Virginia Living Museum
Part Time Keeper:
up to 27.5 hours per week, non-exempt
Full Time Keeper:
37.5 hours per week, non-exempt
Senior Keeper:
37.5 hours per week, non-exempt
General Statement:
We are actively recruiting for both a full time and part time ectotherms keeper, level dependent upon experience. The Senior Keeper/Full Time Keeper will be primarily aquatics focus, but should expect to work with reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates as well. The Part Time Keeper will work evenly across all areas of the department. Applicants should indicate in their application which position (FT or PT) they are interested in applying for.
Part Time Keeper:
The PT Ectotherm Keeper provides support to the Ectotherms Department in the daily care of the Virginia Living Museum's reptile, amphibian, terrestrial arthropod, and aquatic collections (both exhibit and ambassador animals). Responsibilities may include (but are not limited to) cleaning, feeding, health and behavior observation, exhibit maintenance, enrichment, recordkeeping, and implementing veterinary and nutrition programs. This keeper will develop a collaborative relationship with Living Exhibits staff and other departments to assist the team in meeting AZA standards, engaging guests through public interactions, and training volunteers. This keeper will assist in various and dynamic aspects of the department's daily operations. Reports directly to the Ectotherm Curator.
Full Time Keeper:
The FT Ectotherm Keeper will provide daily care to the Virginia Living Museum's reptile, amphibian, terrestrial arthropod, and aquatic collections (both exhibit and ambassador animals). Responsibilities include (but are not limited to) cleaning, feeding, health and behavior observation, exhibit maintenance, enrichment, training, recordkeeping, and implementing veterinary and nutrition programs. This keeper will develop a collaborative relationship with Living Exhibits staff and other departments to meet AZA standards, engage guests through public interactions, and supervise volunteers. Keepers are responsible for monitoring health, wellbeing, and daily care of a sub-set of the ectotherm collection which is assigned to them depending on their skillset. Reports directly to the Ectotherm Curator.
Senior Keeper:
The Senior Ectotherm Keeper will assist the curator in managing their respective division (herps, aquatics, invertebrates) of the department, in addition to providing daily care to the Virginia Living Museum's reptile, amphibian, terrestrial arthropod, and aquatic collections (both exhibit and ambassador animals). Responsibilities include (but are not limited to) overseeing daily task lists, cleaning, feeding, health and behavior observation, exhibit maintenance, enrichment, training, recordkeeping, and implementing veterinary and nutrition programs. This keeper will develop a collaborative relationship with Living Exhibits staff and other departments to meet AZA standards, engage guests through public interactions, and supervise volunteers. The senior keeper is responsible for monitoring health, wellbeing, and daily care of a sub-set of the ectotherm collection which is assigned to them depending on their skillset, but will also help the curator to delegate tasks to others, set department priorities, oversee conservation projects and assist with planning of special events. The senior keeper may act as a department lead in the absence of the curator. Reports directly to the Ectotherm Curator.
