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Employment Opportunities - Departments
The Accounts Department requires an intensive knowledge of the culture and organisation of the Zoo and is responsible for administrative tasks such as mailing, banking, filing and fleet maintenance. This section includes the accounts team, which is responsible for accounts payable and receivable, and the payroll team, which ensures all staff pays are correct and completed weekly.
Audio Visual
This team controls what is shown on the Big Screen at the Crocoseum. This means that they can have up to 6000 people watching their work at any one time! This could be daunting for some, but not for these guys! Known as AV, they have a fine eye for detail and need to be able to zoom in on the action during the shows every day. Although they are mainly stuck in the AV room for most of the day, when they get out they can be found filming the action around the Zoo. They are responsible for much of the entertainment and educational clips at our All-Staff Meetings.
Australiana Shop
The Zoo has several shops that specialise in providing exclusive Steve, Terri Bindi and Bob merchandise, clothing and Australian souvenirs. They are dedicated to quality customer service and the provision of quality products and displays.
Big Cats
Everyone can see that the tigers and cheetahs are just soooo cute! However, if you want to be a Big Cat Handler, you will need to be fit, strong and healthy and be prepared to work extremely hard in developing your skills. These staff undergo at least five years of training to be considered somewhat qualified. You need to have excellent public speaking skills and the desire to assist in the conservation of these species. Passion and dedication are the top priorities!
Birds and Bird Show
This team is divided into two sections, but a really strong desire to work with all things 'feathery' is essential for both! If you like to perform in front of big crowds, then maybe Bird Show is where you want to be. The free-flight bird show in the Crocosseum is phenomenal! If your name suits having the precursor 'Birdie' (e.g. Birdie Brett and Birdie Emma) then start your zookeeping career here!
Building Services
The building services teams are responsible for keeping our animal enclosures safe for the Zoo's animals, and keeping Australia Zoo in a perfect working order so it is safe for the Zoo's visitors, staff and animals. They are responsible for most construction projects and continual maintenance. This team is made up of tradespersons, labourers, 'mock-rockers', stores' attendants, artists and whatever we need to ensure we can make and maintain the world's best enclosures and surrounding grounds.
Cleaners
This team of energetic staff provides visitors with a high standard of cleanliness that has been lauded worldwide. Their job also includes general park maintenance and presentation.
Coach/Bus
The bus drivers provided a free coach service to visitors from designated locations throughout the Sunshine Coast. The drivers assist with customer service and information at all times. They are also called upon to provide transport to functions and other business activities that our staff may need to attend (e.g. awards nights in Brisbane).
Crocodiles
You need to be prepared to put in the hard yards to get into this department. You definitely don't get to feed crocs until you have been extensively trained - there's plenty of mowing, food preparation and other tasks to learn. Do you know just how big these crocodiles and alligators get? You are going to have to be strong, fit and of course steady and brave! You cannot have an ego bigger than a croc - in fact, you need to know who rules!
Croc Lair Shop
The Zoo has several shops that specialise in providing exclusive Steve, Terri, Bindi and Bob merchandise, clothing and Australian souvenirs. They are dedicated to quality customer service and the provision of quality products and displays.
Crocoseum Boutique
The Zoo has several shops that specialise in providing exclusive Steve, Terri, Bindi and Bob merchandise, clothing and Australian souvenirs. They are dedicated to quality customer service and the provision of quality products and displays.
Education/Volunteers
Education within the Zoo is one of the fundamental areas, as each person that enters the Zoo should leave with a feeling of having learned more about conservation. Our education team works with schools to provide a total experience for their students, and also runs programs such as Zoo Keeper for a Day.
Volunteers are an integral part of the everyday operation of the Zoo. They not only aid the Australia Zoo keeping team, but also create awareness within their communities during and after their time spent at the Zoo. Our volunteers coordinator is in charge of making sure Zoo volunteers have an educational and enjoyable time at the Zoo while also being productive team members.
Entertainment
This crazy bunch of staff are just a tad more eccentric and outgoing than the rest of us! They provide ongoing entertainment throughout the day at the Zoo. In the mornings, you may see them around Admissions, playing a number of characters. Watch out for the Bishki the gorilla! At the Crocoseum, they will be on the microphone in front of 6,000 visitors hosting the whole show, and also performing skits inbetween. Don't try to keep up with them! They're everywhere - imitating Steve and Terri, playing costume characters, juggling, coordinating children's games - just to add FUN!
Exotic Mammals
This is definitely an area which will expand in the future, so anyone with expertise or experience working with exotic mammals might find it worthwhile to get in early here. Have you seen our camels? They greet our customers every morning at the front of the zoo, and our Exotic Mammal keepers find great satisfaction seeing the facial expressions of the public change from amazement or fear, to excitement and affection.
First Aid
The First Aid team is responsible for quick arrival on scenes of emergency, the wellbeing of staff and patrons, constant communication with staff of new procedures and the recording of incidents within the Zoo. They have a customer care focus and strive to achieve preventative measures.
