 hour/45 miles from downtown San Bernardino, CA).

ABOUT BIG BEAR ALPINE ZOO

The Big Bear Alpine Zoo is a rehabilitation facility offering injured, orphaned and imprinted wild animals a safe haven temporarily while they heal or permanently as they are unable to survive on their own. We are extremely proud that the vast majority of animals brought to us for rehabilitation are successfully released back into their native environment. Those that remain with us on exhibit are either too injured or have been imprinted by humans and cannot be released back into the wild to care for themselves.

The Big Bear Valley Recreation and Park District, a Special District of San Bernardino County, owns the zoo, the facilities and the animals. County employees are hired for animal care, grounds keepers, maintenance, education and administration. The zoo is located within the 3rd District of San Bernardino County. The Park District oversees the operation of the zoo, and the Curator oversees the day to day activities of the zoo. The zoo is located in the San Bernardino National Forest at an elevation of 7140 feet. For more information visit https://bigbearzoo.org/

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Pre-Employment Process: Prior to appointment, applicants must undergo a background check, which includes fingerprinting and a medical exam.

Availability: Must be able to work in the mountain area of Big Bear, CA and report to work in extreme weather conditions such as ice and snow. Please indicate availability for Big Bear on Agency Wide Question #2. Must be able to work evenings, weekends and holidays.

Travel: Travel within the County may be required. A valid California Driver License and proof of automobile liability insurance must be provided at time of hire and maintained throughout employment.

Working Conditions: Applicants must be able to work outdoors in varying mountain weather conditions, drive in all weather conditions, lift and/or carry heavy objects up to fifty (50) pounds, stoop, kneel, crouch, bend over, crawl, and perform other physical activities in the performance of job duties for this position.

Sponsorship: San Bernardino County is unable to consider to candidates who require Visa Sponsorship at this time or in the future. Candidates must be able to present their legal right to work in the United States at the time of employment.

Minimum Requirements

EXPERIENCE: One (1) year full time equivalent (40 hours per week) experience providing animal care, feeding, training, exercising, observing/documenting behavior, and cleaning enclosures, in a zoo, hospital/clinic, wildlife rehabilitation center or similar experience. Experience must include a variety of wildlife/exotic animals or sick/injured animals.

Volunteer, internship, or professional experience is acceptable and must be included in the work history section of your application.

Note: Personal, non-work related experience such as taking care of pets, dog sitting, breeding animals, and/or working in facilities such as pet boarding or grooming is NOT considered qualifying experience.

Desired Qualifications

Animal Keeper experience and training with exotic animals is preferred. Coursework in wildlife rehabilitation/husbandry and a current Veterinary Technician license is highly desirable.

Selection Process

There will be a competitive evaluation of qualifications based on the information provided in the Application, as well as the Supplemental Questionnaire. You are encouraged to include detailed descriptions of your qualifying experience and skills, as only the most highly qualified applicants will be referred to the Department.

All communications regarding the recruitment process will be via e-mail. Applicants are encouraged to check their e-mail frequently to learn additional information regarding this recruitment. Check your GovernmentJobs account for notifications. Update your firewalls to allow e-mails from San Bernardino County through governmentjobs.com. Update your Spam, Junk, and Bulk settings to ensure it will not spam/block/filter communications from e-mail addresses with the following domain: "@hr.sbcounty.gov". Finally, be sure to keep your personal information updated. Taking these steps now will help ensure you receive all communications regarding this recruitment.

Application Procedure : To be considered for this excellent opportunity, please complete and submit the online employment application and supplemental questionnaire. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the application and/or supplemental questionnaire.
To ensure timely and successful submission of your online application, please allow ample time to complete and submit your application. Applicants will be automatically logged-out if they have not submitted the application and all required materials prior to the posted deadline. Once your application has been successfully submitted you will receive an onscreen confirmation and an email. We recommend that you save and/or print these for your records. Please note, if you do not receive an onscreen confirmation and an email acknowledging our receipt of your application we have not received your application.

If you require technical assistance , please click HERE to review the Government Jobs online application guide , or contact their Toll-Free Applicant Support line at (855) 524-5627. Please note that Human Resources is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by the internet connection, computer or browser used to submit the application.

EEO/ADA: San Bernardino County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant employer, committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants.

ADA Accommodation: If you have a disability and require accommodations in the testing process, submit the Special Testing Accommodations Request Form within one week of a recruitment filing deadline.

Veterans’ Preference: Eligible veterans and their spouse or widow(er) who are not current County employees may be awarded additional Veterans’ Preference points. Click here for information and instructions to request Veteran's Preference points.

Please click HERE for important Applicant Information and the County Employment Process .

Non-Represented Compensation Plan

The County of San Bernardino offers a range of benefit programs for employees and their eligible dependents. These include health, dental, vision, and life insurance, as well as a variety of voluntary benefits. Programs and benefit amounts vary and are based on bargaining unit, family size, hire date, plan selection, and number of hours worked.

For a summary of benefits, please click here .

A summary of benefits is provided below. Refer to the appropriate MOU, contact the County's Employee Benefits and Services Division at (909) 387-5787 or visit the Benefits website for more detailed information at hr.sbcounty.gov/employee-benefits/ .

Closing Date/Time: 4/26/2024 5:00 PM Pacific

Big Bear, California United States View Map