Required Qualifications
Part Time Keeper: Passion for animals, their wellbeing, and native wildlife conservation; willingness to work with all animals in the department. Bachelor's degree (or progress toward) in Biology, Zoology, Marine Biology, Ecology, or related field (or equivalent experience). Minimum 6 months small animal husbandry experience (AZA-accredited facility preferred; additional experience prioritized). Excellent reliability, communication, observation, and time management skills. Self-motivated, calm under pressure, and solution-oriented. Full Time Keeper:
Passion for animals, their wellbeing, and native wildlife conservation; willingness to work with all animals in the department Bachelor's degree (or progress toward) in Biology, Zoology, Marine Biology, Ecology, or related field (or equivalent experience). Minimum 1 year exotic (non-domestic) animal husbandry experience; AZA-accredited facility preferred; additional experience prioritized. Excellent reliability, communication, observation, and time management skills. Self-motivated, calm under pressure, and solution-oriented. Senior Keeper:
Passion for animals, their wellbeing, and native wildlife conservation; willingness to work with all animals in the department. Bachelor's degree (or progress toward) in Biology, Zoology, Marine Biology, Ecology or related field (or equivalent experience). Minimum 3 years paid exotic (non-domestic) animal husbandry experience; AZA-accredited facility preferred; additional experience prioritized Experience with modern animal training and enrichment practices Experience working with a team, training others, and giving direction. Excellent communication, observation, and time management skills. Self-motivated, calm under pressure, and solution-oriented. Preferred Qualifications
Part Time Keeper:
Knowledge of Virginia-native and Mid-Atlantic reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and/or invertebrates. Familiarity with aquatic life support systems (LSS), water quality testing (Nitrogen cycle), and/or UV lighting. Familiarity with hand and power tools, habitat design, and species-appropriate environmental needs Experience with digital record keeping systems and/or data entry. Full Time Keeper:
Knowledge of Virginia-native and Mid-Atlantic reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and/or invertebrates. General understanding of aquatic life support systems (LSS), water quality testing (Nitrogen cycle), and/or UV lighting. Familiarity with hand and power tools, habitat design, and species-appropriate environmental needs Experience using ZIMS or other digital record keeping systems. CPR/First Aid certification, SCUBA, and/or venomous animal handling experience (or willingness to obtain). Senior Keeper:
Knowledge of Virginia-native and Mid-Atlantic reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and/or invertebrates. Knowledge of aquatic life support systems (LSS), water quality testing (Nitrogen cycle), and/or UV lighting. Experience with hand and power tools, habitat design, and knowledge of species-appropriate environmental needs Proficiency using ZIMS or other digital record keeping systems. CPR/First Aid certification, SCUBA, and/or venomous animal handling experience preferred or willingness to obtain. Duties and Responsibilities
Part Time Keeper:
Serve as a positive, professional representative of the Virginia Living Museum, supporting its mission, values, and AZA standards. Ensure excellent animal wellbeing through modern zoological practices, daily care, accurate recordkeeping, and inventory oversight. Assist with safe animal restraint and veterinary exams/protocols Learn emergency response protocols Communicate effectively with other team members, volunteers/interns, and department Curator to ensure consistent procedures & standards. Assist with training volunteers in husbandry, biosecurity, diet prep, recordkeeping, and safe animal handling. Enhance guest experiences by interacting with guests, giving informal keeper talks, and/or assisting with group tours. Collaborate with the department Curator, Ambassador Animal Manager, and Training & Enrichment Coordinator to learn animal programming guidelines & adopt approved animal training plans. Promote safe work practices, ensure compliance with biosecurity and quarantine procedures, and maintain professional exhibit appearance by following established protocols. Perform other duties as assigned. Full Time Keeper:
Serve as a positive, professional representative of the Virginia Living Museum, supporting its mission, values, and AZA standards. Ensure excellent animal wellbeing through modern zoological practices, daily care, accurate recordkeeping, and inventory oversight. Lead technical and advanced care tasks, including: Safe animal restraint and assistance with veterinary exams/protocols Animal acquisitions and transfers in coordination with the department Curator Emergency assessment and response Communicate effectively with other team members, volunteers/interns, and department Curator to ensure consistent procedures & standards. Train and mentor volunteers in husbandry, biosecurity, diet prep, recordkeeping, and safe animal handling. Enhance guest experiences by leading engaging interactions, tours, and presentations. Collaborate with the department Curator, Ambassador Animal Manager, and Training & Enrichment Coordinator to guide and implement animal programming guidelines & training plans and develop animal enrichment schedules. Support volunteer management with scheduling, interviewing, and on-boarding/training. Promote safe work practices, ensure compliance with biosecurity and quarantine procedures, and maintain professional exhibit appearance. Work safely with potentially dangerous species (e.g., venomous reptiles, fish, & invertebrates, alligators, snapping turtles) following museum protocols. Perform other duties as assigned. Senior Keeper:
