CAREERS

Ongoing Opportunities:

Although we are not actively looking to bring on another team member at the Bug Zoo, we do encourage any interested applicants to review the information below and submit an application. Typically we look to hire in the spring to allow ample training time for our busy summer months. Positions are all typically part-time and hour range from 12-30 hours a week depending on what you are interested in.

Educator: Zoo Tour Guide and Front Desk

Who Would You Be?

As a Tour Guide or Educator within our zoo, it would be your role to present information about our animals and facilitate visitor handling of certain species. An enthusiasm for learning and teaching will allow you to feel comfortable presenting for visitors. A foundation of biological or ecological knowledge will greatly improve you capability of conveying the lives of our animals and answering questions you will encounter on tour. An appreciation and curiosity for living things will allow you to create an engaging and welcoming atmosphere for visitors of different comfort levels to get the most out of their experience at the Victoria Bug Zoo.

At front desk, it is your role to oversee the gift shop and admit visitors into the zoo. Front desk is the first and last point of contact with visitors, so a lot can be done to set a positive tone by being engaging and observant with visitor needs. Duties involve opening and closing the gift shop, operating a POS system and computer, answering customer inquiries in person and over the phone, and cleaning and organizing the gift shop.

In addition to tour guiding and front desk, a candidate will also be expected to fulfill basic animal care duties before and after business hours (depending on availability.) We will teach you the basics of how to provide specialized care through cleaning and feeding our live habitats in the zoo, and a variety of other creatures kept in our rearing room. Previous animal care experience is helpful, but a conscientious mentality for living things is the best foundation to care for them. Expect to get a little dirty and see some strange things.

What Do We Expect?

A successful candidate will be motivated by a commitment to quality, personal management, continuous learning, and managing information.

You would be working directly with live animals and diverse groups of people, so one must be comfortable and experienced in:

• Public speaking and presenting information while being professional, conscientious, and engagingI
• Interacting with children with patience and enthusiasm
• Engaging with visitors of different languages and varied mental and physical abilities
• Handling live insects and arachnids of all sizes with care.
• Working within a changing work environment in regards to pace and duties
• Maintaining an organized, efficient, and positive behavior while working independently and within shared spaces

Thank you for taking an interest in joining our crew, and we look forward to meeting passionate people!

Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• A love for arthropods
• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Ability to be in a warm environment for an extended amount of time (bugs like it hot, 24+ C)
• Be able to lift at least 35 lbs
• Comfortable handling insects and other arthropods, including but not limited to specific Tarantulas and Scorpions

Some fun Perks!

• Various discounts around town with our partners
• Gift Shop Discount
• Bugs!!!!!
• Tips! They aren't as great as serving jobs but you do receive some tips as an educator.

Wage

Starting June 1, 2024 $17.40/hr

Please use the link below for more information and to apply.