Front of House
Admissions staff provide a welcoming smile to all of the visitors at the entry of the Zoo. They are usually the first Zoo employees that our visitors meet, and play a vital part in providing exceptional customer service.
The concierge department ensures the safety of visitors to the Zoo arriving by coach and vehicle. They provide a friendly face to all the Zoo's visitors and are available to assist with everyone's general enquiries.
Graphic Design
A specialised addition to the Zoo, our Graphic Design team is responsible for the branding of our Zoo and forlifting our profile. Currently we also have a resident artist and sculptor. If you feel you have something to add in these fields, you will need to show that you know the Zoo and what it needs to go to the next level. Jobs in these areas are not common, and it definitely takes someone unique and extra special to catch our eye!
Grounds and Landscaping
With an abundance of beautiful grounds, lush trees and plant life and our own nursery, Australia Zoo is the ideal workplace for anyone with a bit of a green thumb. A job in our grounds and landscaping department could find you riding on a mower, digging in the gardens, maintaining our beautiful enclosures and pathways or growing plants in the greenhouse. It is full-on outdoors work, perfect for experienced people who love to make things beautiful and don't mind getting their hands dirty.
Group Bookings
If there's a group wishing to book in to enjoy the fun and educational values of the Zoo, this is who they deal with. Whether it be a school class, social club, special needs group or just a party of friends, this team is there to meet their needs. Behind the scenes, they take all the bookings, but up at Admissions they meet, greet and welcome the groups. Requiring excellent public relations, communication and administrative skills, most of these staff are selected from internal recruitment exercises.
Guest Services/Information
This area is the hub of Zoo knowledge, providing facts about the animals, details on accommodation and answers to even the trickiest questions with ease. Our visitors can book exciting interactive tours and one-on-one animal interactions from this centre. The members of the Guest Services team are also privileged to host families from organisations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Starlight Foundation and Children's Wish International, providing VIP tours and lots of happy memories.
Hospital Administration Assistant
As the Administration Assistant, you will have the primary responsibility of all aspects of administration for the hospital as directed by the Hospital Manager and Senior Veterinarian. Wildlife Warriors is dedicated to the highest standard of animal welfare possible. Compassion and a commitment to conservation are an important part of this role.
Human Resources
"Maximising our potential through our staff" is the motto for the Human Resources team. This is definitely not just an office job! This team commits to providing a professional, safe and healthy working environment for all staff. They assist staff and management with the environment and tools they need to advance in the developing and changing nature of the Zoo. In this role, you need to be fit, healthy, flexible, tolerant, persistent, a parent, a teacher, a coach, a psychologist, a counsellor, enjoy challenges and be an achievement junkie!
Keeper Attendants
Keepers have the responsibility of the cleaning, care and rehabilitation of sick or injured Zoo and accession animals within the Hospital. The Australian Wildlife Hospital is dedicated to the highest standard of animal welfare possible. Compassion and a commitment to conservation are an important part of this role.
Kids Zoo
Old MacDonald had a farm but Australia Zoo has a 'Kids' Zoo,' which is out of this world! If you can't live without baby farm animals and you enjoy being a mother figure, then maybe you belong with this group of keepers. Ex-childcare teachers beware - if you think you've escaped the kids, you haven't! At any one time there could be 200 squealing children in amongst the bleating, moo-ing and oinking of our beloved baby farm animals!
Koalas
Everyone wants to play with the cute and cuddly koalas, and it is always great to see the overseas visitors patting them. If you want to work in this area, it's not all fun and games. You do get to care and look after the koalas but you may also need to learn everything about eucalyptus leaves - being a leaf-cutter means it's your job to get the food... and koalas are very fussy eaters!
Mail Order
This is the 'behind-the-scenes' retail shop. When you check out our website and decide to purchase any of our wonderful items, you will deal with this great bunch of staff - there's not many of them at the moment but they sure do a fabulous job! There is an excellent mix of tasks in this section - updating the website, shopping, administration, shopping, phone calls, merchandising, shopping, ordering, retail meetings, shopping, shopping and more shopping! (Are you beginning to see a theme?)
Marketing
The marketing crew are probably some of the busiest people in the Zoo! This department is on the go all day every day, increasing Australia Zoo's profile amongst the global and local communities. They deal with a whole range of things such as public relations and media, advertising, domestic and international marketing, sponsorship and fundraising, VIP guests, and internal/external promotional events. These events include our monthly promo days, as well as getting out and about in the local community, raising the general awareness of the Zoo.
Native Mammals
Kangaroos and wombats and wallabies? Oh my! What about Tasmanian Devils and echidnas? Australia has the most amazing wildlife of anywhere on earth (not that we're at all biased). Native Mammals staff get to hang out with these cool critters in awesome and spacious enclosures. Remember though, that as a keeper you will need to ensure you keep their enclosures clean, so that's plenty of raking and removing of wastes and litter. (Not to mention all the 'Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo' jokes!)
