Head of Education and Learning

Chester Zoo - Chester, United Kingdom

Chester Zoo is one of the premier zoos in the UK attracting over 1.4million visitors/yr. It is renowned for its conservation work, excellent standards of animal welfare and its proactive and award winning Discovery and Learning Division. Currently around 30,000 students receive formal teaching by the division and over 300,000 visitors attend presenter talks delivered by the team.

We are looking to appoint a Head of Discovery & Learning to develop and deliver a suite of formal education and public engagement programmes, both in the zoo and as part of our field programmes. The purpose of these programmes is to maximise the zoo’s conservation impact by inspiring people to take action in support of the natural world. The role will also involve sharing best practice and promoting and growing Chester Zoo’s profile and reputation in the field of conservation education and conservation psychology.

The job holder will report to the Science and Education Director and be part of the zoo’s senior management team. They will be working closely with other divisions to develop, evaluate and improve the effectiveness of our exhibits, animal and plant collection and the visitor experience. They will also be responsible for managing a team of 17 staff, associated facilities and budgets and will be expected to optimise the use of these resources and the revenue generating activities of the division.

The successful candidate should ideally have a Masters level degree or above in Education/Psychology with an emphasis on conservation and environmental issues. Extensive experience in developing, delivering and evaluating educational and behavioural change programmes to a variety of audiences will be required.
 
Experience in successful exhibit design and knowledge of the key factors that impact visitor engagement and learning is important. An in-depth knowledge of zoos and their operation would be advantageous. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential, along with the ability to influence and work in a multidisciplinary team with collaborative working practices.
 
The role is full time, 40 hours per week.
 
A full job description is available on request.
To apply, please submit a covering letter and CV to recruitment@chesterzoo.org 

The closing date for applications is 16th December, 2013

Interviews anticipated to take place week commencing 13th January, 2014.

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ASSISTANT TEAM MANAGER – GIRAFFES

 

Chester Zoo is one of the leading zoological collections in Europe with an international reputation for achieving its mission in conservation breeding programmes, research and education.

We are currently recruiting for an Assistant Team Manager on the Giraffe section. The post will involve assisting the Team Manager in the daily management of the Giraffe section along with mentoring, training and developing the team under the direction of the Team Manager. The successful candidate will provide extensive knowledge and expertise in animal husbandry and management with a focus on giraffe or okapi, and be able to develop and implement new ideas for improving husbandry, building strong working relationships with other departments to ensure standards are met. Experience of working in a zoo or safari park and of Operant Conditioning are essential. Candidates will have a higher education qualification in a Zoological related science (min HND) or equivalent experience. 

The successful candidate will have leadership qualities, experience of supervising a team and be able to organise and prioritise tasks in a dynamic environment. A good understanding of risk assessments is required to ensure all staff are fully aware of safety and management procedures. This role will involve representing Chester Zoo and the Giraffe team for media interviews and internal and external meetings, workshops and conferences in the UK and overseas. Therefore, excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.

Applicants should have a full driving licence and be prepared to work weekends and Bank Holidays in a roster system.

Salary is £23,254.96 per annum for a 40 hour week.

To apply, please contact the recruitment line on recruitment@chesterzoo.org or 01244 389477.

Closing date for applications is Sunday, 3^rd November 2013.

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ASSISTANT TEAM MANAGER – GIRAFFES

 

Chester Zoo is one of the leading zoological collections in Europe with an international reputation for achieving its mission in conservation breeding programmes, research and education.

We are currently recruiting for an Assistant Team Manager on the Giraffe section. The post will involve assisting the Team Manager in the daily management of the Giraffe section along with mentoring, training and developing the team under the direction of the Team Manager. The successful candidate will provide extensive knowledge and expertise in animal husbandry and management with a focus on giraffe or okapi, and be able to develop and implement new ideas for improving husbandry, building strong working relationships with other departments to ensure standards are met. Experience of working in a zoo or safari park and of Operant Conditioning are essential. Candidates will have a higher education qualification in a Zoological related science (min HND) or equivalent experience. 

The successful candidate will have leadership qualities, experience of supervising a team and be able to organise and prioritise tasks in a dynamic environment. A good understanding of risk assessments is required to ensure all staff are fully aware of safety and management procedures. This role will involve representing Chester Zoo and the Giraffe team for media interviews and internal and external meetings, workshops and conferences in the UK and overseas. Therefore, excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.

Applicants should have a full driving licence and be prepared to work weekends and Bank Holidays in a roster system.

Salary is £23,254.96 per annum for a 40 hour week.

To apply, please contact the recruitment line on recruitment@chesterzoo.org or 01244 389477.

Closing date for applications is Friday, 4^th October 2013.

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TEMPORARY MAMMAL KEEPERS

TEMPORARY MAMMAL KEEPERS X 2
(18 MONTH CONTRACT)

Chester Zoo is one of the leading zoological collections in Europe with an international reputation for achieving its mission in conservation breeding programmes, research and education.

We currently have 2 vacancies for a Temporary Mammal Keeper on a fixed term 18 month contract to be based on the Twilight section but who may also be trained on several other mammal sections to cover any shortcomings in staffing levels. So experience with other species is essential.

 
The post will involve the daily care and management of a variety of Mammal species including Spectacled bears, Rodrigues/ Seba’s and Livingstone bats, Anteaters and Sloth to name a few. The successful candidate will provide excellent animal husbandry, care and welfare for the assigned mammals, ensuring that all enclosures and facilities are maintained to the highest possible standards. The role will involve promoting the conservation work at Chester Zoo through daily interaction with visitors on site.

