Chimp Haven

Animal Caregiver Specialist

Location

Keithville, LA

Type

Full Time

Benefits:
  • 401(k)
  • 401(k) matching
  • Competitive salary
  • Dental insurance
  • Employee discounts
  • Health insurance
  • Opportunity for advancement
  • Paid time off
  • Parental leave
  • Relocation bonus
  • Vision insurance
 
ANIMAL CARE SPECIALIST 

Job Classification 
·       Title Class:  Animal Care Specialist 
·       Descriptive Title:  Chimpanzee Caregiver; Animal Care Specialist 
·       Shift:  Day/Night/Weekend 
·       FLSA:  Non-exempt 
·       Risk Level: 3 
 

Primary Function 
Provide care for the chimpanzees and their housing areas and improve well-being and prevent disease by close observation of chimpanzee behavior and careful cleaning procedures.  Most duties performed with little direct supervision. 

 

Duties and Responsibilities 
·       Prepare and provide food to the chimpanzees 
·       Clean and sanitize chimpanzee housing areas, equipment, and other related areas or materials.  May use cleaning equipment. 
·       Remove and replace bedding. 
·       Observe chimpanzee behavior and appearance.  Report unusual behavior or injuries. 
·       Inspect all housing areas and bedding. Report any structural issues. 
·       Transport food, bedding, or supplies from storage areas to animal areas. 
·       Maintain records of health, behavior, cleaning, etc. 
·       Maintain logs of staff training, group moves, group locations, and sanitizing schedules. 
·       Provide assistance to Team Lead/Coordinator where needed in coordination with other departments. 
·       Provide enrichment and training to chimpanzees as directed. 
·       May administer medications and treatment under supervision. 
·       May maintain stock of feed, bedding, and cleaning supplies. 
·       May assist in planning and implementing special projects, including educational programs. 
·       May assist behavioral or veterinary staff as directed. 
·       May be designated as group leader and assist other animal caregivers as directed, including overseeing project leaders. 
·       Assist coordinator in leading the team through daily activities. May be appointed team lead in absence of coordinator. 
·       Assist in training new animal care staff. 
·       Perform related duties as required. 
 
 
Supervision and Responsibility 
·       Reports to Team Lead/Coordinator, Animal Care Supervisor, Animal Care Manager and Colony Director, but expected to perform most duties with little supervision. 
·       Provide direction for care staff on a daily basis, sometimes as Team Lead. Check ins with supervisor on weekends. 
·       May oversee Project Leaders (tools, signs, locks, etc.) to ensure projects are being managed. 
·       Mentor care staff at all levels. Demonstrate and train proper procedures. 
·       Assists with training new employees. 
·       May supervise volunteers. 
·       Knowledgeable about variety of field’s concepts, practices, and procedures. 
·       Relies on pre-established guidelines and experience to plan and accomplish goals. 
·       Exercises judgment to make recommendations for improvement. 
 
 
Education and Experience Required 
·       Bachelor’s degree in related field, veterinary technician degree, or AALAS laboratory Animal Technician certification required. 
·       At least 3 years’ paid experience working with chimpanzees. A combination of experience and/or education may be considered. 
·       Must be able to read and follow written and verbal instructions and write legibly and accurately. 
 
Other Requirements and Working Conditions 
·       This work will require bending, carrying, kneeling, lifting, listening, pulling, pushing, reading, speaking, squatting, standing, stooping, stretching, walking, watching, and writing. 
·       Must be able to routinely lift and carry 50lbs for short distances.  
·       Must be able to assist in lifting chimpanzees (up to 75lbs). 
·       Duties may require driving Chimp Haven vehicles and must have a valid driver’s license and meet Chimp Haven’s motor vehicle operating standards. 
·       Work may involve considerable outdoor work in various weather conditions. 
·       Potential exists for animal bites and scratches. 
·       Potential exposure to unpleasant odors, animal wastes, animal tissues and body fluids, toxic chemicals, zoonotic diseases (tuberculosis, shigella, etc.) infectious agents (Hepatitis B, C, HIV, etc.) 
·       Weekend, holiday, and night work may be necessary. 
·       Participation in a medical monitoring and surveillance program that includes hepatitis B and other inoculations is required. 
·       Safety training, equipment, clothing, and supplies will be provided. 
 

TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.chimphaven.org and follow the links to “ABOUT US / JOIN OUR TEAM.” 

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Company Website: www.chimphaven.org

(if you already have a resume on Indeed)

Or apply here.

* required fields

Location
Or
Or

U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Information (Completion is voluntary)

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

You are being given the opportunity to provide the following information in order to help us comply with federal and state Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action record keeping, reporting, and other legal requirements.

Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

Form CC-305
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 4/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.