Senior Animal Keeper

About the role

The Senior Animal Keeper leads the safe operation of animal collections at Al Ain Zoo, ensuring top standards of welfare, safety, and compliance while mentoring the animal care team.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee daily husbandry, feeding, cleaning, enrichment, training and health monitoring of assigned animals.
• Maintain strict safety protocols, conduct daily safety checks, and participate in emergency drills.
• Manage back‑of‑house facilities, ensure biosecurity, and coordinate exhibit maintenance.
• Provide supervision, coaching and mentorship to Animal Keepers and act as relief supervisor when needed.
• Accurately record husbandry, enrichment, behavioral, training and safety data and support audits and accreditation processes.

Required profile

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in a modern zoological institution or similar facility.
• Proven experience handling potentially dangerous species under strict safety protocols.
• Experience supervising and training junior animal care staff.

Required skills

• Dangerous animal management and protected‑contact handling.
• Animal training, positive‑reinforcement techniques and welfare assessment.
• Use of modern zoo record‑keeping systems (e.g., ZIMS).