The successful candidate will have the Zoo Animal Management, HND or degree in a Zoological related science or equivalent experience. They will have proven experience working with all of the relevant species on the section and other mammal species, proven experience of working in a zoo or safari park and of Operant Conditioning. The successful candidate will have outstanding observational skills, attention to detail and proven experience of delivering the highest standards of husbandry and exhibitory along with excellent communication skills to deal with visitor questions, talks and requests for information.

The successful candidate will ideally be competent in the use of computers and basic software packages. They will desirably have proven experience with implementing environmental enrichment and experience of working within strict SWP. A full clean driving licence is also required.

Salary is £16,815.94 per annum for a 40 hour week.

To apply, please contact the recruitment line on recruitment@chesterzoo.org or

01244 389477.

Closing date for applications is Friday, 20^th

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Veterinary Nurse

Temporary Veterinary Nurse

Chester Zoo is one of the leading zoological collections in Europe with an international reputation for achieving its mission in conservation breeding programmes, research and education.
We have a vacancy for a Veterinary Nurse to start mid November 2013. This is a temporary role to cover maternity leave for 11 weeks, after which it will be reviewed.

The post will involve all aspects of veterinary nursing, as part of the health care team, to benefit the health and welfare of the animal collection, including assisting in diagnostic and treatment procedures and implementing preventative medicine plans.

The successful candidate will be an experienced, qualified Veterinary Nurse, registered with the RCVS.  Proven experience working in a busy environment and proficiency monitoring anaesthetics, giving treatments and dispensing medications along with other general nursing duties is required. Experience in large animal nursing or exotic species is highly desirable. Previous experience in another zoological or wildlife collection would be preferred and proven laboratory skills, in particular experience in parasitology using McMasters and direct techniques are an advantage. Certificate in or experience of Nursing of Exotic Species, along with knowledge of Chester Zoo’s animal collection and conservation work would be desirable.

The job holder will have experience of working as part of a team and individually, have attention to detail, excellent communication skills both written and verbal, ability to manage own time effectively and be able to build strong working relationships.  The ability to be creative and think laterally would be advantageous.

The successful candidate must be competent in the use of computers and basic software packages such as Windows and Microsoft Office. They will desirably have experience with DOS computers systems such as MedARKS.

A full UK driving licence is required.

Salary is £20,913.50 per annum for a 40 hour week.

To apply, please contact the recruitment line on recruitment@chesterzoo.org or 01244 389477.

Closing date for applications is 26th August 2013 with interviews anticipated to be held in the period 9th – 13th September 2013.

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QUARANTINE COORDINATOR & RECORDS ASSISTANT

QUARANTINE COORDINATOR & RECORDS ASSISTANT

Chester Zoo, one of Europe’s leading Zoological collections, is now seeking to recruit a Quarantine Coordinator & Records Assistant.

This role includes the coordination of the quarantine service as well as maintaining the facilities to provide best standards of quarantine to comply with existing legislation. The job holder is responsible for the coordination and provision of day to day care for the animals undergoing quarantine. As a Records Assistant, you will support the Registrar Assistant in managing the zoo’s animal records including data entry, creating reports, staff training and interrogating NEZS database for research and collection management purposes.

The successful candidate will have a Biological Science degree or equivalent qualification and have experience of zoo animal keeping, together with a broad range of knowledge in taxonomy, biology and care of animals. They will have proven computer and organisation skills as well as excellent attention to detail and capacity to multitask.  Good observation skills, ability to work independently but also as part of a multidisciplinary team and ability to communicate effectively are required.

The successful candidate will ideally have a good knowledge of Chester Zoo’s animal collection, and have experience with zoological data bases and record keeping (in particular, experience in the use of ARKS, MEDARKS, SPARKS AND ZIMS). Understanding of quarantine principles and relevant legislation is also desirable.

Salary is £19,104 per annum for a 40 hour week. There is some flexibility with regards to days of work, although some weekend and Bank Holiday working will be required.

To apply, please contact the recruitment line on 01244 389477 or recruitment@chesterzoo.org.

Closing date is: Friday, 10^th May 2013.

Interviews to be held week commencing 13^th May 2013.

CONSERVATION ASSISTANT

CONSERVATION ASSISTANT

Chester Zoo, one of Europe’s leading zoological collections, has a well-established Field Conservation & Research Division responsible for co-ordinating a diverse portfolio of conservation activities worldwide. Support includes ten flagship conservation programmes and a substantial conservation grant initiative. Conservation activities involve strong partnerships with various organisations and complement and interact with the zoo’s ex-situ conservation activities.

The Conservation Assistant post is a 2 year fixed term position to support the Field Conservation & Research Division in all aspects of its work.

This role involves:

• providing administrative support for various conservation activities
• populating the zoo’s conservation database, and providing data for externally managed databases or surveys where necessary
• assist in the processing and cataloguing of incoming applications for conservation support, coordinate review of applications and post-support project evaluation
• assisting in the dissemination of information, internally and externally, relating to conservation activities

Applicants should have the following:

·      excellent oral and written communication skills

·      a good understanding of biodiversity conservation

·      exceptional time management and organisational skills

·      a degree in a biological sciences related discipline or equivalent experience

·      IT literate with a comprehensive understanding of programs including Access, Excel, Word, Outlook and Power Point

Experience of practical conservation work in the field, knowledge of the role of zoos in conservation, copy editing & proof reading and database management experience would be advantageous.

Hours are 35 hours per week worked from 9 – 5, with a one hour lunch break, over Monday to Friday. Salary is £16,716 per annum.

To apply, please contact the recruitment line on 01244 389477 or recruitment@chesterzoo.org.

Closing date for applications is Tuesday, 30^thApril 2013.