A modern, progressive zoo, and the best in the UK, is on the lookout for someone to fill their most recent position – like a twitcher in the cabin, if you will. If you have proven experience as an aviculturist in a zoological or conservation–breeding facility, you could be in luck as Chester Zoo is searching for a bird keeper.
Granted, the role is to be the lead keeper for parrots and penguins only, but make no mistake, it’s a highly specialised job with a lot of responsibility. Starting on an annual salary of £24,632.63, the keeper position will “involve the daily care and husbandry of a wide range of bird species including: Parrots, Penguins, Passerines, Hornbills and Pheasants.”
But don’t think this job is all birds and no play, as the zoo specifies that the successful candidate “must be able to deliver an excellent level of animal husbandry for the birds in their care; ensuring that all enclosures and facilities are maintained to the highest possible standards”, so make sure you only apply if you have the relevant skills, including “excellent avicultural knowledge and a proven track-record of practical experience of bird husbandry in a zoological setting.”
The job carries all the usual perks and more, including a pension scheme, cycle to work scheme, and discounts on leisure such as the gym, cinema tickets, and restaurants. Chester Zoo also love to nurture their staff, as well as their animals, making it a great place to work.
They say: “We’re a huge team of conservationists, scientists, educators, animal welfare experts, marketeers, visitor experience professionals, environmental policy influencers; the list goes on. Each and every one of us is on a mission to make Chester Zoo the best in the world, and our planet a better place.
“As the UK’s biggest and best zoo, we have ambitious goals, exciting plans, and there’s always lots going on here. We’re an inclusive and diverse organisation, made up of nearly 500 permanent and 500 seasonal team members, and we know how important it is to invest in our colleagues to help boost their career development. We have ambitious goals, and we want you to be with us for the long term on our exciting journey.”
So, if you tick those boxes and fancy a unique job where you can gaze out of your window at lunchtime onto the breadth of beautiful species roaming the grounds, the bird keeper job listing at Chester Zoo can be found here.