Serve as a positive, professional representative of the Virginia Living Museum, supporting its mission, values, and AZA standards. Ensure excellent animal wellbeing through modern zoological practices, daily care, accurate recordkeeping, and inventory oversight. Lead technical and advanced care tasks, including: Safe animal restraint and assistance with veterinary exams/protocols Animal acquisitions and transfers in coordination with the department Curator Emergency assessment and response Communicate effectively with other team members, volunteers/interns, and department Curator to ensure consistent procedures & standards. Train and mentor staff and volunteers in husbandry, biosecurity, diet prep, recordkeeping, and safe animal handling. Enhance guest experiences by leading engaging interactions, tours, and presentations. Collaborate with the department Curator, Ambassador Animal Manager, and Training & Enrichment Coordinator to develop and evaluate programming guidelines & training plans. Support volunteer management with scheduling, interviewing, and on-boarding/training. Help coordinate dive schedule, equipment maintenance, and safety protocols. Promote safe work practices, ensure compliance with biosecurity and quarantine procedures, and maintain professional exhibit appearance. Work safely with potentially dangerous species (e.g., venomous reptiles, fish, & invertebrates, alligators, snapping turtles) following museum protocols. Support the Ectotherm Curator in developing and improving procedures, setting priorities, and delegating duties within the department. Submit work orders and communicate maintenance needs with LSS and facilities teams. Act as departmental lead in the Curator's absence. Perform other duties as assigned. Requirements
Essential Job Requirements (all positions)
Ability to communicate clearly, verbally and in writing, and hear while working around pumps and other background noise. Visual acuity sufficient to operate vehicles and equipment safely. Physical ability to lift up to 50 lbs and capable of standing, walking, stooping, and repetitive motion as required. Comfortable working around live animals and diverse indoor/outdoor environments (tolerate heat, cold, wind, humidity, insects, & vegetation). Willingness to work weekends and holidays, including evenings and special events upon request Excellent reliability, teamwork, and observation skills. Possesses interpersonal skills to interact with coworkers and guests professionally.
up to 27.5 hours per week, non-exempt
Full Time Keeper:
37.5 hours per week, non-exempt
Senior Keeper:
37.5 hours per week, non-exempt
General Statement:
We are actively recruiting for both a full time and part time ectotherms keeper, level dependent upon experience. The Senior Keeper/Full Time Keeper will be primarily aquatics focus, but should expect to work with reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates as well. The Part Time Keeper will work evenly across all areas of the department. Applicants should indicate in their application which position (FT or PT) they are interested in applying for.
Part Time Keeper:
The PT Ectotherm Keeper provides support to the Ectotherms Department in the daily care of the Virginia Living Museum's reptile, amphibian, terrestrial arthropod, and aquatic collections (both exhibit and ambassador animals). Responsibilities may include (but are not limited to) cleaning, feeding, health and behavior observation, exhibit maintenance, enrichment, recordkeeping, and implementing veterinary and nutrition programs. This keeper will develop a collaborative relationship with Living Exhibits staff and other departments to assist the team in meeting AZA standards, engaging guests through public interactions, and training volunteers. This keeper will assist in various and dynamic aspects of the department's daily operations. Reports directly to the Ectotherm Curator.
Full Time Keeper:
The FT Ectotherm Keeper will provide daily care to the Virginia Living Museum's reptile, amphibian, terrestrial arthropod, and aquatic collections (both exhibit and ambassador animals). Responsibilities include (but are not limited to) cleaning, feeding, health and behavior observation, exhibit maintenance, enrichment, training, recordkeeping, and implementing veterinary and nutrition programs. This keeper will develop a collaborative relationship with Living Exhibits staff and other departments to meet AZA standards, engage guests through public interactions, and supervise volunteers. Keepers are responsible for monitoring health, wellbeing, and daily care of a sub-set of the ectotherm collection which is assigned to them depending on their skillset. Reports directly to the Ectotherm Curator.
