About us The Reptile Room is a hands-on animal education facility in Manchester. We run our Wildlife Discovery Zone, birthday parties, private tours, school and library programs, and outreach events all over the St. Louis area. Our animals are our coworkers and our responsibility, and everything we do comes back to keeping them healthy and safe while helping people learn something they didn't know when they walked in. We are looking for a Wildlife Discovery Zone Educator to join our team. The three parts of this job Every educator here works in all three of these areas. You don't get to pick one. 1. Education Teaching guests about the animals and why they matter. Answering questions from a five year old and from their skeptical dad in the same conversation. Learning our animals well enough to talk about them without a script. Studying on your own time so you actually know what you're talking about. 2. Animal care Helping care for the animals safely, getting them ready for programs, watching for anything that looks off, and keeping their enclosures clean. This is real animal care work, not decorative. 3. Guest experience Working with families, running experiences, helping with birthday parties and private tours, keeping the space presentable, and representing The Reptile Room well even when it's loud and busy and you're on your fourth hour on your feet. What you'll actually be doing Animal care and cleaning Clean animal enclosures before guests arrive Spot-clean throughout the day while guests are in the building Remove animal waste Clean and replace soiled bedding and substrate Wash food and water dishes Refresh or replace substrate and enclosure materials as directed Prepare animal food Keep animal areas clean and sanitary Clean up after animals that have made a mess during the day Follow every animal-care and sanitation procedure we teach you Education and programs Prepare animals and enclosures for presentations Help lead educational experiences for guests of all ages Handle animals once you've been trained and authorized to do so Learn our animal collection and keep studying it Guest experience and general upkeep Talk with guests throughout your shift Assist with birthday parties and private tours Help keep the Wildlife Discovery Zone clean, organized, and ready for guests Keep the area presentable even when the facility is packed Know before you apply Being upfront so nobody is surprised on day one.

This job involves:

Getting dirty Cleaning animal waste Working around animal odors Handling dirty bedding and substrate Cleaning enclosures Washing dishes and supplies Preparing animal food Standing and walking for most of your shift Working around excited children and families Talking to guests all day Handling animals only after you've been trained and cleared Doing routine tasks that aren't glamorous Noticing what needs doing and doing it instead of waiting to be told None of that is a warning. It's just the job. If you're excited about wildlife education and you understand that caring for animals also means cleaning up after them, getting dirty, doing routine work, and taking responsibility, we want to meet you.

Experience:

preferred, not required Previous animal experience is a plus, not a requirement. We're happy to see experience with: Reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, mammals, or birds Zoos, aquariums, or nature centers Veterinary clinics, pet stores, or animal shelters Wildlife education, conservation, or animal husbandry But we will train the right person from scratch. What we need you to already have: Real interest in animals and wildlife Willingness to learn, and to keep learning Attention to detail Respect for animal safety Willingness to study and research on your own A good attitude about cleaning and animal-care work The ability to follow instructions and our procedures Physical requirements Standing, walking, bending, kneeling, and reaching for most of your shift Lifting and carrying up to 40 pounds Working around animals, animal waste, cleaning chemicals, feeder insects, and frozen rodents Comfortable working in a space that can get warm and humid Must be 18 years or older. Availability Saturday - Sunday 10am-5:30pm Additional hours can be added for events

Pay:

$15.00 - $16.75 per hour

Benefits:

Employee discount Flexible schedule Application Question(s): Tell us about any animals you've cared for, either personally or in a job. If you haven't cared for animals before, tell us why you want to start here. A real part of this job is cleaning enclosures and removing animal waste on every single shift. Tell us about the least glamorous or dirtiest work you've done in a job, and how you felt about doing it. How would you explain to a 6 year old why a snake sheds its skin?

Education:

High school or equivalent (Preferred)

Work Location:

In person