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Little Explorers Petting Zoo
Animal Handler & Petting Zoo Educator
Entry-Level JobVerifiedNo experience needed
Career Insights for Animal Trainer
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Based on California data
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What they do
An Animal Trainer trains animals to become familiar with human voices and contact, and to respond to commands. Trains dogs to assist people with disabilities. May train animals for a health, competition, or show. May train other animals such as horses, dolphins, and apes.
$44,963 / year median in California
+5% projected growth
Job Description
Get paid to work with animals! Little Explorers Petting Zoo is looking for an outgoing, dependable Animal Handler & Educator to join our team. This is definitely not a typical animal-care job. One day you might be handling and feeding reptiles. The next, you're setting up a petting zoo for a birthday party, school or community event. You'll work with everything from reptiles and amphibians to invertebrates and farm animals. If you're the person who would rather spend your weekend hanging out with a goat or teaching a kid why a lizard is amazing, we want to hear from you. What you'll do Handle and care for a variety of animals Travel to schools, birthday parties, libraries, and community events Set up and break down petting zoos and animal programs Interact with children and adults and help them safely meet our animals Help load and unload animals, pens and equipment Drive company vehicles, including a 15-passenger van Help with animal care and other duties at our San Leandro facility You DON'T need to know everything about animals. We can teach animal facts and our handling procedures. What is much harder to teach is reliability, good judgment, confidence and a great attitude. We're looking for someone who: Genuinely loves animals Is comfortable talking to children and adults Is responsible and shows up when scheduled Can work independently and as part of a team Isn't afraid of snakes, reptiles, insects or farm animals Is comfortable getting dirty — this is real animal work! Can safely lift and move animal enclosures, pens and equipment Has a valid driver's license and is comfortable driving larger vehicles Is available for weekend work Animal-care, veterinary, reptile, zoo, farm, biology, or education experience is a big plus, but we're willing to train the right person. This job is especially great for: Veterinary technology students, Biology/zoology students, aspiring zookeepers, Reptile keepers, Veterinary assistants, Animal science students, Future educators , or Anyone looking to build professional paid hands-on animal experience. If you're someone who shows up, works hard, loves animals, and can confidently interact with people, you could be a great fit. Want to join us? Send us your résumé along with a short note telling us about your animal experience and yourself.