Senior Keeper:
The Senior Ectotherm Keeper will assist the curator in managing their respective division (herps, aquatics, invertebrates) of the department, in addition to providing daily care to the Virginia Living Museum's reptile, amphibian, terrestrial arthropod, and aquatic collections (both exhibit and ambassador animals). Responsibilities include (but are not limited to) overseeing daily task lists, cleaning, feeding, health and behavior observation, exhibit maintenance, enrichment, training, recordkeeping, and implementing veterinary and nutrition programs. This keeper will develop a collaborative relationship with Living Exhibits staff and other departments to meet AZA standards, engage guests through public interactions, and supervise volunteers. The senior keeper is responsible for monitoring health, wellbeing, and daily care of a sub-set of the ectotherm collection which is assigned to them depending on their skillset, but will also help the curator to delegate tasks to others, set department priorities, oversee conservation projects and assist with planning of special events. The senior keeper may act as a department lead in the absence of the curator. Reports directly to the Ectotherm Curator.
Required Qualifications
Part Time Keeper: Passion for animals, their wellbeing, and native wildlife conservation; willingness to work with all animals in the department. Bachelor's degree (or progress toward) in Biology, Zoology, Marine Biology, Ecology, or related field (or equivalent experience). Minimum 6 months small animal husbandry experience (AZA-accredited facility preferred; additional experience prioritized). Excellent reliability, communication, observation, and time management skills. Self-motivated, calm under pressure, and solution-oriented. Full Time Keeper:
Passion for animals, their wellbeing, and native wildlife conservation; willingness to work with all animals in the department Bachelor's degree (or progress toward) in Biology, Zoology, Marine Biology, Ecology, or related field (or equivalent experience). Minimum 1 year exotic (non-domestic) animal husbandry experience; AZA-accredited facility preferred; additional experience prioritized. Excellent reliability, communication, observation, and time management skills. Self-motivated, calm under pressure, and solution-oriented. Senior Keeper:
Passion for animals, their wellbeing, and native wildlife conservation; willingness to work with all animals in the department. Bachelor's degree (or progress toward) in Biology, Zoology, Marine Biology, Ecology or related field (or equivalent experience). Minimum 3 years paid exotic (non-domestic) animal husbandry experience; AZA-accredited facility preferred; additional experience prioritized Experience with modern animal training and enrichment practices Experience working with a team, training others, and giving direction. Excellent communication, observation, and time management skills. Self-motivated, calm under pressure, and solution-oriented. Preferred Qualifications
Part Time Keeper:
Knowledge of Virginia-native and Mid-Atlantic reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and/or invertebrates. Familiarity with aquatic life support systems (LSS), water quality testing (Nitrogen cycle), and/or UV lighting. Familiarity with hand and power tools, habitat design, and species-appropriate environmental needs Experience with digital record keeping systems and/or data entry. Full Time Keeper:
Knowledge of Virginia-native and Mid-Atlantic reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and/or invertebrates. General understanding of aquatic life support systems (LSS), water quality testing (Nitrogen cycle), and/or UV lighting. Familiarity with hand and power tools, habitat design, and species-appropriate environmental needs Experience using ZIMS or other digital record keeping systems. CPR/First Aid certification, SCUBA, and/or venomous animal handling experience (or willingness to obtain). Senior Keeper:
Knowledge of Virginia-native and Mid-Atlantic reptiles, amphibians, fishes, and/or invertebrates. Knowledge of aquatic life support systems (LSS), water quality testing (Nitrogen cycle), and/or UV lighting. Experience with hand and power tools, habitat design, and knowledge of species-appropriate environmental needs Proficiency using ZIMS or other digital record keeping systems. CPR/First Aid certification, SCUBA, and/or venomous animal handling experience preferred or willingness to obtain. Duties and Responsibilities
Part Time Keeper:
