About the Role

The Senior Animal Keeper is responsible for supporting the safe and professional operation of assigned animal collections and facilities while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, husbandry, occupational safety, biosecurity, and operational compliance.

The role serves as a senior frontline leader within the Animal Care team and is expected to act as a role model for safe zoological operations, adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), emergency preparedness, animal welfare excellence, and professional animal management practices.

The Senior Animal Keeper provides day-to-day supervision, coaching, and mentorship to Animal Keepers while working closely with Curators, Veterinarians, Nutritionists, Animal Training staff, and other operational departments to support the strategic objectives of Al Ain Zoo.

Key Responsibilities

Animal Care & Welfare

• Deliver and oversee the daily husbandry, care, feeding, cleaning, enrichment, observation, training, and management of assigned animal collections.

• Ensure that all animal care activities meet or exceed modern international zoological standards.

• Monitor animal behavior, welfare indicators, medical concerns, and environmental conditions and report findings promptly.

• Participate in animal welfare assessments and support implementation of welfare improvement initiatives.

• Support breeding, reproductive management, introductions, transfers, and animal transport activities as directed.

Safe Zoological Operations

• Promote and demonstrate a strong culture of safety at all times.

• Ensure strict compliance with all operational SOPs, risk assessments, permit-to-work systems, and emergency procedures.

• Maintain absolute adherence to dangerous animal safety protocols, lock procedures, key control systems, protected contact principles, lockout/tagout processes, and all established safety barriers.

• Conduct daily safety checks of animal holding facilities, gates, locks, equipment, barriers, shift-change procedures, and operational controls.

• Immediately identify, report, and help mitigate operational hazards and safety risks.

• Participate in emergency drills and emergency response activities.

Facility & Back-of-House Management

• Maintain high standards within animal holding facilities, service areas, keeper corridors, off-display enclosures, veterinary holding, quarantine facilities, and other back-of-house infrastructure.

• Support exhibit maintenance programs and coordinate facility improvement requests.

• Ensure housekeeping, organization, cleanliness, biosecurity, and professional operating standards are maintained throughout assigned areas.

• Verify equipment remains functional, properly maintained, and safe for use.

Team Leadership & Staff Development

• Provide daily guidance, supervision, and mentorship to Animal Keepers.

• Assist in the training and development of new staff members.

• Promote professional growth and continuous learning within the team.

• Help maintain high levels of engagement, accountability, teamwork, and operational discipline.

• Act as relief supervisor when delegated.

Records & Compliance

• Ensure accurate and timely completion of all animal records, daily reports, husbandry records, enrichment records, behavioral observations, training records, safety checks, and operational documentation.

• Support compliance with institutional requirements, regional regulations, accreditation standards, and professional best practices.

• Participate in audits, inspections, welfare reviews, and accreditation processes.

Conservation, Education & Professional Engagement

• Support Al Ain Zoo's conservation, sustainability, research, and education objectives.

• Act as a professional ambassador of the organization.

• Participate in professional development opportunities and knowledge sharing activities.

• Remain up to date on emerging zoological husbandry, welfare, safety, and conservation practices.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in a modern zoological institution, aquarium, wildlife park, safari park, conservation center, or similar facility.

• Demonstrated experience working in animal holding facilities and complex back-of-house zoological environments.

• Experience handling and managing potentially dangerous animal species under strict safety protocols.

• Experience implementing and following formal SOPs, risk assessments, and emergency procedures.

• Experience supervising, mentoring, and training junior animal care staff.

Desirable

• Experience within institutions accredited by or operating to standards of:

• Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)

• European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA)

• South East Asian Zoos and Aquariums Association (SEAZA)

• World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA)

• British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA)

• Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia (ZAA)

• Experience with:

• Dangerous animal management

• Protected contact systems

• Animal training and behavioral husbandry

• Positive reinforcement training

• Animal welfare assessment programs

• Incident investigations

• Emergency response systems

• Modern zoo record keeping systems (ZIMS preferred)

Desired Candidate Profile

Essential

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in a modern zoological institution, aquarium, wildlife park, safari park, conservation center, or similar facility.

• Demonstrated experience working in animal holding facilities and complex back-of-house zoological environments.

• Experience handling and managing potentially dangerous animal species under strict safety protocols.

• Experience implementing and following formal SOPs, risk assessments, and emergency procedures.

• Experience supervising, mentoring, and training junior animal care staff.

Desirable

• Experience within institutions accredited by or operating to standards of:

• Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)

• European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA)

• South East Asian Zoos and Aquariums Association (SEAZA)

• World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA)

• British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA)

• Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia (ZAA)

• Experience with:

• Dangerous animal management

• Protected contact systems

• Animal training and behavioral husbandry

• Positive reinforcement training

• Animal welfare assessment programs

• Incident investigations

• Emergency response systems

• Modern zoo record keeping systems (ZIMS preferred)