MARWELL WILDLIFE
25,396.8 per year
Marwell Wildlife
Full-time
30th November 2025
Assistant Animal Keeper – Birds, Lower Vertebrates & Invertebrates
Team

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Animal Keeper, working 40 hours per
week over 5 days to join our Birds, Lower Vertebrates & Invertebrates Team on a
permanent contract.

This role entails husbandry of a wide range of taxa (around 80 species) including insects,
fish, reptiles, penguins, ostrich, songbirds and more. Specific knowledge to all these taxa
is not required but an adaptable mindset is. The successful candidate will be trained on
several different routines, and time will be divided between taxa as needed to support the
team and organisation.

Duties include daily husbandry including diet preparation, welfare checks, maintaining
records. Other aspects of the role include enclosure maintenance, plant management,
habitat improvements. An interest in life support systems such as UV lighting, filtration etc
is beneficial to this role.

The successful candidate will be working as part of a large team and must possess good
communication skills. Some computer-based work is required at times.

Applicants must hold 5 GCSE’s or equivalent and have a demonstrable interest &
enthusiasm for animal conservation, management & welfare.

This post offers a fantastic opportunity to work with a wide range of species and contribute
to conservation breeding programmes for sand lizard, white-clawed crayfish and Partula
snails.

Please see the job description below for full details.

Salary £25,396.80 per annum

If you would like to join our unique and vibrant organisation to become a part of the
Marwell Family, please view the full candidate brief below and send a completed
application form to jobs@marwell.org.uk.

Closing Date: 30 November 2025

1st stage interview date: 05 December 2025

2nd stage interview date: 11 December 2025

Disclaimer: we reserve the right to close a vacancy earlier than the advertised date if
we receive applications that meet the selection criteria. Once a vacancy has closed,
we are unable to consider further applications, so please apply early to avoid
disappointment

12/11/2025

1

Assistant Animal Keeper

Role Profile

Job Title: Assistant Animal Keeper
Benefits: Pension at 5%, 33 days annual leave inc Bank Holidays
Hours: 40 hours per week, including weekend and bank holiday rotas as required
Location: Marwell Wildlife
Reports to: Animal Team Leader
Management: None

Role Purpose and Role Dimensions: Develop wide ranging animal management
knowledge, skills & experience. Contribute to the husbandry, welfare & increased
knowledge of animals in our care. Contribute to education, media and marketing initiatives
to encourage public understanding of animals and promote Marwell’s charitable mission.

Financial Dimensions: None

Key Internal Contacts

•  Animal Team Leaders
•  Senior Animal Keepers
•  Animal Team Manager
•  Animal Collection Manager
•  Veterinary team
•  Education team

The Role

Planning

•  Prepare for & attend regular section or departmental meetings / undertake agreed

actions

Animal Management

•  Carry out animal husbandry routines and environmental enrichment as instructed
•  Undertake & record animal observations
•  Participate in animal management operations and veterinary intervention as

required

Human Resources

•  Attend formal & informal training as required

Health & safety

•  Adhere to health and safety policy & procedures
•  Learn & maintain understanding of emergency procedures - practice and enact as

required

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Communications, education & public awareness

•  Participate in education, media and marketing initiatives as required
•  Engage guests informally during course of duties

Compliance & best practise

•  Participate in Zoo Licence inspections, and other audits as required
•  Learn & maintain understanding of Ethical, Population Management, and Animal

Welfare policies

•  Adhere to environmental policy & procedures
•

Identify with and contribute to Marwell Wildlife Brand Values, mission and
charitable objectives

The Candidate

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

•  Minimum  of  5  Level  2  (GCSE  grade  A-C)  or  equivalent  science  qualifications.

Higher qualifications desirable.

•  Demonstrable  interest  &  enthusiasm  for  animal  conservation,  management  &

welfare

•  Developing understanding of relevant legislation
•  Full driving licence valid for the U.K.

Attributes

•  Aptitude for academic & practical learning
•  Ability to undertake both academic & practical tasks
•  Strong communication skills
•

IT  skills  and  proficiency  in  use  of  software  (word  processing,  spreadsheets,
presentations)

•  Ability to work in a team
•  Punctuality
•  An understanding of the values and behaviour expected within this role
•  An understanding of how this role supports the delivery of our charitable outputs

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Assistant Animal Keeper - MARWELL WILDLIFE | Work In Charities