Serve as a positive, professional representative of the Virginia Living Museum, supporting its mission, values, and AZA standards. Ensure excellent animal wellbeing through modern zoological practices, daily care, accurate recordkeeping, and inventory oversight. Assist with safe animal restraint and veterinary exams/protocols Learn emergency response protocols Communicate effectively with other team members, volunteers/interns, and department Curator to ensure consistent procedures & standards. Assist with training volunteers in husbandry, biosecurity, diet prep, recordkeeping, and safe animal handling. Enhance guest experiences by interacting with guests, giving informal keeper talks, and/or assisting with group tours. Collaborate with the department Curator, Ambassador Animal Manager, and Training & Enrichment Coordinator to learn animal programming guidelines & adopt approved animal training plans. Promote safe work practices, ensure compliance with biosecurity and quarantine procedures, and maintain professional exhibit appearance by following established protocols. Perform other duties as assigned. Full Time Keeper:
Serve as a positive, professional representative of the Virginia Living Museum, supporting its mission, values, and AZA standards. Ensure excellent animal wellbeing through modern zoological practices, daily care, accurate recordkeeping, and inventory oversight. Lead technical and advanced care tasks, including: Safe animal restraint and assistance with veterinary exams/protocols Animal acquisitions and transfers in coordination with the department Curator Emergency assessment and response Communicate effectively with other team members, volunteers/interns, and department Curator to ensure consistent procedures & standards. Train and mentor volunteers in husbandry, biosecurity, diet prep, recordkeeping, and safe animal handling. Enhance guest experiences by leading engaging interactions, tours, and presentations. Collaborate with the department Curator, Ambassador Animal Manager, and Training & Enrichment Coordinator to guide and implement animal programming guidelines & training plans and develop animal enrichment schedules. Support volunteer management with scheduling, interviewing, and on-boarding/training. Promote safe work practices, ensure compliance with biosecurity and quarantine procedures, and maintain professional exhibit appearance. Work safely with potentially dangerous species (e.g., venomous reptiles, fish, & invertebrates, alligators, snapping turtles) following museum protocols. Perform other duties as assigned. Senior Keeper:
Serve as a positive, professional representative of the Virginia Living Museum, supporting its mission, values, and AZA standards. Ensure excellent animal wellbeing through modern zoological practices, daily care, accurate recordkeeping, and inventory oversight. Lead technical and advanced care tasks, including: Safe animal restraint and assistance with veterinary exams/protocols Animal acquisitions and transfers in coordination with the department Curator Emergency assessment and response Communicate effectively with other team members, volunteers/interns, and department Curator to ensure consistent procedures & standards. Train and mentor staff and volunteers in husbandry, biosecurity, diet prep, recordkeeping, and safe animal handling. Enhance guest experiences by leading engaging interactions, tours, and presentations. Collaborate with the department Curator, Ambassador Animal Manager, and Training & Enrichment Coordinator to develop and evaluate programming guidelines & training plans. Support volunteer management with scheduling, interviewing, and on-boarding/training. Help coordinate dive schedule, equipment maintenance, and safety protocols. Promote safe work practices, ensure compliance with biosecurity and quarantine procedures, and maintain professional exhibit appearance. Work safely with potentially dangerous species (e.g., venomous reptiles, fish, & invertebrates, alligators, snapping turtles) following museum protocols. Support the Ectotherm Curator in developing and improving procedures, setting priorities, and delegating duties within the department. Submit work orders and communicate maintenance needs with LSS and facilities teams. Act as departmental lead in the Curator's absence. Perform other duties as assigned. Requirements
Essential Job Requirements (all positions)
Ability to communicate clearly, verbally and in writing, and hear while working around pumps and other background noise. Visual acuity sufficient to operate vehicles and equipment safely. Physical ability to lift up to 50 lbs and capable of standing, walking, stooping, and repetitive motion as required. Comfortable working around live animals and diverse indoor/outdoor environments (tolerate heat, cold, wind, humidity, insects, & vegetation). Willingness to work weekends and holidays, including evenings and special events upon request Excellent reliability, teamwork, and observation skills. Possesses interpersonal skills to interact with coworkers and guests professionally.