Position: Live Animals Assistant

Edmonton

Full Time

Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week

Regular/Temporary: Regular

Salary: $1,885.67 to $2,407.76 bi-weekly  ($49,215- $62,842 year) 

Closing Date: October 30, 2023

About Us

The Royal Alberta Museum (RAM) is the largest museum in western Canada and one of the top museums in Canada. Located in the Arts District in downtown Edmonton, we collect, preserve, research, interpret, and exhibit objects and specimens related to the heritage of Alberta's people and natural environment.

For more information about the Royal Alberta Museum (RAM) please visit our website at: https://royalalbertamuseum.ca/

Role

The Royal Alberta Museum is seeking a skilled and well-qualified individual to take on the role of Live Animals Assistant. Reporting to the Live Animals Supervisor within the Invertebrate Zoology team, you will assist with the care and maintenance of live animals (predominantly invertebrates, with some fish, amphibians, and reptiles) on display and in reserve cultures at the Royal Alberta Museum. You will join a team of three others undertaking live animal care. You will also interact with Bug Gallery volunteers and museum visitors. Responsibilities include feeding, cleaning tanks and enclosures, maintaining life support equipment, maintaining a greenhouse, providing input into new specimen acquisition, and interpreting displays to the public. Specific duties include:

• Feeding animals, purchasing, and preparing food for animals
  
• Monitoring animal health and taking appropriate action to address medical issues.
  
• Contributing to the development and implementation of internal animal care protocols as well as occupational health and safety procedures
  
• Cleaning and maintaining life support equipment, including filters, chillers, heaters, misters, lighting, and growth chambers.
  
• Providing input on decisions regarding upgrading of displays or creation of new displays within existing galleries.
  
• Interacting with the public in the galleries - interpreting species on display and explaining live culture protocols, and answering questions submitted by the public.
  
• Participating in learning programs, including live animal encounters, and live animals-related social media initiatives

As our ideal candidate, you will demonstrate creative problem-solving skills, such as developing innovative solutions to the care of live animals. You will show agility, through the ability to adapt to changing workflow and rearrange priorities to ensure critical tasks are completed. You will show systems thinking by understanding how the Live Animals displays contribute to the visitor experience of the museum and by seeking opportunities to raise awareness of invertebrates to biodiversity through in-reach and outreach activities, including effective use of social media. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are required to build collaborative environments, interact effectively with coworkers, volunteers, and the public, and function well in a team-centered setting.

Qualifications

• Two-year diploma in bioscience or zoology with one-year experience working with live animals, Equivalencies may be considered.
  
• Familiarity is required with standard handling and husbandry protocols for invertebrates, fish, amphibians, and reptiles, including Canadian Council on Animal Care protocols relative to these animals.
  
• Must be comfortable handling a variety of animals in a manner that is safe to the organisms and to staff.
  
• Must be safety oriented, and familiar with safe laboratory practices and safe work procedures for live animals.
  

For more information, or to apply please visit: https://jobpostings.alberta.ca/job/Edmonton-Live-Animals-Assistant/574721917/