Photography
This team is essentially broken up into four sections - Wildlife Studio, Fujifilm Photo Lab, Green Screen and Roving Photography. The Wildlife Studio team wrap people up in Burmese Pythons, ask them to smile while they cuddle a koala, and snap away as they hold an American Alligator. The Photo Lab crew work at a frantic pace churning out hundreds of photographs each day and working as the photography retail section. Things are a little more relaxed down at the Green Screen, but it's always fun to help people pose for their 'photos with Steve and Terri'. The Roving Photographers need to be fit, because a lot of their day is spent scooting all over the Zoo from one animal enclosure to the next, capturing all the candid moments between our guests and animals. Whether photos need to be taken for documentation of the animals or for special events, the photography crew are the people who are getting in there for the best shot.
Reception
The communication centre and co-ordination network for the whole Zoo. This very important team is responsible for quick and efficient communication for the staff and visitors, essentially making them the glue that holds the place together from day to day. They operate the phones, radios and relay general messages, as well as attending to many thousands of emails.
Reptiles
If you have a phobia about slippery things that hiss, stay clear of this department. Many herpetologists from all over the world apply for the limited available positions in this area. Do you know that many of the reptile staff often spend their leisure hours catching or watching snakes? They are one focused group of people! While the rest of us talk about sport, the beach, restaurants and going out, you should hear about their weekends in the bush!
Rovers
These keepers form our Wandering Wildlife team, who 'rove' throughout the zoo bringing out all sorts of animals to interact with and educate the public. Wow, you should see them with baby alligators, koalas, wombats, dingoes, Tassie Devils, lizards, snakes, and more - it is so cool! This team needs to have exceptional public relations skills and always wear a HUGE SMILE! These keepers promote conservation of all species.
Security
This team of qualified staff ensures the Zoo is secure and protected 24 hours a day, and that the visitors' vehicles and their wellbeing are not at risk.
Steve's Safari Suttle
This section includes hosts, drivers and gate attendants. Their job requires a high level of public relations while being both educational and entertaining.
Travel Consultant
Travel consultants at Australia Zoo Travel specialise in particular areas such as international or domestic travel. Ongoing learning is important to those working in the industry. Travel consultants provide information, advice and booking services for people wishing to travel. Australia Zoo Travel specialises in adventure tourism and wildlife experiences.
Veterinarian
The position of veterinarian at the Australian Wildlife Hospital requires the provision of veterinary services to our patients/clients, and any and all other duties as may from time to time be requested by senior staff. These duties are expected to be performed at a high standard and with a high level of compassion. Animal welfare considerations are paramount in the treatment and veterinary management of patients and are affected minimally by commercial or financial considerations. Employed veterinarians are required to show a high level of professionalism, commitment and dedication to their roles, which may include long hours, after-hours calls, nighttime work and weekend/public holiday work. In return for this commitment the position allows a high degree of professional satisfaction, ability to contribute to an altruistic cause, the opportunity to contribute to field-based projects and research, and above-award remuneration. Our patients are generally native Australian animals from the wild, which may be presented by general public, government agencies, wildlife rescue groups and others. In some respects these people or groups should be treated like paying clients of a veterinary practice. However, under no circumstances should animal welfare suffer in the interests of satisfying client wishes which may be at odds with the best interests of the animal.
Veterinarian Nurse
As the veterinarian nurse, you will have the primary responsibility of the cleaning, care and rehabilitation of sick or injured Zoo and accession animals within the Australian Wildlife Hospital. You will assist the veterinarian with procedures and also the Hospital Manager when required. The Australian Wildlife Hospital is dedicated to the highest standard of animal welfare possible. Compassion and a commitment to conservation are an important part of this role.
Australian Wildlife Hospital Volunteers
The volunteer program is a great way to see whether you would like to pursue a career with wildlife and it gives you the opportunity to create networks within the conservation/wildlife industry. Volunteer work is also a great way to show potential employers that you are hardworking, dedicated and committed to conservation. People volunteer for many different reasons; perhaps as work experience for school or university, to find out what it is like to work in a wildlife hospital environment, to experience a different field of work from what they're used to, to gain experience to help them further their careers or just for fun!
Our animal volunteers help out with lots of different tasks including but not limited to:
- Cleaning enclosures - this can include sweeping, raking and picking up poo, weeding, watering plants and setting up sprinklers.
- Feeding animals
- Environmental enrichment and enclosure maintenance, e.g. digging holes, removing tree branches, planting trees
- Taking animals for daily walks and assisting with bottle feeding.
Website
Wow! This team of legends are definitely not computer nerds - they are quite possibly the coolest people in the Zoo - if not, the world! (Ed - Well, it's true...) We have been concentrating on updating our websites at such a frantic pace that you can almost smell the computer keyboards burning. Again, another small but dynamic team whose output is bigger than the heart of Pharlap! The trick to this job is capturing the energetic and exciting vibe that the Zoo has every day, and making it translate onto the websites, ensuring that they illustrate the passion and values of Australia Zoo and the Irwin family.