Zoo Hiring

The Santa Barbara Zoo is holding a job fair for prospective spring, summer, and year-round employees, as well as volunteers. It will be held in the zoo’s main courtyard on Thursday, March 18, 4-6 p.m.

Guest Experience Specialists: The first position that needs to be filled is that of guest experience specialist (GES). The job is open to anyone 14 years of age or older, with work permits required for hired individuals under 18. The GES is a customer-service oriented position, explained Corinne Santini, the zoo’s director of human resources. Accordingly, applicants are expected to have a “positive attitude, great personality, outgoing personality, a service-oriented mind.” Hires will undergo thorough training.

The GES position ranges from greeting customers to manning the register at various shops and cafés throughout the zoo, and will include shifts during weekends and holidays. While it is open to anyone looking for a job, teens are encouraged to apply as résumé building and interview training will also be offered with the position. If hired, employees are expected to begin working on May 6, during weekends, until their schedule opens up for weekdays as well.

Zoo Camp Counselors:The Zoo Camp counselor positions are for summer, since the spring camps’ counselors have already been hired. Counselors are needed who are 18 or older and can work from June 14 until August 21. Camp counselors will work on weekdays with children, “teaching them about … what they can do to contribute to our effort of conservation,” Santini explained. Candidates are expected to be comfortable working with kids; prior experience with children or groups is a major plus. Twenty-five counselors are being sought for the summer positions.

Volunteers and Year-Round Positions: The zoo relies on volunteers to contribute toward making the zoo a community rather than just an attraction. Volunteer opportunities include counselors-in-training, animal aide volunteers, and clerical volunteers; plus two new positions in the science conservation leadership program, involving four years of dedication beginning around ninth grade. There will also be volunteer opportunities in the new “Theatre Gone Wild” program, which is still in development.

Some of the positions are year-round; applicants are encouraged to come to the job fair to learn about them.

Families are welcome to come to the job fair, and staff will be on hand for demonstrations, so it should be a fun afternoon. Applications are available here and Santini asked potential employees to bring “their smiles [and] energy.”